As we eagerly await season two, we'd be lying if we said Page's character, The Duke—and his oh-so-lucky spoon—wasn't the main reason why we're so desperate to dive into a second season of this sexy, Regency era series . Bridgerton viewers around the world have gone wild over a racy scene which sees the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page) lick a spoon while out … He's also the founding editor at Vague Visages, and has contributed to RogerEbert.com and Fandor. Racially diverse characters populate all classes of British society, including the highest echelons. And I thought that part of that is bringing in this conversation that we have contemporarily of masculine vulnerability and where the strength in that lies and where the redemption in that lies and where - what's appealing about that in a romantic hero and what we're looking for in our lovers in the 21st century. It is out now. And so we kind of wanted to see what we could do to advance that in the lens of the show. When adult Simon arrives in Bridgerton's 1813 London setting, he informs his dying father that the family bloodline - and therefore, title, which his father prized even above his own son - will end with him. Page stars in the new Regency-era romance as the Duke of Hastings, the story's leading character. The show’s two darkest male characters are either the Duke of Hastings, a father anyone would hate, or Will (Martins Imhangbe), a boxer whose only purpose was to serve as Simon’s unpaid therapist. Season two of the hit TV series Bridgerton will roll out for fans without its hunky star, Regé-Jean Page, who played Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings. Why haven't you heard more of this duke? PAGE: That there is always a place to listen and evolve and grow; that there is more than one type of strength; that a lot of the time, exerting strength and dominance - which Simon, I think, starts from - can in fact be what's holding you back, what's making you weaker. PAGE: I think in that sense, it reminds me of every relationship I've ever had. Instead, the more revealing measure of “Bridgerton” is how it treats its Black female characters. And I think that that's part of what this conversation is. At the time of Edward's death he was one of the most powerful and richest men in England. Why and when does Simon start wearing vibrant clothing in Bridgerton season 1? He's certainly become popular after playing Simon Bassett, Duke Of Hastings in Netflix series Bridgerton.. And actor Regé-Jean Page, 31, has described his devilishly handsome character as … I know that now. Though she was born in Germany, the daughter of a Duke, Queen Charlotte was directly descended from Margarita de Castro y Sousa, which was the Black … I kind of wanted to try and continue in the tradition that Shondaland is very good of - bringing in 21st century perspectives to whatever it is they're doing and try and kind of, you know, put some vitamins into pop culture. And he takes a tumultuous episode to try and unpick that joyous ball of yarn. The Bridgerton series premiere establishes Simon (Regé-Jean Page) as somewhat of a bad boy character. This comes right on the tails of the big reveal about another Black character: Marina, a young Black woman who has been sent blindly into a white, hostile household thanks to a gambling debt that’s not her fault at all. How can I contribute to something of a feminist lens to this while examining the male hero in this story? Simon then disrobes again, just like in episode 5, and offers his natural self to Daphne, this time with an open heart, along with an open mind in regard to the future. The hit Netflix show “Bridgerton” will continue without the Duke of Hastings. Click the button below to start this article in quick view. Actor who plays Duke of Hastings will be moving on to work on several film projects Published: April 03, 2021 10:25 Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor Regé-Jean Page in … Here's everything you need to know about Regé-Jean Page, aka Simon Basset, aka the Duke of Hastings, aka quite possibly the best bright spot of … Christmas Day this year may be a drab affair with the Covid-19 pandemic still raging on, but fear not, Netflix is here to save the day. He is rumored to be the son of Simonetta da Collavechio, a black servant, and Cardinal Giulio de Medici who later becomes Pope Clement VII. Enter: Regé-Jean Page, who played the steamy Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. CHANG: Rege-Jean Page stars in the new Netflix series "Bridgerton." Accuracy and availability may vary. So I'm a huge fan of period romances, especially British ones, you know, set in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, which is why I devoured the new Netflix series "Bridgerton" from executive producer Shonda Rhimes. At the family estate, he begins wearing dark clothing again and becomes emotionally distant while Daphne tries to acclimate herself to new surroundings. Regé-Jean Page, the actor who plays the dashing Duke, is still relatively up-and-coming, so he might be hard to place. His father — Lord Hastings — is clearly Black. And so I was like, well, where are we at with discussing masculinity? CHANG: I'm curious. And she seems to be suggesting to him that the king and the queen's interracial marriage is this huge step forward for Black people. PAGE: I kind of tried to find my lane and do my part. The following morning, he wears the same threads during a duel with his long-time friend, Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), who feels obliged to defend his sister Daphne's honor. REGE-JEAN PAGE: He is a tall, dark, handsome, brooding, thoroughly broken man who is struggling with issues of legacy and pride and trauma. And I was wondering if there was any particular scene, as they were figuring out how to have a healthy, sustainable marriage - if there was any particular scene that spoke to you personally. He