Netflix’s adaptation of Bridgerton famously decided to skip the third book, An Offer from a Gentleman, and give Penelope and Colin the focus of the third season, drawing instead from Romancing Mister Bridgerton. This has brought about speculation on whether or not Benedict will get his love story or if the series will even include his literary love interest, Sophie.
Bridgerton
4/5
From Shondaland and creator Chris Van Dusen, Netflix’s Bridgerton is based on the romance novels of the same name by author Julia Quinn. The series follows the eight Bridgerton siblings, Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth, as they search for love during the social season and navigate life in Regency-era England.
- Release Date
- December 25, 2020
- Seasons
- 3
- Studio
- Netflix
- Creator
- Chris Van Dusen
Patterned somewhat off of the fairy tale Cinderella, Sophie is the illegitimate daughter of an earl who has been made into a servant by her scheming stepmother. Fans of the Bridgerton series have already imagined certain actors as candidates to play the character.
Some are actors that are already associated with costumed period dramas. Others are already known for their previous work with Netflix, meaning it would be a natural choice for them to appear in another of the streaming service’s shows. A few are simply known for playing similarly plucky, put-upon characters.
Hanako Footman is an actor and a writer. She is known for appearing in the sitcom Defending the Guilty, where she played the junior barrister and student Pia. She has also appeared in a variety of films, like An American Exorcism, Slaughterhouse Rulez, and Guns Akimbo. In addition to acting, she also wrote the novel Mongrel.
Footman’s character of Pia proves to be sweet and hardworking, complete with hidden potential, although she is also plagued by past secrets. Footman has some background with Netflix, appearing in an episode of the historical drama, The Crown.
9 Susan Wokoma
Susan Wokoma is an actor known for her roles in Enola Holmes, Chewing Gum, Crazyhead, and Cheaters. Wokoma is also noted for her work as a voice actor, portraying Princess Talanji in World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth. In addition to this, she has also worked as a director and a writer.
Why Susan Wokoma Could Be a Good Fit For Sophie
In Enola Holmes, Wokoma played the character of Edith, who directs a jujitsu studio. Sophie has a bit of a fighter in her, at one point punching her stepmother in defense of her stepsister, Posy.
Through Chewing Gum, Wokoma has also played a character, Cynthia, who deals with sibling rivalry, much like Sophie, though her sister Tracey is the protagonist. Interestingly, Jonathan Bailey, who plays Anthony on Bridgerton, appears in an episode of Chewing Gum where he dates Cynthia’s sister Tracey.
8 Jessica Mei Li
Jessica Mei Li is best known for her role as Alina Starkov in the fantasy series Shadow and Bone. She also appeared in the film Last Night in Soho as Lara Chung. She has also appeared in the music videos for “A Thousand Ringing Bells” and “Three Weeks,” the latter of which she also co-directed and edited.
Why Jessica Mei Li Could Be a Good Fit For Sophie
Thanks to her work on Shadow and Bone, Li is already a Netflix alum, making it a natural fit to be considered for the world of Bridgerton. Her character Alina is also an orphan like Sophie who puts up with discrimination over her parentage, especially in the Netflix adaptation.
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7 Bethany Antonia
Bethany Antonia is an actor known for her work in House of the Dragon, as well as Get Even and Stay Close. She also notably played Poppy Ngomo in Nolly, a biopic revolving around television star Noele “Nolly” Gordon, as portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter. She also appeared in the films Pin Cushion, There’s Always Hope, and the short film, The Tempest.
Why Bethany Antonia Could Be a Good Fit For Sophie
Both Get Even and Stay Close have already given Antonia a background with Netflix. Antonia also has experience with costume dramas. In addition to appearing as Lady Baela Targaryen in House of the Dragon, she has also been cast as Marianne Dashwood in a 2024 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.
6 Sonoya Mizuno
Sonoya Mizuno appears in the series Maniac, House of the Dragon, and Devs, as well as the film Crazy Rich Asians as the heiress Araminta Lee, already proving herself as a performer with impressive range.
Why Sonoya Mizuno Could Be a Good Fit For Sophie
Mizuno’s character in Crazy Rich Asians, Araminta Lee, was notably written as more genuinely kindhearted when compared to her book counterpart, fitting the good-natured Sophie. Like Sophie, Araminta shines as the bride whose wedding drives the plot of the story.
