June 15, 2023 • 58 mins
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In this episode, actors Adjoa Andoh, Keir Charles, and Cyril Nri dish on all the things left unsaid between the Danburys and Ledgers. Adjoa picks up where we left off, savoring the intrigue and mystery around Lady Danbury before we poke around her love lives. Then, we shed light on Lord Danbury's representation, and collect threads of history Shonda Rhimes stitched into this fantasy series. Join us on our laughter-filled exploration of Queen Charlotte, A Bridgerton Story, and discover the new dimensions these talented guests bring to the scandalous world of the ton.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Queen Charlotte. The official podcast is a production of Shondaland
Audio in partnership with iHeartRadio. We're going to explore the
impact of these characters' choices on their own lives and
(00:24):
those around them, and the ripple effects that reverberate through
this tale of love and friendships that span decades. So
through our engaging conversation with Cyril Henri, Keir Charles and
first with Adua Endo, we're going to shed some light
on this rich tapestry of Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte of
(00:46):
Bridgerton story, hopefully providing really valuable perspectives into the exploration
of race and society and the human spirit, y'all within
the backdrop of of British history and opulence. So I
hope you've worn your best, because baby, we've got a
(01:07):
special special guest, a force and a breath of fresh
breeze Adua And oh that's right, fallout roll around, because yes,
she's giving us the privilege of her time again. She's
super busy shifting whole mindsets right now in her current
stage project, but has dropped everything everything to talk to
(01:32):
us again about Lady Danbury and Brownie points for going
back to listen to our first conversation in Bridgerton Season one.
Go back and listen, leave a comment and show me
you're a real one. But seriously, our conversation this morning
is based on that foundation, the foundation of the conversation
(01:53):
we had during that time, and Golda joined us to y'all,
and that little note I got from Shonda as well well,
she told me in my ear okay, that Azuba was
freely sharing insights about Black British history and influence. I'm
going to stop right there and let Adua take us away.
(02:14):
Adua Ando, we are so happy to have you with us.
I can't even begin to tell you. I have been
looking forward to this welcome.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Thank you so much, Gaby. I'm just going to say now,
if people hear weird snuffling noises, it's not me, honest,
it's my job. I'm blaming the dog. I have a
very ancient black Labrador. She's blind, she's lame, but she's
still my Millie.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Oh. I feel like, just looking back at you and
your work, do you always seem to find a way
to bring it back to some social issues or whatever
is in you feel that needs to be spoken about.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
I just think storytelling, you know, first and foremost, I
like dressing up and pretending to be other people for
a living. Lucky me, that's the job. You don't have
to clock watchful. It's a privilege and I carry that
privilege with great humility. And so what do I do
with the privilege that I've been given? You know? What
(03:24):
do I do with the gifts that I've been blessed with?
How do I use them in the world to have
a conversation that is about the humanity of each one
of us, That is about letting people know that they
are seen, that they are valued, and anything I can
do to push back against the enjoy So yeah, so
(03:47):
I guess it's not about me wanting to bang on
in a socially conscious way. It's just about the little
kid in me that goes But you can't be like
that to people. It's not fair, and I feel that
really strongly even now. You know about what's not fair?
How do we treat our refugees, how do we treat
our poor people? How do we get access to justice
(04:09):
for people who can't pay for it? All that sort
of stuff. It's just about be nice, be kind, be fair.
You know, we should all be enjoying all the abundance
that there is.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I have to make it full circle. But that also
kind of reminds me of Lady Agatha Danbury.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Well, yes, of course, of course he wants to have
a swagger game on, but she also wants to make
sure that those people that need her protection get it
and those people that need a bit of a clip
around the back of the knees get it too.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
I we had a conversation with Shonda Rhymes, writer Shonda Rhymes,
and she said, you offered healthy helpings of information insight
about the black British experience and some of the historical nuance,
(05:06):
maybe about Lady Agatha Daanburry as well. Can you tell
me a little bit about that.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Well, this country it offshored its slavery. It took the profits,
but you know, it tried to keep it off country.
So getting people to understand and acknowledge the racialized nature
of much of the structure of our society is hard
in a way because people go, oh, none of that
happened here. It makes it complicated for people to acknowledge
(05:35):
where we are as a nation now, to acknowledge that,
you know, the industrial Revolution, the Scientific Revolution, the creative Revolution,
the architectural revolution. All those revolutions were fueled by the
illegal kidnapping and trafficking and exploiting of black bodies. That's
(05:57):
what happened, and the triumph of that is the fantastic
contributions that nonetheless have come forth, the shining creativity, the joy,
the humor, the swagger, the brio with which people of
African descent still conduct their lives. There was a flow
(06:21):
backwards and forwards through Europe, through Portugal, through the United Kingdom,
through other European countries, people of hierarchical status from abroad
interacting with people of hierarchical status in this country. There
were lots and lots, for example, of Southeast Asian, Asian
and African children educated in the Great August Seats of Learning.
(06:47):
In this country, there were the children who were the
offspring of enslaved women and slave owners, who were then
brought over to Europe and educated. The Chevalier Saint George,
who was Marie Antoinette's court composer. He introduced Europe to Mozart.
(07:10):
A black man introduced Europe to Mozart. There's another guy who,
again the offspring of an enslaved African woman and a
slave owner. His father had an educated at Eton. He
owned half of Wales. He had twenty three between two wives.
God blessed them twenty three children. Those children married into
(07:34):
all the local noble families of Wales, mixed raised children.
You know, we have been here at all levels of
society forever and a day at Queen Charlotte when she
came to this country. There were complaints about her mulatto skin,
her thick lips, in her ugly wide nose. You know,
we've been here. There was a who built Hadrian's Wall
(07:56):
in this country, the African Roman emperor Severus. So I
guess I would bang on to Chandra about that stuff.
