Regé-Jean Page is Fine With the Duke of Hastings Possible Recast on Bridgerton
Bridgerton is one of those shows that seemed to pop up out of almost nowhere to become a smash hit with critics and fans alike. And no small part of the show's success is owing to its wonderful array of characters, portrayed by such gifted actors.
One of the most beloved characters from the first season was Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, played by Regé-Jean Page.
Basset's humble beginnings and beautiful flaws only made him that much more endearing to fans, swearing off love and marriage to slight his cold and abusive father. The audience felt such sympathy for the handsome young Simon, loathing his father and understanding his choice to end the family line. But all the while everyone was not so secretly hoping that he would change his mind and find his one true love.
Find her he did, in the beautiful and sweet Daphne Bridgerton. Fans watched with adoration and glee as the two fell in love, married, and welcomed their son Augie into the world at the conclusion of the first season. Many hoped that Simon would return in the second season, but he did not, owing to Page's decision to only do one season.
Simon's absence in season two was explained by him simply being "at home," with Daphne and Augie continuing to appear.
The fact that his wife and child are very much present in season two, only made it feel more obvious that Simon was not there. Speculation about what would happen in the third season has been rife, ever since Page reaffirmed he would not be returning.
Rumours have swirled about Simon being killed off-screen or abandoning his wife and child, but so far nothing has been confirmed and fans will just have to wait and see what happens. A further story that has been lurking is that Simon will return, even if Page does not, and will be portrayed by a different actor. Page has confirmed that he has absolutely no problem with this, remaining comfortable with his choice not to continue on the show.
"They're free to do as they like," Page told Variety reporter Marc Malkin. "Shonda [Rhimes, the executive producer] and I had a wonderful conversation at the end of season one. We were quite happy with how we stuck the landing on that one."
Fortunately, Page's departure is said to have been an amicable one, with him only ever signing on with the intention of completing one season. He has now moved on to other roles, most recently in The Gray Man, a thriller that was released earlier this year. Next year will see the release of his next project, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves which is currently in post-production.
Will Simon return with a different face in season three? Or will he continue to be absent? Only time will tell. Season three of Bridgerton commenced filming in July 2022, but with no official expected release date yet, fans will have to eagerly wait and see what happens.