arrives in London just before the death of his father and makes his societal debut with a cocksure attitude that appeals to and repels the very single Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor). CHANG: You know, another thing that made Simon Basset, the duke, quite different from other Regency-era romantic leads - and perhaps what ultimately makes him a modern character - is that even though he is a man struggling with his demons, he seems vulnerable. It was announced Friday that actor Regé-Jean Page, who played the extremely appealing Duke… PAGE: ...Are hugely emotionally stunted. But whereas the opening episode ("Diamond of the First Water") frames the Duke of Hastings as a man who's willing to present a faux image, the second episode ("Shock and Delight") provides viewers with the appropriate context of his backstory. From that point forward in the Netflix series, Simon's style becomes more colorful and bold. PAGE: ...Clint Eastwood type. The streaming platform now hosts the first season of Shondaland's 'Bridgerton', adapted from Julia Quinn's best-selling novels, with the first season based on the first book, 'The Duke and I'. The Duke of Norfolk is considered the Premier Duke of England. 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William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings KG was an English nobleman. They couple still has passionate sex, yet the Duke clearly doesn't know how to fully commit, seemingly because he's still unwilling to have children. Copyright © 2021 NPR. I think it's figuring out how to make sure that the people in the relationship are collaborators, figuring out how to make both people protagonists in a relationship and how that needs compromise. CHANG: Absolutely, absolutely - though, you know, one of the most striking things about the duke from the very outset is, of course, the fact that he is Black. They don't seem to wear their pain the way that Simon does. Here's what the color motif means for the main male character. PAGE: I think it's - we're at a point in history where kind of since you had Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Mary Shelley start writing these books that we've kind of adapted into the genre of the period drama, we've had, like - what? PAGE: Well, I think it's incredibly important that when we are indulging ourselves in these kind of great, big Cinderella fantasies, that everyone gets to see themselves as worthy of status and glamour and love and redemption. PAGE: (As Simon Basset) I believe that remains to be seen. Hough is a senior writer at Screen Rant. PAGE: ...And revolutionary in itself, whilst respecting our experience. 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It was she who bestowed nobility upon the Duke of Hastings’ predecessors, positioning him to inherit a dukedom. NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with actor Regé-Jean Page about the new Netflix series Bridgerton. The Duke of Hastings, Simon — who returns to England to settle his father’s affairs — is clearly of African descent. Besides the dukedoms of Cornwall and Lancaster, the oldest extant title is that of Duke of Norfolk, dating from 1483 (the title was first created in 1397). That’s right! Q.V. In Bridgerton, the Duke of Hastings spars frequently with Will Mondrich, a Black boxer and confidante of the Duke’s, who is perhaps modelled on Thomas Molyneaux, a freed black … Where do you think that is reflected in this series to you? And so I think it's nice to see parts of your experience reflected within that wider arc of a love story. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. What shocked me was the decision to cast a Black actor as a British duke during the Regency period. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record. Flamboyant, battle-hardened, and a ladies man, the Duke of Florence's reign is cut short by his assassination in 1537. In Bridgerton season 1, Simon's severe style is first acknowledged by Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh), the woman who helped him as a child and throughout his formative years. The Duke of Lancaster has merged with the Crown and so is held by the monarch. When the Duke and Duchess move closer to each other, they feel a spark and subsequently reignite their romance. I didn't kind of want to do any more damage in that sense. ADJOA ANDOH: (As Lady Danbury) We were two separate societies divided by color until a king fell in love with one of us. Can you talk about that? And what I do not know is how to be the man you need me to be, the man you truly deserve. And the most eligible bachelor in all of England is a Black man - the duke of Hastings, who's played by Rege-Jean Page. By the fourth episode in Bridgerton season 1, "An Affair of Honor," speckles of gold suddenly appear on Simon's attire, which inspires a long gaze from Daphne at a public sporting event. A loyal follower of the House of York during the Wars of the Roses, he became a close friend and one of the most important courtiers of King Edward IV, whom he served as Lord Chamberlain. Readers know Simon Bassett, the Duke of Hastings, as a devastatingly handsome rake whose cold exterior is actually armor protecting a sensitive soul and embarrassing speech impediment. Now, Page is tackling the role of Simon Bassett, the Duke of Hastings, ... Interracial romance movies and TV shows featuring Black heroes and … The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans. However, a certain someone inspires Simon to change his drab appearance. Related: Bridgerton Cast & Character Guide: What Else The Actors Have Been In. What's immediately different about this period drama is the cast. CHANG: So what do you want audiences ultimately to learn or to take away from the duke of Hastings' story? And so how can we bring that agenda into the editorial stance of the show? And for my part, that's in the male romantic lead. PAGE: Well, I