Particularly for Agatha. We were thinking about her origins into
this country, and we were thinking about that as I
was saying, those hierarchical cross traffics that happened between Africa
(08:18):
and the United Kingdom, and so we lean into a
particular cross traffic there. I don't want to go more
into it than that, but it's just interesting, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Are you talking about the Sierra Leone reference. Yeah, I'm
really curious about that because we only get just a
taste of it when we have that moment when young
Agatha is kneeling down to her son the same way
you did as Lady Danbury in the per season of
(08:51):
Bridgerton to the young young Simon. Yes, and that's I
think the first time my ears if it was mentioned
before that moment, that's the ears pered up.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
You know. The character Young Agatha is named for actually
was an advisor to a Sierra Leone chief in the
boh Men Day tribe. That's gb what Men Day tribe.
And she was a general, a political advisor, a powerful
(09:23):
woman in her own right within that major tribe on
the Sierra Leone land. So I thought, you know, let's
let's celebrate and if it makes people's ears prick up
a bit and go, who was that again, let me
just do one huh and then go and do some
research on them. I love, I love putting those little nuggets.
Having those little nuggets in work is great. So Schondou
(09:47):
is incredibly generous and open and listening and curious in
all those things. And I'm just I'm so thrilled to
be in a show that has the space for those
little moments, those little extra bits of jeeves.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Oh that. Yeah, that's a barrier that I want to squeeze.
I definitely went down the rabbit hole with the s
early one reference.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
I'm so glad. I'm thrilled to get filled.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Yeah. And as you're describing all of these individual contributors
to music and art and politics throughout history, I'm thinking
about that scene after Herman Danbury has passed and Agatha
(10:39):
is faced with all of these members of society who
are looking at her like, now, what what are you
going to do now? Exactly? And I wonder if what
you said about privilege, if there's some connective tissue there
that you can tease out for us, because that young
Agatha also is telling young Charlotte the same kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Yeah, well, you know, how do we survive on a
pragmatic level, how do we survive on a spiritual level,
how do we survive on a psychological level. We have
to make relationship where we can. You know, it's really important.
You know, we are human beings are built to be
in communion with one another. You put a bunch of
(11:24):
women on tour together for long enough, we'll all have
our periods at the same you. You you sit a
bunch of people together in a theater or in a church,
our heartbeats will align together. You know, we're biologically made
to be in communion. And so when you are the
only one, which, when you're you know, which is an
(11:47):
experience that many people of color will have. You know,
in the West, you need to make your alliances where
you can, and you need to be generous and open,
hard and strategic because it's your duty to get in
a position and then you help the next generations up.
(12:07):
When I started in this business, the way I got
my next job was because other black actresses told me
about auditions. They made me competition for scarce work out
of an act of solidarity and generosity. And I would
be remiss in my duty and my joy if I
(12:31):
did not continue to repay that act of generosity to
me forty years ago. You know, you pay it forward always.
You make the door wider, you let the ladder down further.
You encourage. You see people. I spot the crew on Bridgeton,
I see the trainees. I see them all. You know,
(12:53):
each one teach one. We are all gifted. Share your
gift together.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
We are strong about it. How you always reach out
and offer an opportunity for those who are coming up
to show out shine and go further. Yeah, Shonda Rhimes
wanted in this story to tell the stories of present
day Lady Bridgerton, present day Lady Danbury, and present day
Queen Charlotte. And it made me wonder for women watching,
(13:21):
who can relate to those three characters, who is teaching
them and pouring into them? And I'm wondering how you
feel about that.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Well, none of us start off the finished article. We're
all just groping our way forward. And that is what's
so beautiful about going back in time in this way.
How do we grope our way forward in the world.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
That scene where Lady Danbury, Lady Bridgerton, and the Queen
are sitting together to have some tea, This is when orangury.
What is that?
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Oh, an orangeury. It's the glasshouse where they could grow oranges.
It was such a sign of what that was. Yeah, yeah,
it's such a sign of do you remember that. Then
they have the scene earlier where young Queen Charlotte goes
to pick an orange and someone rushes forward.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
I can pick my own orange, Grimsley, Yes, your majesty orange.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
That's the same place.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
It's the same place I didn't know that was the Oh,
so to be able to grow tropical fruit on freezing
cold little England was a sign of great privilege. It
meant you had to construct these enormous glass houses to
you know, keep in the heat of the sun. All
these things. They were the height of wealth and prosperity.
(14:46):
So anyway, the girls are sitting in the orangey and
still at it on the plotting front.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Oh, I love that, and I just love now that
extra understanding that that is where the queen chose to
sit and invite you all to That's so interesting.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Yeah, that's a really nice little nuance there.
Speaker 5 (15:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
So I was wondering who's pouring into these present day women,
older women, and they're pouring into each other. That's why
they're sitting together. They're holding onto each other.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
It's like, just get me a little war canceled together here,
we have to huddle. Now, what are we going to
do about X.
Speaker 6 (15:25):
Y and Z.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
But you know, they've still got the little digs going
on there, you know, the children. Yes, thank you for
was quite enough for me, you know, all of that
stuff that's going on. Sobody, yeah, yeah, yeah. What I
love about the show is that the variety of depictions
of women. You know, you have Violet who loves her kids.
(15:46):
Her kids are rather the center of her world and
have needed to be because she was widowed so young,
so that has had to be her focus in a way,
and it's her joy. You know. I've always said, you know,
women be who you be, not every womb needs to
be filled. WHOA, I will go there. Yeah, but it's
(16:09):
you know, it's true.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
You know whoa. Yeah, let's pause a moment, and when
we come back, we'll unravel the subtleties of Queen Charlotte
of Bridgeton's story with Adua and do we're back and yes,
(16:32):
we're hungry for more. Here's more with actious Adua and O.
I want you to talk to me a little bit
about that friend in your life though that has had
that secret for decades. I'm thinking about the moment when
Lady Danbury and Lady Violet Bridgerton sit down silently surrounded
by Lord Leger's hat aua. That scene spoke volumes, can you.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Yeah, well, I know. Actually it's given me goosebumps thinking
about it. I was so moved to have that be
part of her story that Agatha has been enormously and
utterly in love and that you know, a bad marriage
(17:23):
does not obviate the possibilities of love. You know, life
goes on. But also that sacrificial love that kind of
went this cannot be pursued because there is too much
difficulty around it and the way in which the love
for Lord Ledger translates into her love for Violet and
(17:48):
anything pertaining to violets happiness and wellbeing. So why does
she care about all these Bridgeston kids?
