Bridgerton's Newcomer Hannah Dodd Offers Insight On The Forgotten Sibling

Summary:

• Bridgerton is a Netflix romantic period drama adapted from the books of the same name by Julia Quinn.
• The show tells the story of 8 Bridgerton siblings searching for love in the setting of Regency London. However, only 7 of them were regularly seen on screen.
• Francesca, the 6th child of the family, wasn't there due to the actress' scheduling conflicts.
• Now that she has been recast to be played by Hannah Dodd, viewers are ready to see more of Francesca's story.

Luckily for Bridgerton viewers, the first two seasons of the show were so good that it was pretty easy to ignore any bumps in the road. Thanks to the brilliant acting and beautiful sets, viewers weren't too bothered by the controversial plot changes Shondaland decided to make or the long wait between seasons.

With Season 3, however, the production team faced some backlash when viewers were thrown off by changes in the book order. Fortunately, there was something to distract people: this season will mark the reappearance of a long-lost Brodgerton sibling, Francesca.

Previously portrayed by Ruby Stokes, her character was barely seen on the show due to a scheduling conflict the actress had to work around with the production team. Now that she's been recast as Hannah Dodd, fans will finally get to see the character in all her glory.

Will Francesca Be In Bridgerton Season 3?

Hannah Dodd, who recently joined the cast as Francesca, has already been greeted with excitement not only by her fellow cast members, but also by fans of the series. While those who only know Bridgerton from the show may not have noticed the absence of one of the main characters, fans of the books know how important she is to the family dynamic.

Dodd agrees. Even though Francesca has never been the most outgoing, loud, outgoing person you would meet, she has to take her place in the family. This is what the actress shared about her character for Shonadaland's introductory article on season 3:

“I feel like saying that Francesca is shy is a bit of a cop-out. I think she’s an introvert, [but] she can have these beautiful one-on-ones with her family, the people she’s grown up with and she’s comfortable with. So, she can have that Bridgerton banter, that spark they all have, but when she goes into the ton, she behaves slightly differently to the others,” she said.

Though much like her older sister Eloise, Francesca is uncomfortable with the prying eyes of the public, she'll be far more graceful. Not in need of validation from the masses and completely comfortable with who she is, she will have the charms that a young lady needs to become a diamond of the season.

At least that's what Julia Quinn suggested in the original source. However, knowing how both Netflix and Shondaland tend to take risks, Francesca's TV story may be a bit different from the book fans already know and love.

To see what awaits Francesca, as well as the rest of the Bridgerton siblings, in the show's third season, you can stream it on Netflix. It will be released in two parts, on May 16, 2024 and June 13, 2024, so mark your calendars to make sure you don't miss the premiere!

Source: Shondaland