The Harry Potter to Bridgerton pipeline is so strong

Dearest gentle reader, Netflix announced yesterday on 16th September that production for season four of Bridgerton is officially underway. I know it’s going to be a while before we see the show, but I’m already counting down the days. Netflix has revealed the new cast for leading characters in season four.

Although Netflix has announced that most of the major Bridgerton cast members will be returning for season four, a few main actors have been left off the list. I’m manifesting so hard right now that Simone Ashley will still be in the show.

Yerin Ha will star as the next romantic lead

I fancy Sophie already
(Credit: Gavin Bond/Netflix)

Netflix has announced that season four will be lead by Yerin Ha. She will star as Sophie Baek, a new love interest for the #notlikeothergirls second eldest Bridgerton brother, Benedict (Luke Thompson).

The book this season is based on, An Offer From a Gentleman, is basically a Cinderella retelling. Yerin Ha will play a mysterious maid from a much low social class than the Bridgertons. Benedict meets her at a masque ball and drama ensues. Can’t wait.

Yerin Ha is 29 and was born in Sydney. She starred in the Halo TV show from 2022-2024, and will appear in an HBO prequel to those Timothée Chalamet Dune films called Dune: Prophecy.

She said to Tudum, “What drew me to Sophie was that she immediately has obstacles — something that she constantly has to overcome. Whether it’s this battle around social status or trying to hide her feelings from Benedict.”

Katie Leung from the Harry Potter films has a really big role

Obligatory throwback pic of Katie Leung as Cho Chang in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
(Image via Netflix)

If you don’t remember hearing Katie Leung’s name before, you’ve almost certainly seen her. She portrayed the poorly-named Cho Chang in the Harry Potter films.

Katie Leung has been cast in Bridgerton season four as Lady Araminta Gun, who is the equivalent of the evil stepmother in Cinderella. Yes, that means that the 37-year-old Katie Leung will be playing the stepmother of a 29-year-old actor. She’s literally the same age as Nicola Coughlan, whose character Penelope is meant to be 19.

Michelle Mao will play Sophie’s rival

Michelle Mao will appear as Rosamund Li, one of Lady Araminta’s daughters (and so, the equivalent of the nasty step-sisters in Cinderella).

The Netflix site reveals this about Rosamund Li: “Beautiful, vain, and eager to please her mother, Rosamund is Araminta’s eldest daughter and most prized possession. Rosamund sets her sights on Benedict this social season. And, just like her mother, Rosamund is determined to get what she wants.

Michelle Mao has been acting professionally since 2017 (including in one episode of 13 Reasons Why) but Bridgerton is her most high profile role yet.

The other stepsister will be played by Isabella Wei

Rosamund Li has a younger sister called Posy. I’m making the assumption that Lady Araminta will be an evil villain based on the fact that she condemned her children to being called “Rosy” and “Posy”.

Isabella Wei will play Posy. The actor is 20 years old and from Hong Kong. She trained as a dancer, but has now turned her hand to acting.

The Netflix site spilled some details about Posy: “Rosamund’s younger, kinder sister is also debuting this year. But Araminta rarely puts the spotlight on her second child. Posy’s chatty, overly friendly demeanor often has her putting her foot in her mouth.”

We will get much more of the Mondrichs

More Brimsley screen time in Bridgerton season four is what we need and deserve
(Image via Netflix)

Emma Naomi, who plays Alice Mondrich, and Hugh Sachs, who portrays Queen Charlotte’s servant Brimsley, have both been promoted to the main cast for Bridgerton season four. This means that both characters will get significantly more screen time.

We don’t know for certain if Simone Ashley will return and I’m scared

Tudum, which is an official companion site to Netflix, has released a list of the confirmed cast members for season four, and a scary amount of Bridgerton regulars aren’t on it.

Fear not, the fabulous Polly Walker who plays Penelope’s domineering Lady Featherington is returning for season four, even though (spoilers!) Penelope is happily married. Do be afraid that the actors who play Penelope’s sisters Philipa and Prudence, Harriet Cains and Bessie Carter, haven’t yet been confirmed as returning. This is tragic because Philipa Featherington is my spirit animal.

Apparently Philipa and Prudence are no longer interesting or important now they’ve had babies
(Image via Netflix)

The actors who play their husbands, Lorn Macdonald and James Phoon, also aren’t on the list. Lorn Macdonald (aka the cheese-loving Mr Finch) did seem to imply on his Instagram that he knew his character wasn’t coming back. I don’t know about you, but saying “huge thanks to everyone who made this a job I’ll never forget” and “it’s been real” sort of suggests to me that he knew the end was nigh.

If you were hoping that Cressida would have a redemption arc in the next season after all the drama that went down in season three, I would stop hoping. Cressida Cowper seems to be stuck in the countryside in season four. The actor Jessica Madsen hasn’t been confirmed as being in the cast for Bridgerton season four.

Rest assured, Jonathan Bailey is on the list, so we should still see plenty of the Viscount Anthony Bridgerton in the next season. However, Simone Ashley, who starred as Kate Sharma in season two and popped up a few times in season three, is not on the list. This is deeply alarming because I love her and I need more Kanthony in my life.

If Simone Ashley isn’t in Bridgerton season four then my life will have no meaning
(Image via Netflix)

Simone Ashely has previously said that she’d really try to return to Bridgerton. So maybe there’s a chance that she’ll still make a cameo, but Netflix hasn’t officially announced it yet? A girl can dream.

The actors that have been announced as appearing in Bridgerton season four are:

Luke Thompson (Benedict Bridgerton)
Yerin Ha (Sophie Baek)
Jonathan Bailey (Anthony Bridgerton)
Victor Alli (John Stirling)
Adjoa Andoh (Lady Danbury)
Julie Andrews (Lady Whistledown)
Lorraine Ashbourne (Mrs. Varley)
Masali Baduza (Michaela Stirling)
Nicola Coughlan (Penelope Bridgerton)
Hannah Dodd (Francesca Stirling)
Daniel Francis (Lord Marcus Anderson)
Ruth Gemmell (Violet Bridgerton)
Florence Hunt (Hyacinth Bridgerton)
Martins Imhangbe (Will Mondrich)
Claudia Jessie (Eloise Bridgerton)
Katie Leung (Lady Araminta Gun)
Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton)
Michelle Mao (Rosamund Li)
Emma Naomi (Alice Mondrich)
Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte)
Hugh Sachs (Brimsley)
Will Tilston (Gregory Bridgerton)
Polly Walker (Portia Featherington)
Isabella Wei (Posy Li)