Speaker 5 (17:55):
Why?
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Why not some other kids? And then you understand why?
You know, yes, and I love that. There was one
day where I was going to shoot a scene when
Lady Danbury remembers that bed and the two different experiences
of being in that bed that she had with her
husband and with Lord Leger. And I passed here and
(18:18):
I hadn't met before, and I met him and I
saw him, and my little heart went for drink. Okay yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah yeah, Lady Downby could have flown and love of
this one. Oh yeah, I just I was like giddy,
My face flushed. I was like, oh he's lovely. So yeah,
I was very thrilled about casting.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Do you have a favorite scene with Lady Danbury that
you got to dig into. And a favorite scene maybe
from the whole show.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
I really like the scene with me and Violet just
not saying and saying everything.
Speaker 7 (19:00):
Oh, those are my birthday hats. I believe I may
have told you about them.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Yes, you did. Your father made them for you every
year on your birthday. Correct.
Speaker 8 (19:13):
Yes.
Speaker 7 (19:14):
And I used to make them for Edmund. And there are,
of course the ones I used to make for the
children over the years.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
You keep them all on display.
Speaker 7 (19:22):
I did not always, but lately I suppose I am
feeling sentimental. Look, these are the ones my father made.
They are twoerful, are they not?
Speaker 2 (19:39):
They are? I love the spoken and the unspoken. I
love the generosity and the love between those excuse me,
two women. Yeah, the love and the generosity of those
two women towards each other, but also in memory.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
Wow, you're okay.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
I am. It's very interesting. Sometimes when something is powerful
that needs to be spoken, sometimes it's hard to get
it out. So I say to you that scene of
speaking and not speaking and then suddenly I'm coughing. Interesting. Yeah,
the generosity of those two women that they both love
(20:19):
this man, and they love each other and They don't
want any of those relationships to be damaged, so they
have to find a way to have that conversation in
a way that stays kind, that stays open, and that
it's not going to damage them going forward or damage
their memories of the past. I just love the delicacy
(20:39):
of Shonder's writing for that scene. And you know, I
get to work with Ruth Gemmel, who I adore. She's
known as Gemma and I'm known as Ange Geena and Ange.
I love working with her. She's brilliant and Erica. I
(21:02):
have to shout out loud and hearty to his direction
on Queen Charlotte. It is beautiful, beautiful. He works with
such generosity and such delicacy and such thoughtfulness and also
such efficiency. He's fantastic and it's beautifully lit by Jeff Joel.
(21:22):
So I love that scene.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Sam Clement, who plays Young Brimsley, told me that Hugh
Sachs sat in on some of his scene work with
Tom Errika to take that into his performance. He studied
the dance did you and have time together?
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Oh my god, she's so I'd love her so much.
She's just got this joy about her, this skill about her,
this openness, a smart, lovely, lovely woman. Yeah. We we
had many phone calls, the two of us. We had one.
I think we had like like a two and a
(21:58):
half three hour zoom where we just went through the
script and we talked about, oh wow, who you know
who Danbury was in? Who I had imagined Danbury to
be as I was creating her. Because you know, when
you come when you come at a character who has
already you know, lived a life, you can't just you
(22:20):
can't die well I can't. I think lots of actors can't.
You can't just dive into them with what's on the page.
You have to go yes, but who would the person
be that would respond in that way? So I'd done
my young Danbury stuff already, you know, you know we actors,
how we study I love it. So yeah, So I
(22:42):
just i'd kind of thought about all of those things already,
and i'd actually been a bit scared that when I
read Queen Charlotte, I'd go, I don't think you'd do that,
And no, not at all, absolutely on point, emotionally, vibrationallyationally,
oh so yeah, I'm big on vibrations, and I just, yeah,
(23:05):
the vibe was good. And I found a photo of
me in casualty. I think. I put it up on
Twitter and a picture of our Semma and Asma and
I look the same, like really spookily ooh they look
the same. I send it to Tom. Veracra was like Gus,
(23:26):
so we did work together. We talked a lot. She
painted me as a farewell gift Arsthma as a great painter.
She's done a portrait of me. I mean, like, gosh,
she's a lovely woman. I love her.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Andrea and you are from Saturn. You are just I'm
thinking Stevie Wonder when I say that, you are just
Stevie Wonder. Now this world.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
He is a golden monks man.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
I'm so, so so privileged to be able to sit
here with you, and thank you for giving us this
slice of time and dropping all this knowledge on us.
You are remarkable.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
I'm very happy to have been able to chat with you.
Gabrielle really pleasure, absolute pleasure.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Isn't she amazing? Like need at the sourus to capture
the amazingness. Amazing. Don't go too far because just ahead
here Charles and Cyril Henri will talk about their characters'
motivations and the portrayals of the men of the time.
We'll be right back. Welcome back. So, as promised, we
(24:41):
have the pleasure of being joined by two extraordinary talents
who bring death and complexity to their respective roles. Please
join me in welcoming Cyril Henri, who plays the esteemed
Lord Danbury, and here Charles who embodies the charismatic cat Daddy,
Lord Ledger. So they're going to join me on unpacking
(25:01):
the intriguing dynamics of the ton the elite Society reborn
out of the union of Charlotte and George and Cyril
and Kir are going to help us shed light on
the relationships between Lord and Danbury, Lady Danbury and Lord Ledger.
But real quick, I wanted to share this insight from
Kelly Valentine Henry.
