‘Bridgerton’ Casting Director Flooded with ‘Unsolicited’ Audition Tapes: “It’s Not Actual Sex but It’s Quite Punchy”.
Kelly Valentine Hendry, the casting director for the popular Netflix series “Bridgerton,” recently shared on the “Should I Delete That?” podcast (via US Weekly) that she has been inundated with a significant number of “unsolicited” fan audition tapes for the upcoming Season 4 of the romance series.
“It’s every day … I get the most unbelievable videos, unsolicited,” Hendry stated. “It’s sex basically. It’s not actual sex but it’s quite punchy. It’s not nude pictures, but not far off.”
Hendry mentioned that a substantial portion of her inbox, approximately “90 percent,” is filled with emails from fans aspiring to secure a role on “Bridgerton.” Currently, many fans are eyeing the role of Sophie Beckett, the love interest of Benedict Bridgerton (portrayed by Luke Thompson on the series), as described in the “Bridgerton” novels. Hendry recounted an instance where a female fan sent an audition tape wearing a period costume so large that it required “scaffolding” to support it.
“It’s a bit sad, really, I don’t understand it,” Hendry commented.
Given “Bridgerton” is renowned for its steamy scenes, it is not entirely surprising that some fans believe an audacious audition tape might help them secure a role on the show. The third season, which debuted this summer, focused on the love story between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). Coughlan even requested a nude scene to challenge body-shamers.
“I specifically asked for certain lines and moments to be included,” Coughlan told InStyle. “There’s one scene where I’m very naked on camera, and that was my idea, my choice. It just felt like the biggest ‘fuck you’ to all the conversation surrounding my body; it was amazingly empowering. I felt beautiful in the moment, and I thought: ‘When I’m 80, I want to look back on this and remember how fucking hot I looked!’”
The first three seasons of “Bridgerton” are currently available for streaming on Netflix.
