Phoebe Dynevor Opens Up About Daphne and Simon’s ‘Sexual Evolution’ on ‘Bridgerton’

The stars of Bridgerton, including Phoebe Dynevor, know and love that their show has been an escape for fans this year. But the steamy series is also telling an important story—a story that, yes, includes sex scenes. After all, sex is a big part of love, a big part of relationships, and a big part of marriage. Why shouldn’t it be a central part of character development?

In a recent chat with Deadline, Dynevor (a.k.a. Daphne on the hit Netflix romance) explained, “There are a lot of differences between me and Daphne, but I think she values family, which I also value, and at a time when women had only one option, she was as determined to make that happen, as I am in my career, I guess, and I think that was sort of my way into Daphne.”

Dynevor continued, “I admired her more because she made it happen, but she called the shots, and she also found love. Their sexual evolution was very important to the storyline and something me, [showrunner] Chris [Van Dusen], [costar] Regé [-Jean Page], and everyone involved really wanted to tell truthfully and in a way that was safe for everyone.”

As anyone who’s watched the show can attest, Simon and Daphne’s communication and chemistry in the bedroom, and their challenges, reflect how they grow over the course of the season from two people into one married couple.

Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope Featherington, perfectly summed up how the show is both frothy and fulfilling: “This is such a wonderful escapist piece that had so much depth to it, I think it drew people in.”

Phoebe Dynevor agreed that in the midst of a bizarre year, Bridgerton was a much-needed bright spot. “Just seeing how much it has impacted people’s lives and people saying on the street, ‘Wow, thank you, we really loved your show,’ moments like that are really lovely, especially in a time that has been quite difficult for a lot of people,” she said.

Added Van Dusen on the show’s classic but not-stuffy appeal, “I’ve always loved a period piece and I’ve always loved the genre…But I think they are considered a little conservative and a little traditional, and I knew from the beginning that I never wanted Bridgerton to be that way.” In adapting Julia Quinn’s novels, he said, “We really worked to tell these stories and explore these characters through a really contemporary lens, and you see it from the way we cast the show to the set on the show, to the way it’s edited, to the themes we are exploring. It is set in the 19th century but you sometimes forget that because what we are exploring is really modern and it’s really universal.”