Speaker 9 (25:22):
First, Cyril, who plays Lord Dunburry. That's an interesting self
tape request. I have to say. When one of the
scenes is as you will have seen him being very
excited in the marital bed, but lovely Cyril just weaver
it day one and when we had to read through
(25:42):
the very first time, Cyril was just having the time
of his life and Arsenal was sitting next to him
just grinning.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Oh gosh, we laughed. It was so joyous.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
That was Kelly Valentine Henry, the casting director of Queen
Charlotte Bridgeton story, isn't that interesting? Let's talk about it
with these two gents right now. So we are here
finally with Lord Ledger and Lord Danbury. We've got Kiir,
Charles and Sarah Henri with us today and we're gonna
(26:13):
get into episode five, all of the memes you guys
have of these characters out there, and just learning more
about these phenomenal actors who come from stage and screen
and have just completely blessed us with really really interesting
characters that allow us to learn more about some of
(26:37):
the characters we've already come to love over the last
couple of years. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Kier and Cyril.
Speaker 10 (26:42):
Thank you so much going to be here.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
You, what was your audition experience like? Because these two
characters are so important to how we understand Violet and Agatha,
What were your sides? What was your audition like?
Speaker 10 (27:00):
I seem to remember the sides were the first scene
in which you meet the Ledgers, when Violet is discussing
Lord Leger's friends and stuff, and so I seem to
remember that being one of the sides. And then actually
the arrival at the Danbury Ball as well, when he
(27:22):
and Lady Letter and you know, it suggests, you know,
hopes that Lady Danbury and he could be friends.
Speaker 11 (27:29):
Be friends at that stage, but.
Speaker 10 (27:44):
I mean it developed, sure, but on first encounter, I
think it was just genuinely. But I think I seem
to remember auditioning for one of the children on the
Queen's Kids, you know, in the future as it were
in the Bridgeton times. I seem to remember doing that.
(28:06):
So that was my experience.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Where were you when you did a self tape, Cyril, Well.
Speaker 5 (28:11):
I was at home, actually, I was just upstairs from
where I am now, and I did my self tape
with my daughter filling in as Agatha, and it was
all very I read the scene where he.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Rolls off and their first lines.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
That was a very good ride. Yeah. The way I
read this scene, it's obviously we had just used the
I just did it on my iPhone and I said, well,
what what I'll do is that I'll start with me
just above you, okay, and and then I'll roll off
(28:55):
to the side and you roll the roll the thing
with me. You really went to town, you don't, but
it wasn't town really. I just thought we'll do it
from her point of view, and.
Speaker 6 (29:10):
I just did it on my bed, you know, and
just yeah, you know, and so yeah, my daughter held
the camera and just yeah.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
Wow, yeah, and so you know, it's quite quite a
short scene. You know, take my teeth out during it,
and had to pretend that I was taking it because
obviously I didn't have the teeth at the time. But
so I did. I did, you know, I did what
(29:43):
I could, and I think it must have made them
laugh or something.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
For sure. I'm sure I did.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
But you know, I mean, yeah, they teach all that stuff,
you know, get their attention. So I thought, well, they've
written this as build. I said, well, you know, if
they write the stuff, then they are to here the stuff.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
So yeah, yeah, so.
Speaker 5 (30:07):
I just I just gave it a yeah, and they
came back. They did. They did ask me to redo,
you know, a little more placid. But I think the the.
Speaker 10 (30:20):
The same side, red the same side when you and
and a couple of others.
Speaker 5 (30:25):
Actually right, obviously.
Speaker 10 (30:28):
Your foot was in the door by then.
Speaker 5 (30:29):
You've got that exactly. Yeah, you know, as they say,
if you notice my hat, then you will be my
next lover, because I got you there the eyes around you.
So that's why I'm wearing this flashy hat. And now
you looked into my eyes and it's all over for you. Yeah,
(30:54):
so that was good.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
Have you both seen any I don't know if you
spend any time on social media. I'll just say social
media as an umbrella. But have you seen the little
images of your characters where there's and it's a photo
of Lord Danbury making a face?
Speaker 5 (31:13):
I haven't seen it, unfortunately. If you've got it there,
show me, yes, I want to see it.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
It says I want sugar, and then in the box
is Lord.
Speaker 5 (31:27):
And then that's wish for.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
There's a there's a ton of that out there, these
two characters. People love these characters and what they represent.
Speaker 10 (31:39):
Connie, who plays Pilot, sent me, just sent me a
couple of things.
Speaker 5 (31:44):
On top the tiktop.
Speaker 10 (31:50):
Yes, but she just sent me them. But she's quite
active on those kind of things. But I'll leave that
to her because she's young and young and vital.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Can you describe one of the ones Connie sent to you?
Speaker 12 (32:03):
It was something Uh, oh god, I can't really. I
think it's quite which is not rude as such, but
it's someone saying to Connie or Connie's character saying I
want my daddy, and then someone else saying I want your.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Yeah, I loved, I loved, I loved, loved, loved love
seeing how audiences reacted. But yeah, completely connected to Yes,
Young Violet and Young Agatha. I was wondering what your
first encounters with the script were, if you had your
own memes in your head about these characters, or you know,
(32:47):
any serious thoughts about these characters and the roles that
they play in a society that you know is not
is not necessarily woman forward. I think Cyril, you said
you have a daughter here, you had a lot of
uh scene work with Kannie, who's you know, an emerging performer.
(33:08):
Just wondering how your encounters with the script influenced your
thinking about the roles your characters play in these worlds.
Speaker 10 (33:16):
Yeah, I'd say Lord Letter is a pretty progressive guy
for those times you know he's he seems from my
point of view, he seems to see people very much
as individuals rather than you know, gender or race, which
is rare and is highlighted in the script. You know,
(33:39):
he he's you know, he's very forward thinking for those times,
and I think he stands out for that reason. You know,
he's just asking lady down be for a dance, his
constantly adorable encouragement of his daughter, and the little relationship
they have with kind of roles at them. Who's you know,
(34:03):
let's face it, not so nice. Sometimes it was interesting
how it's quite a gentle way. He shows these kind
of forward thinking ideas that he has because he doesn't
really confront his wife, but he just but in his
actions he demonstrates that that's not what he thinks at all.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Which I think is fascinating when you think about conversations
today across the pond, for me and here in the
United States, about privilege and who should be speaking up
and when that's.
Speaker 10 (34:39):
Exactly wow, yeah, exactly, it's I don't.
Speaker 5 (34:44):
Know, I've got a slightly different because he does cheatad.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
I mean he does.
