Details are revealed about why Regé-Jean Page, who plays Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, in Netflix's Bridgerton, turned down the opportunity to return in season 2. The Regency England-set show is an adaptation of the best-selling books from author Julia Quinn. It is the first original Shonda Rhimes-produced drama on the platform.
Page signed on for a one-year deal to play Basset on Bridgerton, the unlikely suitor to Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), with the understanding Simon wouldn't return for season 2. From the very beginning, the plan with the production was for each season to follow one of the eight Bridgerton siblings as they pursued their individual quests for marriage. It's a narrative trajectory that falls directly in line with the literary blueprint that Quinn's books originally laid. Last week, Bridgerton confirmed Page's Simon wouldn't return for season 2 and now details about the decision are coming to light.
While playing Basset in Bridgerton turned into a breakout role for Page, with his popularity spiking among the show's devoted fanbase, the actor turned down the chance to play the Duke of Hastings in season 2. THR reveals he was "offered an opportunity to return as a guest star in three to five episodes" at a rate of $50,000 per episode. Page referenced the early conversations he had with the show's producers, as he explained to Variety his reasons for leaving, saying, "It’s a one-season arc. It’s going to have a beginning, middle, end – give us a year." The actor, who had just come off playing Leonard Knox in ABC's legal drama, For the People, further elaborated: “[I thought] ‘That’s interesting,’ because then it felt like a limited series. I get to come in, I get to contribute my bit and then the Bridgerton family rolls on.”
The reasoning Page gives for accepting the role of Simon Basset in Bridgerton speaks to the actor's desire to take on work that explores a satisfying arc. His one-season stint on the series doesn't just provide a fulfilling experience for the actor, allowing him to explore Simon's beginning, middle, and end, it will also, hopefully, pivot the show's spotlight to focus on other Bridgerton characters. Aside from that, it's worth remembering that Page is an actor and his move not to return to the Netflix show may inform his own desire to explore a variety of characters, narratives, and storytelling mediums in his career.
Page's decision not to return to Bridgerton season 2 may be surprising, and upsetting, to fans of the series, but the character's story doesn't continue in the books, either. There's something to be said for the Shondaland producers' attempt at bringing the popular character back for the next installment of the show, but there's also a certain appeal to an adaptation that stays true to the subject matter it's based on. And if Netflix is remaining true to the books, there is still plenty of fertile ground to be covered in Bridgerton season 2.
Source: THR, Variety