Sophie’s big moment is at a ball, which is natural for both the world of Bridgerton and a Cinderella story, and Mizuno has experience as a dancer, having performed with several ballet companies in the past, like Ballet Ireland and Scottish Ballet. Mizuno also has experience with fairy tales, having made a small appearance in Disney’s live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast.
5 Sarah Junillon
Sarah Junillon has already appeared in Bridgerton, appearing throughout the second and third seasons as Eloise’s maid. Beforehand, she has also appeared in series like Ted Lasso, FBI: International, and The Madame Blanc Mysteries.
Why Sarah Junillon Could Be a Good Fit For Sophie
Many fans speculate that Sophie might be conflated with another character that fans have already seen in the series. Junillon’s character could be a natural fit, as the character wasn’t even given a name in her early appearances, making it just as likely as not to be “Sophie.” Thanks to this, many fans suspect the show’s version of Sophie’s stepfamily might be connected to Cressida and her family.
The character’s status as a maid is more than fitting. Sophie is not only made to work as a servant by her stepmother after her father’s death, but also finds herself later seeking employment within the Bridgerton home.
4 Thomasin McKenzie
Thomasin McKenzie is best known for her performance in Leave No Trace. She is also known for her roles in The King, True History of the Kelly Gang, Old, Last Night in Soho, The Power of the Dog, Jojo Rabbit, and Eileen, plus she has a few notable television and web-series roles, such as in Lucy Lewis Can’t Lose, Totally Completely Fine, and Pantheon.
Why Thomasin McKenzie Could Be a Good Fit For Sophie
McKenzie already has experience with historical pieces, notably portraying Queen Philippa of Denmark in The King. The project also already gave McKenzie some background with Netflix. Last Night in Soho also notably cast McKenzie as a character who dreams of having lived in the past, befitting a character in a period piece, although she eventually learns not to romanticize the past.
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3 Jessica Henwick
Jessica Henwick is already well known for her work in Game of Thrones, Iron Fist, Love and Monsters, and The Matrix Resurrections. She is also known for appearing in series like The Defenders and Silk. Through Spirit Warriors, Henwick also became the first actress of East Asian ancestry to play a lead character in a British series. Henwick has also been noted for her work behind the scenes, serving as director and writer for, as well as appearing in, Bus Girl.
Why Jessica Henwick Could Be a Good Fit For Sophie
Through Game of Thrones, Henwick has experience with costume dramas, appearing as Nymeria Sand, an illegitimate daughter of Prince Oberyn of House Martell, one of the series’ ruling families. She is also known for appearing as Jess Pava in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, after having originally auditioned for Rey, but still making an impression on fans, almost bringing to mind Sophie’s ability to shine when least expected.
2 Gemma Chan
Gemma Chan is an English actor who first rose to prominence as Anita Hawkins/Mia Elster in the series Humans, a science fiction series focusing on anthropomorphic robots called “synths.” However, she became an international star through roles in Crazy Rich Asians and Mary Queen of Scots, as well as roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Why Gemma Chan Could Be a Good Fit For Sophie
Interestingly, Chan was originally asked to play the lead in Crazy Rich Asians, Rachel Chu, who has often been compared to a modern-day Cinderella. However, she took more interest in the character of the wealthy and kindhearted Astrid, endearing her to audiences. Through Mary Queen of Scots, Gemma Chan also has experience in historical pieces, portraying Bess of Hardwick.
1 Lily James
Lily James has had roles in Disney’s 2015 live-action remake of Cinderella, as well as the period drama Downton Abbey. Some of her other notable film roles include Baby Driver, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, and Yesterday. She is also known for portraying Pamela Anderson in the series Pam & Tommy.
Why Lily James Could Be a Good Fit For Sophie
As Sophie is a character modeled after Cinderella, many fans speculate that an actor already connected to the character could be a good fit. Naturally, Lily James’ performance as the famous fairy tale heroine caused Bridgerton fans to crown her as a possible Sophie, as the 2015 film is generally a fan favorite among Disney’s live-action fare.
In addition, James’ work with Downton Abbey and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has given her further experience with period pieces. At the very least, there are already quite a few fanmade Bridgerton videos online using Lily James in her iconic blue ballgown to serve as Sophie.
