The first product of Shonda Rhimes' $150 million Netflix deal, Bridgerton is a lavish period piece. But while the realities of the society it depicts may feel stuffy and constricting, the viewing experience is anything but. The show’s 19th-century social season feels familiar, its relationships among friends and family well-worn and authentic — and that’s not by accident, according to those who worked behind the scenes. With Season 2 already greenlit by the streaming platform, you're likely eagerly awaiting the return of more Regency-era England antics and the answers to some pressing questions that remain from Season 1. Seriously, who is the Featherington heir?
Whether it's your first or fifth time watching, there is still so much to learn about the making of the hit series. From discovering why Penelope Featherington is a Scorpio to noticing that Game of Thrones-level editing mistake, the Bridgerton universe is the gift that keeps on giving. And as you settle in for your next rewatch (you know you will, if you haven't already), these Bridgerton set secrets reveal how the Shondaland team achieved such a stellar Regency romance.
You Can See The Bridgerton House IRL
You can't literally visit Regency England, but you can certainly walk past pieces of it. Robinson told Deadline that she used to do exactly that before Bridgerton because she lived in the area. According to RadioTimes, the Bridgerton house is actually Ranger House, an art museum in Greenwich, South East London.
The Bridgertons And Featheringtons Swapped Houses
As Robinson told Deadline, the Bridgerton family was originally set to live in the house we know to be the Featheringtons', and vice versa. But she and production designer Will Hughes-Jones advocated for the swap to better reflect each family's personalities. As Robinson explained, the Featheringtons' eventual home looked "rather cold, and that was the vibe we were going with the Featheringtons," whereas the eventual Bridgerton pad was "much more of a homely home."
7,500 Costume Pieces Were Created
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Not surprisingly, the production work behind Bridgerton was incredibly detailed — especially when it came to all those beautiful costumes. Costume designer Ellen Mirojnick told Harper's Bazaar that the wardrobe department crafted about 7,500 pieces in total.
CGI Magic Brought Bridgerton To Life
According to Robinson, the process of recreating 19th-century England for Netflix took green screens, CGI, and lots of visual craftiness. As she told Deadline, production used CGI to establish a sense of closeness between the Bridgertons' and Featheringtons' homes on Grosvenor Square, even though they were far apart in real life. Robinson also explained that the team utilized green-screen extras in some scenes "to create the sense of chaos and fullness" they required.
Sex Scenes Were Filmed Surprisingly Early
You might assume the actors filmed the sex scenes later on to have as much time as possible to build a comfortable relationship with each other. But as Robinson told Deadline, this wasn't the case for Bridgerton. Certain scenes between Daphne and Simon, and Anthony and Siena, were filmed first so production could "start small with a limited number of actors," giving "hair and makeup a chance to build the rest of the cast while you are shooting a scene." But as you've already come to learn, Netflix utilized intimacy coordinators to ensure these early scenes went smoothly.
The Four-Legged Actors Were Difficult To Direct
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During an early scene involving Daphne and Anthony riding horses together, actors Dynevor and Bailey had to balance on the majestic animals, which proved to be incredibly difficult. It wasn't until after Robinson got the shots she needed that a crew member told her most period productions use a mechanical device that mimics the look of riding in real life. “Nobody mentioned it, so we have this scene, which must be very, very rare – two horses riding along," she shared with Deadline. "I think the actors, they did such a brilliant job with that scene, and I apologize to them for putting them through it.”