‘It’s a period drama, a genre that has not been accessible to a lot of people.’ (Picture: Liam Daniel/Netflix)
Warning: spoilers ahead for Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
The release of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story on Netflix has resulted in audiences across the globe falling utterly head over heels in love with Charlotte and George’s blossoming romance.
However, there was another important relationship in the series that also received the spotlight it deserves – the love and adoration between Brimsley and Reynolds, the dedicated footmen to the royal couple.
Ever since Bridgerton first launched in 2020, fans have been hoping for a prominent LGBT+ storyline to be included in the script – but were left sorely disappointed, especially after one was teased in a season one trailer.
Finally, a gay love story between two main characters comes to fruition in the prequel spin-off – and Metro.co.uk recently had the chance to ask Queen Charlotte herself, Golda Rosheuvel, how she felt about its celebrated inclusion.
Golda, who plays the older Queen Charlotte while India Amarteifio plays the royal in her younger years, was bursting with praise for Hugh Sachs, who stars as the older Brimsley, while Sam Clemmett plays his younger self.
Expressing her happiness over watching Hugh ‘come into his own’ and Brimsley having more lines in the Bridgerton franchise, Golda opened up about the emotional moments she shared with her co-star on set.
Viewers have been left in floods of tears by Brimsley and Reynolds’ romance (Picture: Liam Daniel/Netflix)
‘To have that relationship portrayed, it’s so important to Charlotte, that relationship,’ the 53-year-old explained.
‘Brimsley has always been a gay man. That’s what Hugh and I discussed. That scene where she talks about his family and, “Have you had family?”
‘The layers and layers and layers of history of them talking about Reynolds, perhaps, and her giving advice and comforting him or not comforting him, wherever she is in that.’
Touching again on Brimsley’s relationship with Reynolds, the actress continued: ‘It’s wonderful to be a part of that and to have a character know that and support it and be supportive of it in that period.
While Hugh stars as the older Brimsley, there’s no presence of an older Reynolds in the story (Picture: Nick Wall/Netflix)
‘Again, for me, it’s really fascinating to have a period drama that discusses modern issues that feel so modern. But yet it’s a period drama, a genre that has not been accessible to a lot of people and now through the diversity, through the representation, through the inclusion, it is out there for all people.’
When asked if there were any moments that were particularly emotional to film, Golda didn’t hesitate before recalling a specific scene with the older Brimsley, when he doesn’t hold back from informing the older Queen Charlotte that she hasn’t always been the most attentive mother to her children.
The queen dismisses him because she can’t bear to hear the servant’s brutal honesty – but in real life for Golda, it meant a great deal that she and her co-star were able to showcase Charlotte’s ‘strong bond’ with her right hand man.
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‘The ones with Brimsley. The one where he tells me about my children and stuff. Hugh and I wept because it was so emotional that finally, these two people got a chance to show the world what their strong bond was like, and how important this man was to her, and how important she is to him,’ Golda recollected.
Referencing the younger Queen Charlotte and Brimsley, she added: ‘If you look at India and Sam, that’s a long journey mate, do you know what I mean? A lot of time spent with each other.
‘To be able to show that and celebrate and to celebrate Hugh as an actor, to show what he can do… because we know him in this country, and his glory in acting. So that’s very special. Those scenes are very special for me.’
While Brimsley and Reynolds’ relationship has left viewers in floods of tears over the evident love that they have for one another, many hearts broke at the end of the series when the older Brimsley was shown dancing on his own.
Fans have speculated whether this could mean that Reynolds died at some point over the years… but we don’t even want to consider that tragic possibility.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is available to watch on Netflix.
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Viewers have been left in floods of tears by the romance.