Speaker 10 (34:51):
He's absolutely absolutely no, listen, he's no saint. I'm not,
I'm not.
Speaker 5 (34:55):
Actually he does.
Speaker 10 (34:57):
You know, good people do bad. He does a very
very you know, undeniably pard thing.
Speaker 5 (35:05):
I think with all these characters, you know, they they
have both sides, and you know, when I was thinking
about Danbury, he doesn't. He lives in a certain society.
He has been brought up with a lot of wealth,
and he feels that he should have a position. It's
(35:27):
shown enough in the script just how much he suffers
at each little you know, slight, at each turned down,
at each you know, despite putting all this stuff in,
and he's trying desperately hard to to move himself up
but doesn't know how to do it. And he's not
(35:48):
a leger. He's not the you know, reconstructed male. You know,
he doesn't think about Lady Danbury in terms of, you know,
her rights, partly because he's getting it in the you know.
And actually, I think that a lot of that, you know,
when I look back at the you know, if you
look further into the future and you look at the
(36:09):
struggles of as things move on, you go, well, was
there a lot of time for those people who were
you know, being lynched to think about you know, the
missus you know, and you know, or are you facing
the everyday struggles and trying to And I sort of
(36:32):
thought about it in that way and just thought, well,
he doesn't, he doesn't even think about it, doesn't come
into his radar that she might Agatha. Agatha, Yeah, that
Agatha might you know, want emancipation or rights or whatever
or any of those things. And as far as he's concerned, well,
(36:55):
she is.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
His, damn. But yeah, I mean.
Speaker 5 (37:00):
He doesn't Yeah, she's just his. He doesn't think about
it in any other way, you know. And the the
sad part is that you get to see on his
level of understanding some quite tender moments where although he
doesn't afford her, you know, the freedom to think or
(37:23):
be hurt or any of those things, he wants her
to hold him in that way, you know. And I
think there are there are just enough of those scenes
to show how somebody who is quite so hurt is
not thinking of others.
Speaker 10 (37:41):
Well, that's what's interesting. It's I mean, it makes everyone,
every character you know, fully rounded and complicated. You know,
everyone is complicated. There is no you know, no one
is perfect and no one is awful that they are.
They are real, you know, kind of confusing gray a
mesh of kind of different characteristics. So it's which is
(38:06):
what people are fun to play and fun to watch,
I think as well.
Speaker 5 (38:10):
Yeah, and you know that that sense of privilege where
you just dismiss other people because you think it's yours.
So I mean, like when he gets the key and
to the new Danbury house and you know, actually it's
one of my one of my favorite moments. It's just
(38:33):
such a naughty moment from him. He's quiet. Woman, you
think it's.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
Going to be this moment where they both are like
you have made it, dear.
Speaker 3 (38:46):
I never thought that I would see this today. Do
you know how this happened?
Speaker 2 (38:52):
I have no idea.
Speaker 5 (38:54):
I will tell you how this happened.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
The King seized me for who I am, my value,
my word. He understands that the old days are over,
that this is a new world, that men are men,
(39:17):
regardless from whence they come.
Speaker 8 (39:26):
That's this is the beginning of a new year.
Speaker 2 (39:30):
You know, I believe I will try the key.
Speaker 5 (39:35):
At every single opportunity where he gets the opportunity to
celebrate them going up in the world. He takes the
phrase because this is all me.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
I laughed till I cried, and replayed it and replayed it.
I'm wondering if you both saw, For instance, Cyril, although
Lady Danver in a sense belonged to Lord Danbury and
young Violet was Lord Ledger's daughter. I feel like Lord
Ledger was able to see and appreciate young violets budding
(40:15):
brilliance and agency. And I wonder if Lord Danbury was
also able to see that in Agatha. Do you do
you think he was able to see that and Agatha
although because he confided in her, Yeah, I think.
Speaker 5 (40:31):
There is enough there to show that, yes, in those
bed moments when he confides in her that you know,
they'll never give this to me. You know, he's also
got the thing of age, because he's like forty years
older than she is, if not more so, the idea
that she would understand because she hasn't lived through all
(40:53):
that he's lived through, you know, so he can say it,
he can say yes in this way of no, that'll
never give this to me, you know. And you're being
naive to think they will, you know, because you just
haven't experienced the fact that not only I, but my
father was the person who propped up this throne with
(41:14):
his wealth. It was his wealth that propped up this throne.
And yet we're not accepted and actually historically that is
the fact, and it's there in the lines as well.
There there is a point when you know, Agatha talks
about it to the dowager Queen. Yeah, and she she
(41:36):
mentions her husband's wealth and her you know the fact
that a lot of the rewritten history, you know, simply
wipes out the wealth that you know, was taken from
those African princes and kings and you know, to buoy up.
And one of the things I found was because it
(41:59):
came out in Coronation.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Week, which was brilliant.
Speaker 5 (42:03):
Yeah, you know, good timing, you know, we especially when
you've got discussions about you know, the jewels on the
head of this king coming from Africa and India or
wherever else, and you've got that sort of Actually the
Dan Breeze. The reason why they're in that society, even
(42:26):
though they're not given the recognition up until that point
when they're useful, you know, is that they have actually
supported this state, you know. So you know, it's it's
really interesting. Of course that's then paralleled in the idea
that you know, the queen has come from you know,
(42:46):
that background and comes to save this monarchy. Essentially.
Speaker 1 (42:50):
Wow, that's for me. Makes Agatha's what she whispers while
the two of you are sitting at the wedding, oh
little more nuanced for me now where she says everything's
falling into place and understanding Agatha understands that history in
a broad sense is oh wow, Okay.
Speaker 5 (43:12):
I think that the problem for Danbury is that he's
old and he just he cannot get around the idea
that even though you know, like that conversation at the wedding,
you know, he sort of misses those moments where she
is absolutely brilliant and I don't think he can quite see,
(43:33):
you know, that she should be allowed that, you know,
that freedom.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
Which makes Ledger such a breath of fresh air in
her in her life.
