BRIDGERTON Season 4 Cast and Showrunner Appear on SUITE 305 WITH LELE PONS

Several members of the BRIDGERTON Season 4 cast and showrunner Jess Brownell appeared on SUITE 305 WITH LELE PONS, an iHeartMedia My Cultura Podcast Network original hosted by Lele Pons. Luke Thompson, who plays Benedict Bridgerton, joined co-stars Yerin Ha, Victor Alli, KATIE Leung, and Isabelle Wei for a conversation covering the season's central love story, the challenges of filming its more emotional and intimate scenes, and what lies ahead for their characters. Brownell discussed bringing Francesca and Michaela's LOVE STORY to the screen, expanding Latino representation within the BRIDGERTON universe, and offered a tease of what to expect in Season 5.

The episode, titled 'The Bridgerton cast spills behind-the-scenes secrets, Spanish one-liners and dream plot twists,' features the cast and showrunner in conversation with host Lele Pons. The following are highlights from the episode; quotes have been condensed for clarity.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

1:01 – LUKE THOMPSON ON LEADING BRIDGERTON SEASON 4

Lele: 'I mean, this is your season. And Luke, you've been for four seasons. How does it feel that this is your season?'

Luke: 'It's lovely. It's really nice. I think I've been lucky. I've had three years, four years to get used to it. So no, no, I don't feel much pressure... You're there to make it yours and this is a moment to really uncover what Benedict is like.'

3:14 – YERIN HA ON FILMING BRIDGERTON'S INTIMATE SCENES

Yerin Ha: 'I mean, the intimacy scenes are always really difficult. Not difficult, but just I think there's a lot more, for me anyways, there's a lot more internal obstacles that I have to go through to feel comfortable and to feel like I'm actually doing the job.'

Luke Thompson: 'You can't hide in those scenes, can you?... the sex scenes are real moment. They're actually rare moments when they aren't sort of like wearing some sort of mask... So actually they're the most difficult ones.'

9:46 – YERIN HA ON WHY BENEDICT & SOPHIE'S FORBIDDEN LOVE WORKS

Yerin Ha: 'I think it depends on if you want to make it last. I think it's a choice... in Benedict and Sophie's case, yeah, they take the leap of faith and they do risk everything that they have and they don't let society hold them down. So it's a matter of I think truly asking yourself if that's the thing that you want and crave. And if you do, then you should go with it with your full heart.'

11:01 – LUKE THOMPSON SAYS LOVE TRANSFORMS PEOPLE

Luke Thompson: 'I think one of the things of the show is that love is obviously about being who you are as in taking you as you are, but also when you meet someone that it can sort of stretch you out of yourself and actually melt down loads of things inside you that have been frozen and calcified for years. And the fact that meeting someone can stretch you out of that and make you actually change. I think that's pretty cool.'

16:40 – VICTOR ALLI ON BRINGING DEATH TO BRIDGERTON

Victor Alli: 'I want to say it's an honor, but also it is sad. It's tough. And the show is so known for being sort of this romance show and death is something that happens, but we don't see it. For them to show it on the screen is nice.'

17:32 – VICTOR ALLI RECALLS HIS EMOTIONAL GOODBYE TO THE CAST

Victor Alli: 'They had this massive sort of sending off for me and it was kind of just overwhelming. I was in tears because it was so emotional... these are people who I will know for the rest of my life.'

21:34 – VICTOR ALLI ON HOW JOHN WOULD REACT TO FRANCESCA & MICHAELA

Victor Alli: 'I think he loves them and cares about them so much and I think he'd want the best for them... And when they do, it's a shock, but also it's a joy that John has always wanted... I think he'd want the best for them and he wants them to be happy and enjoy this life.'

28:28 – KATIE LEUNG SAYS ARAMINTA ISN'T A VILLAIN

Katie Leung: 'The thing is, as the performer, as the actor who's portraying Aramenta, I never wanted to see her as a villain, but just as a mom… She's very misunderstood... I don't want to justify her behavior because it's awful... The stakes are high. She has a lot on her plate as a single mom.'

29:42 – ISABELLE WEI REVEALS POSEY'S IDEAL ROMANTIC MATCH

Isabelle Wei: 'I actually think someone who listens. I think opposites attract... someone who lets her yap and lets her go on her random tantrums. And then just loves it all.'

34:10 – JESS BROWNELL ON GROWING UP WITH THE BRIDGERTON CAST

Jess Brownell: 'I've gotten to grow up with the actors and it really is a family. We're really close.'

36:22 – JESS BROWNELL ON DECIDING TO TELL FRANCESCA & MICHAELA'S LOVE STORY

Jess Brownell: 'That was actually the very first conversation I had with Shonda when she asked me to be showrunner... We also talked about the fact that I'd love to tell a queer story with Francesca and Michaela.'

37:01 – JESS BROWNELL ON REPRESENTATION IN BRIDGERTON

Jess Brownell: 'Every love story... And people say, oh, well, why didn't you do it with a side character... When we do Fran and Michaela, we're going to get to go so deep into what sapphic love looks like in a way that I've never really seen done on TV and I'm really excited and proud about it.'

37:52 – JESS BROWNELL WANTS A LATINO LEAD IN BRIDGERTON

Jess Brownell: 'We've had some side characters who are Latino or Latina, but I want a main character on this show to be Latino or Latina. So that is something that we will absolutely be prioritizing in the future.'

43:55 – JESS BROWNELL SHARES WHAT SURPRISED HER ABOUT SHONDA RHIMES

Jess Brownell: 'The thing that people might be surprised about is just how accessible Shonda is... She's so collaborative. We really have a conversation about everything... She's really willing to roll up her sleeves and hear an opinion from wherever it comes from.'

47:44 – JESS BROWNELL TEASES MORE OF THE ROYAL FAMILY IN SEASON 5

Jess Brownell: 'We may or may not in season five be introducing part of the royal family... There is someone in the royal family who's going to be more featured.'

About Suite 305 with Lele Pons

SUITE 305 WITH LELE PONS is an iHeartMedia My Cultura Podcast Network original in which Lele Pons hosts guests from across culture and entertainment. The show is described as a forum where guests speak openly about their pasts, dreams, fears, and what keeps them inspired.

BroadwayWorld previously reported on the Season 5 cast additions, with Gemma Knight Jones, Jacqueline Boatswain, and Tega Alexander joining BRIDGERTON in roles connected to the Francesca Stirling storyline Brownell referenced in the podcast. More details on that casting can be found in an earlier BroadwayWorld report.

Need more TV Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...