Penelope Featherington takes center stage in Bridgerton season 3, which sees her juggle her blossoming romance with Colin Bridgerton and her secret identity as Lady Whistledown. The latest installment of the hit Netflix show adapts the fourth book in Julia Quinn’s novel series, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, while still making important changes to flesh out the world for television. One of the biggest differences in the Shondaland presentation is the expansion of the story, which includes adding characters such as Queen Charlotte and the Mondriches.

Penelope’s sisters are not new to Bridgerton (though the TV show did remove Felicity), but season 3 offers more space for Prudence (Bessie Carter) and Philippa (Harriet Cains) to have their own adventures. Both elder Featherington siblings are now married, which propels Penelope to go in search of her own suitor but also opens a window into their domestic lives. While Violet Bridgerton has unfailingly pushed her children towards true love matches, Portia Featherington has never modeled marital bliss for her daughters — leading to some humorous consequences in season 3.

Screen Rant interviewed Carter about how Prudence’s arc develops over the course of Bridgerton season 3, which aspects of the Featherington household she relishes exploring, and what advice she would give Penelope and Colin.

How Prudence Featherington Handles Married Life In Bridgerton Season 3

Screen Rant: Prudence and her family went through it last season with the Jack of it all, but it seems she’s still thriving now. Would you say that engagement and his shocking departure have left any mark on her?

Bessie Carter: I’m calling this season Prudank season because of the Dankworth that’s entered our lives. Prudence was pretty heartbroken at the end of [season] 2. She was really upset the future that she thought was going to happen isn’t going to happen, so I think it’s really satisfying that we start off season 3 with her arm in arm with a husband, which her mother has secured for her, and it’s a really exciting time for Prudence.

It’s a little bit unnerving, I think. It’s very new to her. She’s watched her sister being married, and they’re very fond of each other, and they’re very touchy-feely. I think right at the beginning, yes, it’s a little bit confusing and a bit of, “Don’t touch me and don’t mess up my hair.” She’s been living her single lady’s life for quite a while, and I think this is a bit of an adjustment, but I think that provides hopefully some of the comedy and also some of the new sides to Prudence that we see this season. A bit more of her vulnerability; a bit more of her naivety — and that’s a journey that the audience hopefully comes along with her on.

The scenes with Dankworth are so much fun, but what is that dynamic like for you and James Phoon on set? Because hopefully, you two get along a little better in real life.

Bessie Carter: He’s so nice. He’s so great. I just did a play at the National, and he came and saw the play. Then he’s doing a play at the National, and I’ve got tickets to go and see him. He was lovely, and I think it must be quite nerve-wracking coming into the third [season] of something. He’s such a positive, lovely person — he’s actually quite like his character. He’s quite upbeat and springy and that was, again, quite a [shift].

Prudence and Philippa have built this very eye-roll-y relationship, and then for this nice positive person to come in, genuinely was quite jarring. And that’s where I actually got that inspiration. I was like, “Oh, this is such a different energy.” It was quite good to lean into how difficult that was for Prudence. But we got along really well. He’s such a nice addition to the cast, so I’m excited for everyone to meet him.

“Prudence Slowly Softens” In Bridgerton Season 3

Given that this is Penelope’s season, it means that we also get to see more of Prudence in this domestic circle. Can you talk about exploring that and what it’s brought to light about Prudence for you?

Bessie Carter: Yeah, it’s obviously just a really nice opportunity to get to show different sides to her and to realize that she’s not just this jaded, mean older sister. I think when you ask yourself why someone is the way they are, you tend to trace it back to childhood. Growing up in a loveless home with a pretty absent father, there’s no real demonstration of a happy way to be in a marriage.

I think you sort of see Prudence trying to find her feet a little bit now that she’s no longer the center of attention. Mom’s eye is slightly more on Penelope, as is the Ton’s, and I think she finds that very uncomfortable. She’s trying her best to win her mom’s love and to win her mom’s approval, and I think she’s just really desperate to get that seal of approval. That’s her prerogative throughout the series, and that’s really fun. I get to just stretch my acting muscles a bit and show the audiences what I can do.

Speaking of that loveless home, Portia doesn’t show love the way one might expect, but she will go through hell and back for her daughters. What life lessons do you think Prudence has taken away from her mother? What are the ways in which she’s most like her mother?

Bessie Carter: Yeah, she’s a really strong mom. I think Prudence is actually very headstrong in many ways. She knows what she likes, she likes what she knows, but also she learns how to challenge that. She also sees her mom soften, I think, and she sees her mom slowly starting to see that there’s another way to be. I think Prudence slowly softens, and we just see her journey with her husband and the journey they go on. She’s trying to follow suit and learn from her mother, and I think that’s a really beautiful thing to watch.

Bridgerton has seen a shift in showrunners from Chris Van Dusen to Jess Brownell. What stands out most to you about Jess’ approach and what can fans expect because of it?

