Queen Charlotte: Lady Danbury Actress Says Character Empowered Her
Queen Charlotte star Arséma Thomas says that playing Lady Danbury gave her power. TODAY caught up with the cast of the massive Netflix smash. For Thomas, she's tasked with bringing the younger version of Agatha Danbury to life. Those are huge shoes to fill as Adjoa Andoh's wonderfully dressed character is a fan favorite in the main Bridgerton story. Well, over time both Thomas and India Ria Amarteifo's monarch take shape over the course of Queen Charlotte. In her comments to TODAY, the Lady Danbury actress singles out how rare a character like this is in the entertainment landscape. But, also how empowering seeing her saunter into the room must be for people watching at home.
"To be able to play this character, who essentially voluntarily wants to be alone, turns down men, turns down the 'stability and security' that a relationship would give during that time and says, 'I would rather be alone and take that risk,' is something so liberating and hopefully encouraging to people," she told TODAY. "…"that they're able to do that, as well know that they can stand on their own."
Actors Golda Rosheuvel, Arsema Thomas and Corey Mylchreest stop by Studio 1A and talk with @SavannahGuthrie about their excitement about stepping into the royal shoes in “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.” “I think the fans will be very, very happy,” Rosheuvel says. pic.twitter.com/ZcDjmPB6xN
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 3, 2023
Thomas continued, "Finally being able to reclaim power in the room, in those situations, where white people are stripping me of my value and worth and thinking less of me, is almost ... it feels like emotional reparations. I get to take my power back from the times when it was lost."
Queen Charlotte Provided A Chance To Focus on Women's Bonds
Netflix hosted a sneak peek event for fans and Shonda Rhimes spoke about why she was excited to be making Queen Charlotte. It comes down to these women and their relationships to each other.
Rhimes said, "You know I'm really excited to tell these stories in two timelines. It makes it more special. You can see how the stories from the past influence the future." Another question pondered what's so special about having the older actors around for this chapter as well. The producer talked about how seeing these kinds of women on-screen talking about romance and reflecting on their lives can be kind of hard to find in this pop-culture landscape. There's no question that Bridgerton has provided a sorely-needed role in this entire ecosystem.
"One of the reasons for why I wanted to delve into he past of these women. A lot of romance stories don't delve into the lives of woman of a certain age. So, I think that will be a treat for viewers," she mused.
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