'Bridgerton' Creator Knew the Netflix Series 'Was Going To Be Really Special' While Filming a Major Moment Between Daphne and Simon

One of Netflix’s latest additions to their lineup of original TV shows is Bridgerton. The period drama set in 19th century London premiered on Dec. 25, 2020. It follows the high society Bridgerton family as they find themselves the subject of a gossip column.

Only days since it started streaming, Bridgerton is the sexy show that’s getting a lot of attention on social media. And, according to the program’s creator, Chris Van Dusen, the buzz isn’t much of a surprise because he knew Bridgerton was going to make for special television while filming the pilot episode. 

‘Bridgerton’ is based on novels by Julia Quinn 

Shonda Rhimes’ production company, Shondaland, and Neflix are behind Bridgerton but the TV series is an adaptation of the novels by bestselling author Julia Quinn. 

Quinn released The Duke and I, the first of her Bridgerton novels, in 2000. The author continued to tell the story of the Bridgerton family. She’s since written seven more books, two novellas, and an epilogue called The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After centering around the series’ characters.

According to Quinn’s website, the novels are set between 1813 and 1827. Each book in the series focuses on one child in the Bridgerton family.

‘Bridgerton’ creator knew it would be ‘special’ filming an ‘electric’ scene in the pilot

During a December 2020 interview with Seventeen before the premiere of Bridgerton, the show’s creator and showrunner shared the moment he knew it would be special.

It happened while filming a scene in the pilot episode, one involving Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon, Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page). 

“I think there is a moment in the pilot episode, and I don’t want to spoil too much, but it’s a pivotal moment between Daphne and Simon and their love story for the season,” he said. 

He continued: “It was four in the morning, I believe. And we were in the middle of the English countryside, on this massive set with all of these supporting artists, our actors were doing this amazingly choreographed dance under this sea of fireworks in the sky,” he said before adding, “A lot of those fireworks were practical and done on set.”

“I was just sitting in video village and that was, that was a moment for me, not just as the showrunner, but [as a fan] of the show,” Van Dusen recalled.

“Watching Daphne and Simon — Phoebe and Regé — together with the chemistry they had, it was electric and palpable. At that point, I think we all knew that this was something that was going to be really special,” he said.

Chris Van Dusen ‘devoured’ the ‘Bridgerton’ books 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rhimes gave the Bridgerton books to Van Dusen as Scandal was winding down and he was looking for another project. As the showrunner told the outlet, he read through the books in a matter of days. 

“I was instantly intrigued,” Van Dusen told The Hollywood Reporter. “I took them home and I just devoured them. I read the first book that first night, the second book the next night, and so on.”

What made them such page-turners for him? 

“They had every element I always love and I always look for: they were funny, they were sexy, they were emotional, they were really charming. And there was this delightful family known as the Bridgertons at the center of them all,” he said. 

At the time of publication, Bridgerton Season 1 is streaming on Netflix. 

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