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MANILA, Philippines – The much-awaited third season of the hit Netflix period drama Bridgerton is finally here, and Filipino representation takes center stage with the appearance of Lord Basilio and Lord Barnell, portrayed by actors James Bradwell and Martin Sarreal, respectively.
Bradwell, in an Instagram post, disclosed that his character was initially written as someone of East Asian heritage under a different name. But the Filipino-British actor didn’t shy away from advocating for his roots, seizing the opportunity to collaborate with the production team and suggest a more culturally representative moniker.
“I wondered whether there was an opportunity to rechristen my Lord with a name representative of my own heritage,” Bradwell wrote.
After proposing several Filipino surnames, the team landed on “Basilio,” a decision that left the actor feeling “like a collaborator on my role, not a beggar at the door as these conversations can sometimes feel in this industry.”
Bradwell’s character Lord Basilio was seen in the first two episodes of the season, where he approached Francesca Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington.
Meanwhile, Sarreal took on the role of Lord Barnell, saying that he “had loads of fun” stepping into the character’s shoes. He also thanked his “great, new pals” on the set, including his fellow Filipino cast member Bradwell.
“There are now officially two Pinoys in the Bridgerton universe. What more can you truly ask for?” he wrote, alongside behind-the-scenes snapshots of him from the set. The UK-based singer-actor was part of the season’s first ball scene.
The third season of Bridgerton follows the romance between Luke Newton’s Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan’s Penelope Featherington.
It is divided into two parts, with the first four episodes premiering last Thursday, May 16, and the next four episodes available on June 13.
Based on Julia Quinn’s novels, Bridgerton is a romantic, cheeky series set during the Regency period in London, following the Bridgerton siblings in their respective romantic journeys. Since its debut in 2020, the show has captivated audiences worldwide, setting a Netflix record with 82 million viewers for its inaugural season.
In April 2021, Netflix confirmed that Bridgerton had been renewed for its third and fourth seasons. – with additional reports from Patty Bufi/Rappler.com
Patty Bufi is a Rappler intern.
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