Speaker 10 (43:45):
Yeah, well, exactly, because he doesn't miss those moments. He
you know, he notices, as he says, he kind of
sees that sees the person and sees their vulnerability and
sees their dilemmas and their pain, and it's not lost
on him. And that's you know, and all any of
us one needs to be seen, especially Lady Danbury at
(44:07):
that time, you know what I mean. So that's where
I think that connection blossoms between the two of them,
because he's I feel he's been lost as well in
that kind of loveless marriage that he's in, you know,
probably to the wrong person, or to not to the
person that she was when they got married. I think,
(44:30):
you know, I think she's probably. I think they must
have been in love or there must have been something
there originally, but as the years have gone by, they've
drifted apart in their views and their attitudes have separated.
Speaker 1 (44:47):
Yeah, she's she's very much like Lord Butte, I think,
in her thinking right very.
Speaker 10 (44:53):
Much, very much. And she's much more conservative, and then
Lord Ledge's much more liberal. And it's just that parting
of ways. These two ships that were potentially once parallel
have now gone separate ways. She's such a strong force
and so vocal about her right beliefs, and he is
(45:17):
more passive and introspective and internal about his. And so
it's a delight when he meets Agatha and someone who's
more like him in so many ways than, you know,
than his wife has turned out to be.
Speaker 1 (45:35):
Hearing what you just said, Cyril, and what you just
said here, you're able to really capture who should be
together who shouldn't be And like, oh, if only Lord
Danbury were wasn't carrying that hurt with him.
Speaker 5 (45:48):
Yeah, pretty much all the characters are trapped in a
social etiquette prison that doesn't allow them to be fully
who they are.
Speaker 1 (46:00):
I've got to ask Shonda, like, why do you write
men and women? Because I think Princess Augusta said very triggering.
And one of my favorite favorite favorite Shonda Land shows
is Scandal and my favorite character Eli Pope, and he
plays Olivia Pope's father. Okay, so Olivia was in an
interracial relationship with the President. Not only was it interracial,
(46:23):
it was also a power dynamic. And Eli's whole thing was,
You're not really powerful, Olivia, you are a pawn, you
are a kncubine. There is something about whatever Eli was
bringing to that conversation, from his pain and his hurt
and upbringing into that conversation with the next generation, reminded
(46:46):
me so much of Lord Danbury talking to Agatha. And
I'm thinking specifically about the line where he tells her
to act like she's been there before.
Speaker 5 (46:57):
Yeah, because it's important because you know, this is about show,
it's also about you know, knowing you fit in here.
And he hasn't got time to keep explaining, you know,
the whole rigors of you know, civil rights, how we
got here, where I marched, what I've given up for
(47:19):
you those sorts of characters, which I think you get
all the time quite often, particularly with you know, black parents.
I'm struggling to hold down a job and do this
and that and whatever, and you know, even at the
highest level, you know, I haven't got time. That is
(47:40):
to be explaining to you the last three hundred years.
Speaker 1 (47:49):
The moment Lord Ledger decides to knock on Agatha's door
and say he's not there, I am so curious about
the rehearsal table reads and just kind of as an actor,
what state of mind you put yourself in to make
(48:09):
that scene? So I guess palpable is the word.
Speaker 10 (48:13):
Just yeah, well, I don't really know what. I don't
even know if he knew what he was thinking really
when he turned up.
Speaker 5 (48:19):
Oh he turned up with what?
Speaker 10 (48:21):
He turned up with a birthday hat?
Speaker 3 (48:22):
So is.
Speaker 10 (48:25):
Action really the objective is a handover this birthday?
Speaker 5 (48:28):
That's his excuse?
Speaker 1 (48:29):
Shot anyway, shot.
Speaker 10 (48:35):
Letter lady, what is that birthday hat? I make them
I made this one for you. He turns up with
the birthday hat. So it's purely to you know, to
(48:55):
say happy birthday. I have missed your birthdays this week.
I know, I know, it's just sometimes happy birthday. Now,
I think he thinks that that's all. But I mean,
if you were to pop him on the psychiatrist couch
and if you really kind of got your hands dirty
(49:17):
in his head, I'm sure there's He wouldn't admit it,
but I think there's elements of him going thinking or
hoping that something more may happen.
Speaker 5 (49:27):
I think it was therefrom would you mind if I
danced with your wife? Of course you do.
Speaker 10 (49:34):
You're you're a suspicious mindset, or there was there may
have been something there as spark, but you know, and
perhaps an indefinable spark. Initially you think, oh, there's she's nice,
and it can be simply that initially, but then they
get to know each other on these rambles, on these
walks that they do, and I think that's where.
Speaker 5 (49:57):
They didn't fall in love.
Speaker 10 (50:02):
And this is a culmination of that period they've spent
together and it's it's come to a head and they've
been so incredibly honest with each other, and they like
they haven't been with anyone else. They've really confided into.
Speaker 5 (50:18):
Each other and.
Speaker 10 (50:20):
Got to know each other and talk to each other
and be so honest. That brings a closeness they may
not have experienced either ever or in a long long time,
and that is attractive and exciting and an aphrodisiac.
Speaker 1 (50:42):
Ha.
Speaker 10 (50:45):
So I think that's why he knocked on the door,
you know, not knowing even why, just kind of being
pulled there.
Speaker 1 (50:53):
Yeah, Lord Ledger and Lady Agatha Danbury definitely sapio seculs.
You guys were eating each other's brains. I was so
with it. I was I loved it, and I guess
I'm always curious about how you all film. So were
there any scenes that you had to shoot, like more
(51:17):
than fifteen times because you were just giving so many
different variations, or something was just needed to be just right.
Speaker 5 (51:24):
The big ballrooms and things, of course coverage rather than
rather than retaking as such, you know, there were you know,
every single angle is covered. Yeah, and more, Tom. You know,
he he would even shoot stuff that I don't know,
(51:47):
for his own entertainment, for the for the what you
call it real you know he had there. There are
some wonderful bits in the in the out takes reel
the Danburry Ball. We had this you know, Funkapolitan moment
where it went from the ballroom dancing into full on
you know, soul.
