A fascination with the elusive world of Shakespeare made a young Luke Thompson study drama at the University of Bristol and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Soon after, he played Lysander on the stage of the Globe Theater in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Fast forward to 2022, Thompson is known worldwide as Benedict Bridgerton, the sensitive and endearing artist who streams into our houses via Netflix. The numbers are in; BridgertonSeason 2 smashed Netflix’s rating records, dethroning Squid Games with 193 million hours streamed in its debut weekend. Although Bridgerton skyrocketed Thompson’s fame, he prefers to stay grounded and humble. “In my eyes, what you call fame, at this moment, is something happening between Bridgerton and people watching Bridgerton. That may change, but right now, as the filming is over, I feel separate from it, in a way. Now that I’ve finished the job, I want to get out of the way and let the dialogue between the show and the audience happen.” In this exclusive interview with Vestal, Thompson reveals the ups and downs of his career, insights into his most-known character, Benedict Bridgerton, his reticence towards social media, and his everlasting love for theater. 

Violeta Nicola __ Tell me about your route to acting. What was your first break? 

Luke Thompson __ Well, I've always enjoyed showing off and playing around, but in terms of a break, as a kid, I was mesmerized by Shakespeare, how elusive and dark it is, how you have to lean in to get something out of it, but also how it is as much about rhythm as it is about sense. My first ever job was A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Globe Theatre, which felt like a real 'break' as I'd dreamt about being in that space. It's not without challenges, but it feels charming to me.

VN __ What were some high and low points while pursuing acting?

LT __ The high point has been working with Robert Icke, director, and writer, on Oresteia and then on Hamlet. To make adaptations of those older plays and to have felt like something was happening that people were genuinely moved or shaken by (something Rob is committed to trying to unearth, as opposed to it all becoming an exercise in cultural nostalgia) is pretty much why I want to act in a nutshell. The lows…well, not working, is shit.

VN __ Your character, Benedict, is dimensional. How do you prepare to portray such a complex character?

LT __ I prefer not to prepare. What hopefully makes a character believable is psychological inconsistency, one to match how contradictory real people are. But strangely, in fiction, some idealist side wants to make characters consistent and logical, so we develop 'ideas' and start 'preparing.' I limit that as much as possible. Often, it's just a control issue or anxiety. Prepared ideas from actors mostly could be better. It's not the job. Showing open-mindedness and open-heartedness and paying attention to what's happening are often the only helpful preparations.

VN __ How did the art department team create the Regency London World of Bridgerton? Specifically, the exterior London scenes?

LT __ It's miraculous. The short answer is that the art department and every department work tirelessly. They constantly refine and elaborate on the original gambit of series 1, taking it further and tightening its lens. Actors seem front and center on the screen, but we are a small part of an immense process; it's humbling. This constant balance is between consulting the period and elaborating playfully on it. Even its geography is a mixture of London, other locations, and studios, making Bridgerton feel like its own universe, with its palette and rules, rather than a museum. I love museums, but not in drama.

VN __ What was the most challenging part of bringing Bridgerton's books to the screen?

LT __ The most challenging part is that the books and the show are separate. What works in a book only sometimes works on a screen in 2022. It's a delicate exchange; the fans of the books have welcomed us into the Bridgerton's world they know and love, so we're grateful tenants in that sense. Still, we have to get to a point where we can fully take ownership of that world, push it somewhere else, and surprise them with twists they hadn't expected while hopefully not bending it out of recognition. It's a tricky challenge, but the writing has navigated it superbly.

VN __ What can we expect from Benedict in the future? Is there anything you can share with us as the character keeps evolving?

LT __ The more you stay with a character, the more you start to see the chinks in the armor, a bit of vulnerability, and Benedict is no exception this season, no matter how blasé he seems to want to be.

VN __ Were there any exciting moments that stayed with you after filming the latest season?

LT __ The horse racing sequence was extraordinary to watch. Getting high was exciting because it feels quintessentially Bridgerton in the way it takes a modern trope (two brothers getting high together) and dresses it in Regency clothes, which is something the show excels at and feels very satisfying to play. It was probably too gratifying, and we were told to tone it down after a while.

VN __ If there is a leading lady that you would love to act next to, who would that be? 

LT __ Ha! I don’t necessarily think about it in terms of gender or age! But I would say that acting is about chemistry; it happens between people rather than something innate about someone. There are some brilliant actors, but who knows what combination would be interesting. Me skipping this might be a missed opportunity, as I could come back and blame this interview.

VN __ Are there any actors you feel inspired by, and what do you see in them that inspires you?

LT __ Lia Williams and Angus Wright played my parents in Oresteia, and they have this striking grace and stillness. I tend to run around and shout a lot, so I was transfixed. Hopefully, it will rub off on me one day. I’ve also watched plays by Toneelgroep Amsterdam, and those actors don’t care; they seem fearless, like children in a playground. I love that.

VN __  I noticed you seem private. I couldn’t find you on social media, which is unusual for a public figure and shows that social media is not a prerequisite for success. Why did you decide to shy away from social media?

Photography William Ferchichi, Styling Gianluca Cococcia & Michael Jasinski, Interview Violeta Nicola, Groomer Rino Riccio (using Daviness), Makeup Brooke Simons (using Dr Sebagh, Cover FX, Benny Hancock), Talent Luke Thompson (Public Eye Communications)