Bessie Carter: Jess has been part of the Shondaland family for a long time, so she speaks the language, and it was a very smooth handover. It’s just amazing to have a woman at the helm; that was really cool. She was around on set all the time, she was around for phone calls, and she would call us up before we got the scripts to talk about our arc and what the journey of the character was. It felt personal, and it felt considered, which was really nice. She was always just available and friendly and really transparent.

I think when you’ve got someone at the helm like that, it sets up for a pretty good ride. It was nice and just amazing. The more female showrunners we can get in this still very male-orientated industry, the better. So, I’m championing Jess.

Is there any character in the Bridgerton-verse that you would like to see Prudence interact with more? Or is there someone this season that you’re very excited to have more interactions with?

Bessie Carter: I am always really intrigued by the Mondriches, but I think that’s also just because I’m really good mates with them. So, I want scenes with Martins [Imhangbe] and Emma [Naomi]. Emma and I went to the same drama school. She was one year above me, so we were mates before.

But it’s quite funny because when I’m on set and we are doing a big ball scene or a scene with all of the Ton, it is very strange. For two seasons, we’d sort of established that the Featheringtons are in their corner trying their best not to make a fool of themselves. Actually, in this [season], when you’ve got the whole Polin love story coming together, there’s obviously a bringing together of the families. So, there are a few moments — I won’t say which — where we are with some Bridgertons, and it’s like, “Whoa, whoa.” I’m like, “How would I talk to you? I’ve never spoken to Benedict in my life.”

But me and Luke Thompson are good mates, so we sort of gravitated towards each other. There are a few scenes outside, and I remember being like, “I’m just going to stand next to him and wait until they tell me to move.” And they didn’t. I was like, “Oh, great, I’m going to stand next to you in this scene.” So, that’s always fun.

Bessie Carter Offers Penelope & Colin Bridgerton Advice: “Be Honest Sooner”

Do you have any advice that you would give Penelope and Colin this season as we move into the Polin year?

Bessie Carter: Be honest sooner. I mean, honestly, that’s my motto for everything. I’m almost cripplingly honest. I would just always say how you feel and hope for the best. And I think we do see that happen as a slow sort of bravery grows between the two of them. I think that’s really exciting and cool to see.

I don’t know if you’ve read the books, but do you have a Bridgerton sibling whose romance you’re most excited to see in the future?

Bessie Carter: I have not read any of them. I read the first one when I was going up for it. I did the self-tape, and I was like, “I should probably read the book.” I read the first book, and then the script was so brilliantly loyal, but then also they took [such] beautiful creative license that I actually was like, “It’s not that useful for me to read the book. I’m just going to read the scripts.” That’s the story I’m telling. It’s not the book.

So, I couldn’t tell you. I quite like this one, and I’m quite looking forward to seeing [Benedict’s]. They’ve all got them coming. Eloise, I’m sure that’ll be a cracker. I think all of the siblings are so different that it’s exciting. I assume that they’re all going to be very different stories, and I think that’s what keeps the audience coming back. It’s like, “How are they going to do this one?” So, I don’t have a preference.

Finally, are you making any preparations outside of Shondaland? Might we see you without a corset in the near future?

Bessie Carter: Yes. I’ve been doing lots of things. We finished this last March, and I did a TV series that I can’t [name], which is coming out this year. I did a play at the National Theater, which just finished. I start shooting a film in May, and then there’s another job at the end of the year.

Then I’m creeping up the period drama. I did a 1950s [project], then 1930s, and now I’m in the ’90s for something. Yeah, I’m going to be in Converse with a little Gen Z thing going on there. I’m creeping away from the corsets, thank the Lord.

About Bridgerton Season 3

Bridgerton is back for its third season and finds Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) has finally given up on her long-held crush on Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) after hearing his disparaging words about her last season. She has, however, decided it’s time to take a husband, preferably one who will provide her with enough independence to continue her double life as Lady Whistledown, far away from her mother and sisters. But lacking in confidence, Penelope’s attempts on the marriage mart fail spectacularly. Meanwhile, Colin has returned from his summer travels with a new look and a serious sense of swagger. But he’s disheartened to realize that Penelope, the one person who always appreciated him as he was, is giving him the cold shoulder.

Eager to win back her friendship, Colin offers to mentor Penelope in the ways of confidence to help her find a husband this season. But when his lessons start working a little too well, Colin must grapple with whether his feelings for Penelope are truly just friendly. Complicating matters for Penelope is her rift with Eloise (Claudia Jessie), who has found a new friend in a very unlikely place, while Penelope’s growing presence in the ton makes it all the more difficult to keep her Lady Whistledown alter ego a secret.

Check out our other Bridgerton season interviews with:

• Justin Kamps & Sarah Bridges (Music Supervisors), Kris Bowers (Composer) & Jack Murphy (Choreographer)
• Alison Gartshore (Production Designer) & Phillip Corps (Florist)
• John Glaser (Costumes) & Erika Okvist (HMU)

Source: Screen Rant Plus