Speaker 1 (52:08):
Train, okay, Shandala, and you have to post this video
somewhere because everyone is talking.
Speaker 13 (52:12):
About it, I mean, full on, you know, and all
these dances are fantastic, you know, and then you you
have musicians there, you know, live musicians know, absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 10 (52:26):
They were great fun. I was really kind of sorry
for you, sir, or that you weren't really dancing in
videos scenes, because what was great, what was brilliant and
an incredible kind of introduction to everyone before it was
short anything was the dance rehearsals that we do, So
that was meeting everyone was in like a few different
(52:46):
rehearsal rooms with Jack Murphy, the dirt, the choreographer and
kind of the cast. And for a few weeks before
we shot anything, we just hung out and learned these dances,
which was an incredibly kind of feels like a luxurious
way to work.
Speaker 6 (53:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (53:04):
Yeah, because often you meet people on set in costume
five minutes before your take.
Speaker 5 (53:10):
I was deeply jealous. I was deeply jealous because I
wanted to dance. You know.
Speaker 12 (53:17):
How cold you do, So I was really sorry that
you couldn't.
Speaker 5 (53:23):
He was deemed too old, Yes.
Speaker 1 (53:29):
According to the memes, someone would have been like, hey
cat daddy, and you can come dance with me. So
any full circle moments for you, Ridgerton is so much
about full circles, looking back, looking forward, anything like that,
or any pinch me moments, like wow.
Speaker 10 (53:47):
So many there were a million pinch me moments. Every
day is a pinch me moment on Queen Charlotte, really,
and there's some of the just the scale of it,
the people, the look patients we went to just incredible
being in those costumes and looking out if you know,
it kind of turned your back to the camera and
(54:07):
you could have been back, you know, you could have
been two hundred years ago. The scale of it was
something I hadn't really encountered before or for a long
long time. And the detail on it is just, you know,
second to none.
Speaker 5 (54:21):
Yeah, pinch me moments, well, I mean just I suppose
the first read through which we did and Shonda came
and you know, I mean just sitting in a room
with you know, you were there in a room with Shonder.
Oh my god, I mean, I'm you know, it is yeah,
(54:48):
I mean it is a you know, it's it's an
Oscar moment for me. You know, and I have to
pinch myself about that stuff. But the you know, in
terms of circle, that will be when I come back
to play my son the post Bridgeton world. Just putting
that out there, shund you two.
Speaker 1 (55:09):
Have been an absolute joy to spend time with today.
I could keep going.
Speaker 10 (55:16):
Garri has been a delight.
Speaker 1 (55:18):
Thank you, Thank you so much. Seriously, you've totally given
us emotional whiplash with your performances. I mean also a
little dizzy with some of the opening scenes with the Danbury's.
Speaker 5 (55:32):
But by the way I thought, I thought Danby actually
gave better sex. Well I'm just there. Let's ask, you
can ask. But actually he was technically more proficient four technical.
Speaker 10 (55:55):
Technical exercise, very very curate.
Speaker 1 (56:03):
Thank you so much, and I'm the note of technical proficiency.
We made you all the good day special Thanks again
to Adua and Do and her sweet dog. She'd unschooled
us again. There's never enough time. We love Adua. Thank you,
(56:24):
and again to Cyril, Henri and kir Charles. Thank you
for not holding back. I'm so glad we had the
time to get into the minds of Agatha's booth things
and that we got to look at some memes together.
You know, I've got more to bring to you. Right
on our next episode.
Speaker 8 (56:43):
You see all of those people who are now part
of the Ton, being part of a completely new society
that they've never been there, now in another culture, and
they have to assimilate, you know, act like they've been
there before. It's like, it's what Lord Danbury says to her, which.
Speaker 14 (56:59):
Is you know, wait, that was so funny, though true,
It's like the slogan for anyone who's ever moved to
another like place.
Speaker 1 (57:10):
It's like, act like you've been here before. Stop gawking
our semma, my bff in my head. She's joining us
for an afternoon tea. So bring your shades because she
shines brightly. Queen Charlotte the official podcast is executive produced
by Sandy Bailey, Lauren Homan, alex Alja Tyler Klang, and
(57:34):
me Gabrielle Collins. Our producer and editor is Tarry Harrison.
Subscribe to the podcast anywhere you get your favorite shows.
Get the book I'm a Crispy Turn the page, Smell
the Binding kind of Queen. But you can download it
and you can find Queen Charlotte a Bridgeton story on
Netflix We'll see you next week, Queen Charlotte. The Official
(58:01):
podcast is a production of Shondaland Audio in partnership with iHeartRadio.
For more podcasts, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Queen Charlotte. The official podcast is a production of Shondaland
Audio in partnership with iHeartRadio. We're going to explore the
impact of these characters' choices on their own lives and
(00:24):
those around them, and the ripple effects that reverberate through
this tale of love and friendships that span decades. So
through our engaging conversation with Cyril Henri, Keir Charles and
first with Adua Endo, we're going to shed some light
on this rich tapestry of Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte of
(00:46):
Bridgerton story, hopefully providing really valuable perspectives into the exploration
of race and society and the human spirit, y'all within
the backdrop of of British history and opulence. So I
hope you've worn your best, because baby, we've got a
(01:07):
special special guest, a force and a breath of fresh
breeze Adua And oh that's right, fallout roll around, because yes,
she's giving us the privilege of her time again. She's
super busy shifting whole mindsets right now in her current
stage project, but has dropped everything everything to talk to
(01:32):
us again about Lady Danbury and Brownie points for going
back to listen to our first conversation in Bridgerton Season one.
Go back and listen, leave a comment and show me
you're a real one. But seriously, our conversation this morning
is based on that foundation, the foundation of the conversation
(01:53):
we had during that time, and Golda joined us to y'all,
and that little note I got from Shonda as well well,
she told me in my ear okay, that Azuba was
freely sharing insights about Black British history and influence. I'm
going to stop right there and let Adua take us away.
(02:14):
Adua Ando, we are so happy to have you with us.
