TV & Movies
A Bridgerton Season 4 Theory Predicts When Sophie Will Be Revealed
Benedict’s love interest may not have a straightforward debut.
After Colin and Penelope’s swoon-worthy love story, the next Bridgerton season will focus on Benedict — much to the delight of fans, who speculated it was time for the freewheeling artist to find his person.
That person, in Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels, is Sophie Beckett, a Cinderella-esque figure who works for her cruel stepmother. Benedict first meets her at his mother’s masquerade ball, but since her face is covered, he only knows her as the mysterious “Lady in Silver.”
In the book An Offer from a Gentleman, it’s two years before they meet again and properly begin their love story. But how long will fans have to wait before Sophie is unmasked behind the scenes?
According to a new fan theory, it could be a while.
A Casting Twist
In a July 23 Reddit post, Redditor u/OkGrocery4181 wondered if Netflix might keep Sophie’s identity under wraps until the show.
The fan said there would be “incredible” payoff if viewers met Sophie when Benedict did. “It could be fun to think she may be walking in the background of scenes without us realizing she’s in front of our faces the whole time,” they wrote.
In the comments, the user acknowledged that it might be impractical to conceal Sophie’s actor. While the show has kept smaller appearances a secret (like Masali Baduza as Michaela Stirling in Season 3), a lead actor plays a large part in generating hype for a season.
But the fan suggested that teasers could still lean into the mystery aspect of Sophie and Benedict’s first meeting, “showing glimpses of her through silhouettes, gloves, her eyes in the mask.”
About Sophie...
This theory may be onto something. Given the anticipation for Sophie and Benedict’s love story, it’s safe to say that fans will devour every tiny detail that comes along.
Interestingly, in its official post about Season 4, Netflix doesn’t even mention Sophie by name, just the Lady in Silver. This decision could hint at the streamer’s desire to approach the character in a playful, thematic way.
Wondering how past seasons have introduced new cast members? Because Colin and Penelope were already known to the audience, the only precedent to pull from is Simone Ashley’s introduction as Kate Sharma ahead of Season 2.
The actor was announced in February 2021 — roughly a month after her on-screen beau was confirmed as the subject of Season 2. So if Season 4 follows a similar schedule, Sophie’s actor could be revealed this summer.
