Francesca Bridgerton Actress Hannah Dodd Says ‘Bring On The Steaminess’
By Kristin Myers on June 8, 2022 at 9:00 AM EDT
Actress Hannah Dodd will be taking over the role of Francesca Bridgerton in season 3!
Fans haven’t seen much of Francesca, who was originally played by Ruby Stokes in the first two seasons. She has since been replaced by the “Anatomy of a Scandal” actress going forward into future seasons.
Hannah Dodd Takes Over The Role Of Francesca Bridgerton In Season 3
Showrunner Chris Van Dusen had commented on her lack of screentime and told TV Line “I love Francesca, but we lost her midway through season two. After exhausting all other options, she, unfortunately, had to come out due to reasons beyond our control. Perhaps season three will be the charm.”
It seems that’s not the case. According to Deadline, Ruby Stokes has since been cast as the lead actress in Netflix’s “Lockwood & Co.” series, which means she will depart from the “Bridgerton” realm entirely. Hannah Dodd was cast as her replacement, with the potential to become a future leading lady.
While Daphne Bridgerton is the oldest Bridgerton daughter, Eloise is the second oldest, Francesca is the third oldest, and Hyacinth is the youngest. Daphne's love story was explored in Netflix's first season, which corresponds with the first book in the Julia Quinn series the show is based on.
If the show continues to follow the books with one love story per season, Francesca's love story will not be featured until season 6, based on the sixth book “When He Was Wicked.” However, it should be noted that the show’s upcoming third season is going to jump ahead and focus on Colin and Penelope’s love story instead of Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie, so it’s possible that her love story will be featured much sooner than that.
Hannah Dodd Describes Herself As A ‘Massive Fan’ Of ‘Bridgerton’
Page Six sat down with Dodd at the ATX TV Festival on Saturday while promoting her new series, Lifetime’s “Flowers in the Attic: The Origin.”
“Francesca’s book is like a complete mix of the both [steamy and tortured],” she told the outlet. “I’m, like, a massive fan of ‘Bridgerton,’ so I’m like, ‘Bring on the steaminess,’ but then I’m like, ‘I don’t want to do that.’ I want it for the people who watch it, but to actually do it is quite scary.”
Dodd revealed that they’re going to be filming season 3 in London this summer but she’s not really sure she’s ready for the fame of appearing on the hit Netflix period drama.
“I knew it was a big deal, it was a massive deal for me, but the day the announcement came out, I wasn’t expecting that,” she said, adding that she usually isn’t recognized for many of her roles.
“Weirdly, the pilot recognized me on our flight from London [to ATX TV Festival], which is really bizarre,” she admitted. When she is recognized, she says, “I just go red. I can’t deal with it. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to handle those situations.”
Hopefully, she’ll come to terms with her newfound fame when season 3 of “Bridgerton” drops on Netflix. Filming hasn’t even started yet, but fans are still hopeful for a 2023 release date.