think it was important to me from early on. A one-stop shop for all things video games. PHOEBE DYNEVOR: (As Daphne Bridgerton) Yes, you do. The Duke of Hastings’ mother dies in childbirth. What do you mean about the feminist lens into masculinity? CHANG: And yet the story is not completely colorblind, right? So while the show cast Black actors in … As an angsty teen, Regé-Jean formed a … PAGE: (As Simon Basset) I do not want to be alone. He's very kind of, you know, Darcy, Heathcliff. PAGE: I think in the earliest of our conversations and kind of going on through developing the production, Chris Van Dusen and I talked about... CHANG: Chris Van Dusen - he's a showrunner. His jealous cousin murders him. WARNING: Spoilers for Bridgerton season 1. Simon cheekily explains that he heard an all-black look was "all the rage," yet flashback sequences from his childhood suggest that he subconsciously wears his (black) heart on his sleeve as an adult. The second half of Bridgerton season 1 thematically shows that Simon retreats to his old ways. Set during the Regency era in 1813 London, the show's first season was a steamy love story between Simon and Daphne Bridgerton. Thank you so much for sharing your time with us. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Tell me; what do you think that achieves when audiences take in a diverse cast like this? Like, I want to talk about one of the few moments in the show where race is directly addressed. The Duke of Hastings mostly dons all black during the first three episodes of the Netflix series, which doesn't go unnoticed by members of high-class society in 1813 London. The Duke then takes off his multi-colored threads and presents his natural, naked self to his wife. In a recent interview with NPR titled “Redefining Regency-Era Masculinity In ‘Bridgerton,” Page opened up about the Duke Of Hastings a.k.a Simon Basset. Black female fans of 'The Bachelor' saw the drama coming from a mile away. - four or five waves of feminism since then. There's this conversation between your character and Lady Danbury, who's, like, kind of a mother figure to Simon, the duke. And the most eligible bachelor in all of England is a Black man - the duke of Hastings, who's played by Rege-Jean Page. By the end of episode 5, "The Duke and I," Simon has now married Daphne, and awkwardly admits that does indeed "burn" for her. Like any cool kid, he used to be in a punk band. Meaning, the new Duke of Hastings refuses to "sire" an heir out of pure spite. And being the protagonist in these stories and being the protagonist in these settings where you can see yourself as rich, attractive and admirable is important for absolutely everyone. At the season-ending ball, Daphne unloads her true, unfiltered feelings for Simon and pleads with him to forget about his dark past, and to accept that he doesn't need to be perfect. He was executed following accusations of treason by Edward's … Why and when does Simon start wearing vibrant clothing in Bridgerton season 1? Prior to a social gathering in episode 2, she asks the Duke of Hastings if it would "pain" him to "wear some color," and compares his wardrobe to the "monotonous" London season. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. And that generally tends to be their redemption arc - kind of trying to find their way through that. The Duke of Hastings and race in 'Bridgerton' At the same time, Page seems to find unnecessary that Black people appear in the series but that it’s never discussed. However, a certain someone inspires Simon to change his drab appearance. I kind of made the decision that I didn't want to lionize the brokenness of men in that type. I do not know how to do this. (SOUNDBITE OF RYUICHI SAKAMOTO'S "AMORE"). Simon's mother also passed away during childbirth, which made Lord Hastings even more of an unforgiving tyrant; a man who traumatized his innocent son for years to come. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. At the beginning of the second episode, we get to experience a difficult, traumatic childbirth and the death of a Black woman—the unnamed First Duchess of Hastings. It's very familiar to any people of color watching the show - the conversation of twice as hard for half as much, you know? There's something different about his masculinity than you see in many male leads in other historical romances. DYNEVOR: (As Daphne Bridgerton) I know you do. Still, he initially plans to leave London because he's simply emotionally unavailable, the result of being raised by a cold-hearted father. Say it ain’t so — Regé-Jean Page’s Duke of Hastings will not appear in Bridgerton season 2.Liam Daniel | Netflix. How important did that scene feel to you in shaping this character for the duke? Season two of the hit TV series Bridgerton will roll out for fans without its hunky star, Regé-Jean Page, who played Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings. During Daphne's first kiss with Simon in Bridgerton season 1, Simon wears a red coat which thematically aligns with his burning passion. As a child, Simon was rejected by his father (Richard Pepple) because of an embarrassing stammer, and because the perceived "imperfection" wouldn't be received well in public. CHANG: There was a lot that I'm sure audiences could relate to watching the way Simon the duke was struggling to relate with Daphne, the woman who eventually becomes his wife. CHANG: That's so interesting. (CNN) -- That scream you may have heard are the fans of Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings. By the Bridgerton season 1 finale, "After the Rain," Simon wears black and purple clothing while posing for a portrait with his wife. All rights reserved. Love, your grace, conquers all. And the genre on television appears has stood fairly still. I think we're at a point in history where, generally, people consider themselves to be feminists in the sense that we believe in the equality of the sexes.