The globally successful romantic series that dusts off fairy tales
Netflix premieres the fourth season of 'Bridgerton', inspired by 'Cinderella'
BarcelonaIn the list of fictional works that have marked a turning point for Netflix, The Bridgertons It holds a prominent place. The series, which initially gained popularity for its steamy scenes, is a well-established show within the platform's catalog, and this Thursday it premieres its fourth season, which arrives in two parts (the second part premieres on February 26). With a very solid fan base, the series clearly has the recipe for success: equal parts romance and sex. The new installment, focused on the second of the Bridgerton children, is a very thinly veiled homage to the fairy tale of CinderellaA story that serves the series to explore for the first time the conditions of service during the English Regency era (1795-1837).
In the new season, we find a reckless Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) with few life goals, dodging his mother's insistent pleas to get married. The second son of this large, wealthy family has artistic aspirations, although he hides his drawings from everyone, and a fluid romantic and sexual life. Despite rejecting social conventions as much as possible, as dictated by the canon ofThe BridgertonsBenedict will succumb to love and, consequently, seek to marry. The object of his affection is a mysterious woman he meets at the masked ball hosted by his mother, Lady Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell). How does this happen in CinderellaWhen the girl disappears after midnight, the protagonist is left with only one physical memento of his beloved: a glove he loses during her escape. Clearly, following the pattern of CinderellaThe elusive love interest is a maid, Sophie Baek, who has managed to sneak into the ball.
The Bridgertons It's based on a series of romance novels written by American author Julia Quinn. In total, it consists of eight volumes—each focusing on a different Bridgerton sibling—of which four have already been adapted. In May 2025, Netflix confirmed that seasons 5 and 6 have been greenlit, although it hasn't yet revealed which characters the upcoming installments will focus on.
Who is Yerin Ha, the new star of 'Bridgerton'?
One of the keys toThe Bridgertons It's the ability to discover new stars. Each new season focuses on a different couple, and being chosen to play one of the protagonists means achieving international exposure that many actors take years to attain. The actress chosen to play Sophie, a humble girl with very clear ideas, is the 28-year-old Australian actress of South Korean descent, Yerin Ha. Before entering the universe Bridgerton, his most recognized role is the one he played in the science fiction series Halo (available on SkyShowtime).
The Australian actress has already experienced what it's like to be part of the Netflix series. She has just finished a play in London and says that during her time in the West End she has already received letters from fans.The Bridgertons"They would send me letters and gifts. It was very nice, but at the same time I thought, 'My God, he hasn't even seen my work yet,'" she explained in an interview. InStyle
Yerin noted that she didn't read the book the season is based on until she was offered the lead role. It was then that she realized she would have to perform some of the intimate scenes in the novel, a challenge that forced her to confront her physical insecurities. "Being a woman in this industry is huge. People think they have the right to talk about your body, your looks, and your outward appearance," the actress says. "I've dealt with body image and this shame for a very, very long time, and I'm still working on it," she continues. "But what's been really lovely about Sophie is that she's taught me so much about self-love and self-acceptance. I'm still working on accepting myself in my entirety and being happy with who I am. In a world where we strive for perfection, what does that even mean?" she adds.
The Bridgertons It is one of the productions born from the collaboration agreement between Netflix and producer Shonda Rhimes, creator ofGrey's AnatomyOne of television's longest-running series, the American actress, who serves only as a producer here, has already announced that this season is her favorite. "Every season is different, but this one is my favorite. Besides being one of the books that fans love the most, it has a sensuality and an awareness of the story itself that I really like," Rhimes explained on the morning show. Today.