After Netflix released the first photos from Bridgerton Season 3, it's clear that Colin Bridgerton is about to face a big change. His goofy little bro-style turtleneck was gone, replaced by an unbuttoned shirt and windswept hair. The changes quickly caught the attention of fans known as "Tons," who gave the character a nickname: "Colin the Pirate."
"In past seasons, I've always had to wear my ties very prim and proper," said Luke Newton, who plays one of the three Bridgerton brothers. “This season we explored how to open the buttons and show a rebellious side to Colin who doesn’t want to follow the rules.”
Part Three premieres in two parts on May 16 and June 13. Colin returns from a trip abroad, bringing with him a fresh perspective to help him find love, or rather, finally see who has been right in front of him all along. (For the uninitiated, that person is Nicola Coughlan's Penelope Featherington.)
"He always ran away from his problems," Newton said of Collin. "He comes back from his trip. Before he comes back, he goes through some kind of physical and emotional transformation and becomes a man. He's still fighting some demons, but he comes back with a new look."
Fans are so excited that they've taken to TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) to share their "Polin" edits and plot theories. “The fans have their finger on the pulse,” Newton said. "Sometimes I wonder, 'Did they read the script?'"
Below, he reveals new details about season three, an intimate carriage ride, and the surprising connection between Pauline and Friends .
Now that Pauline's storyline has a classic friends-to-lovers arc, what was it like to go from the show's platonic friendship to the romantic centerpiece?
There has always been romance between them, mostly from Penelope. This was going over Colin's head. When I was anticipating how the show was going to be written, I thought, this is going to be platonic, and then all of a sudden they're together? But the romance really heats up [this season].
Nick and I have talked many times about how Colin was always the dominant one in their relationship because of how he felt about him. It's fun to play with the full swap and how she gains this strength and confidence. We turned everything upside down.
People love the plot of friends turning into lovers. Did you draw inspiration from other books or movies?
While we were filming, I was watching romantic comedies. We wanted to add a romantic comedy element to Season 3 because we've never explored that before. Always going from enemies to lovers [episodes]. The comedic moment of two people giggling at each other was so nice. When you know someone as well as Colin and Penelope do, you can't put up a wall and pretend you are someone.
We always mention that Colin and Pan are like Ross and Rachel from Friends , Because it never works at the right time. They just kept missing each other. It's so fun to play different versions of when one person is ready to commit and the other person isn't.
How did you prepare for the intimate scenes this season?
I'm really grateful that I got to share it with Nick. We always knew that [our characters] would one day have this beautiful love story.
For the previous cast members who have hosted the show, they met at the beginning of the season, and Nick and I have developed our friendship over the past four years. We feel very safe and we have a fantastic team of intimacy coordinators. It was very well prepared and allowed us to perform freely.
How many carriage rides can viewers expect to take this season?
Yes, there's a lot going on on the wagon. Romance and intimacy come from all directions. It's not just Colin and Pan who have had these experiences this season. It feels like everyone this season has been hit with a love stick. There are several horse-drawn carriage rides, but not all are romantic. There was one with my brothers and I was changing (in the carriage). It was fun to shoot.
Penelope is a very divisive character. Some fans support her and her double life, while others slander her. how do you feel?
Every decision Penelope makes comes from a place of love and care, even if it's to break someone, like with Héloïse. Always to rescue them or reveal something necessary. Maybe I'm just biased because of Colin's relationship with the character.
Sometimes I think Ms. Whistledown gets carried away and could handle things differently. Penelope is trying to find her way and potentially become the most successful businesswoman of "the many." But at the same time, we have to remember that she's growing up, and that's what this season feels like - the epitome of growth. Colin and Penelope grew up at the same time and worked hard to grow together.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
