5 Things to Know About 'Bridgerton' Star Phoebe Dynevor

Phoebe Dynevor shines brightly in Netflix's 'Bridgerton,' but it wasn't her first role — get to know the British actress

Taking over the spotlight! Phoebe Dynevor is one of many breakout stars of Netflix’s Bridgerton, but the role wasn’t her first foray into the acting world.

Dynevor portrays the eldest daughter of the Bridgerton family, Daphne, who makes her debut into high society and hopes to find a prominent man to ask for her hand in marriage. She cooks up a scheme with aloof bachelor Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, but the pair eventually develop feelings for each other. Before their convincing chemistry made viewers swoon, Dynevor and costar Regé-Jean Page worked hard to nail down their intimate bond.

“We spent so much time together; we were also staying at the same hotel, which was quite funny to see each other for breakfast. We had a lot of rehearsals, and then we rehearsed together on our own,” the British actress told Elle magazine in January 2021, describing the six weeks of prep she spent with Page before filming began. “By the time we got to set, we knew each other really well, we had spent a ton of time together, so we weren’t getting to know each other as filming went on. … I think that made us both feel really comfortable.”

While Bridgerton fans might not be familiar with Dynevor’s other work, she already had a steady list of credits before joining the Shondaland project. She landed her first role in 2009, playing Siobhan Mailey in the fifth season of the BBC’s Waterloo Road, and continued to appear on a handful of other popular British series, including The Village and Dickensian. However, the road to success wasn’t always easy for the U.K. native.

“For the last 10 years of my life, I’d been going up for every single part under the sun,” Dynevor told Glamour UK before Bridgerton‘s Christmas Day debut. “When you watch people’s success, you don’t see all the letdowns. But the rejection makes you tougher. I really appreciate all the ‘no’s’ that I’ve had in my life because I wouldn’t be sitting here today [without them].”

Though some of the rejections were “tough” to deal with, Dynevor is proud to bring Daphne to life in the Netflix hit. “She has strength and courage to do what she thinks is right, follow her heart and not listen to anyone else’s opinion,” she said of her character’s coming-of-age arc.

Scroll down to learn more about the leading lady of Bridgerton.

This story originally appeared on: US Magazine - Author:Meredith Nardino