I can't even begin to tell you. I have been
looking forward to this welcome.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Thank you so much, Gaby. I'm just going to say now,
if people hear weird snuffling noises, it's not me, honest,
it's my job. I'm blaming the dog. I have a
very ancient black Labrador. She's blind, she's lame, but she's
still my Millie.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Oh. I feel like, just looking back at you and
your work, do you always seem to find a way
to bring it back to some social issues or whatever
is in you feel that needs to be spoken about.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
I just think storytelling, you know, first and foremost, I
like dressing up and pretending to be other people for
a living. Lucky me, that's the job. You don't have
to clock watchful. It's a privilege and I carry that
privilege with great humility. And so what do I do
with the privilege that I've been given? You know? What
(03:24):
do I do with the gifts that I've been blessed with?
How do I use them in the world to have
a conversation that is about the humanity of each one
of us, That is about letting people know that they
are seen, that they are valued, and anything I can
do to push back against the enjoy So yeah, so
(03:47):
I guess it's not about me wanting to bang on
in a socially conscious way. It's just about the little
kid in me that goes But you can't be like
that to people. It's not fair, and I feel that
really strongly even now. You know about what's not fair?
How do we treat our refugees, how do we treat
our poor people? How do we get access to justice
(04:09):
for people who can't pay for it? All that sort
of stuff. It's just about be nice, be kind, be fair.
You know, we should all be enjoying all the abundance
that there is.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I have to make it full circle. But that also
kind of reminds me of Lady Agatha Danbury.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Well, yes, of course, of course he wants to have
a swagger game on, but she also wants to make
sure that those people that need her protection get it
and those people that need a bit of a clip
around the back of the knees get it too.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
I we had a conversation with Shonda Rhymes, writer Shonda Rhymes,
and she said, you offered healthy helpings of information insight
about the black British experience and some of the historical nuance,
(05:06):
maybe about Lady Agatha Daanburry as well. Can you tell
me a little bit about that.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Well, this country it offshored its slavery. It took the profits,
but you know, it tried to keep it off country.
So getting people to understand and acknowledge the racialized nature
of much of the structure of our society is hard
in a way because people go, oh, none of that
happened here. It makes it complicated for people to acknowledge
(05:35):
where we are as a nation now, to acknowledge that,
you know, the industrial Revolution, the Scientific Revolution, the creative Revolution,
the architectural revolution. All those revolutions were fueled by the
illegal kidnapping and trafficking and exploiting of black bodies. That's
(05:57):
what happened, and the triumph of that is the fantastic
contributions that nonetheless have come forth, the shining creativity, the joy,
the humor, the swagger, the brio with which people of
African descent still conduct their lives. There was a flow
(06:21):
backwards and forwards through Europe, through Portugal, through the United Kingdom,
through other European countries, people of hierarchical status from abroad
interacting with people of hierarchical status in this country. There
were lots and lots, for example, of Southeast Asian, Asian
and African children educated in the Great August Seats of Learning.
(06:47):
In this country, there were the children who were the
offspring of enslaved women and slave owners, who were then
brought over to Europe and educated. The Chevalier Saint George,
who was Marie Antoinette's court composer. He introduced Europe to Mozart.
(07:10):
A black man introduced Europe to Mozart. There's another guy who,
again the offspring of an enslaved African woman and a
slave owner. His father had an educated at Eton. He
owned half of Wales. He had twenty three between two wives.
God blessed them twenty three children. Those children married into
(07:34):
all the local noble families of Wales, mixed raised children.
You know, we have been here at all levels of
society forever and a day at Queen Charlotte when she
came to this country. There were complaints about her mulatto skin,
her thick lips, in her ugly wide nose. You know,
we've been here. There was a who built Hadrian's Wall
(07:56):
in this country, the African Roman emperor Severus. So I
guess I would bang on to Chandra about that stuff.
Particularly for Agatha. We were thinking about her origins into
this country, and we were thinking about that as I
was saying, those hierarchical cross traffics that happened between Africa
(08:18):
and the United Kingdom, and so we lean into a
particular cross traffic there. I don't want to go more
into it than that, but it's just interesting, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Are you talking about the Sierra Leone reference. Yeah, I'm
really curious about that because we only get just a
taste of it when we have that moment when young
Agatha is kneeling down to her son the same way
you did as Lady Danbury in the per season of
(08:51):
Bridgerton to the young young Simon. Yes, and that's I
think the first time my ears if it was mentioned
before that moment, that's the ears pered up.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
You know. The character Young Agatha is named for actually
was an advisor to a Sierra Leone chief in the
boh Men Day tribe. That's gb what Men Day tribe.
And she was a general, a political advisor, a powerful
(09:23):
woman in her own right within that major tribe on
the Sierra Leone land. So I thought, you know, let's
let's celebrate and if it makes people's ears prick up
a bit and go, who was that again, let me
just do one huh and then go and do some
research on them. I love, I love putting those little nuggets.
Having those little nuggets in work is great. So Schondou
(09:47):
is incredibly generous and open and listening and curious in
all those things. And I'm just I'm so thrilled to
be in a show that has the space for those
little moments, those little extra bits of jeeves.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Oh that. Yeah, that's a barrier that I want to squeeze.
I definitely went down the rabbit hole with the s
early one reference.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
I'm so glad. I'm thrilled to get filled.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Yeah. And as you're describing all of these individual contributors
to music and art and politics throughout history, I'm thinking
about that scene after Herman Danbury has passed and Agatha
(10:39):
is faced with all of these members of society who
are looking at her like, now, what what are you
going to do now? Exactly? And I wonder if what
you said about privilege, if there's some connective tissue there
that you can tease out for us, because that young
Agatha also is telling young Charlotte the same kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Yeah, well, you know, how do we survive on a
pragmatic level, how do we survive on a spiritual level,
how do we survive on a psychological level. We have
to make relationship where we can. You know, it's really important.
You know, we are human beings are built to be
in communion with one another. You put a bunch of
(11:24):
women on tour together for long enough, we'll all have
our periods at the same you. You you sit a
bunch of people together in a theater or in a church,
our heartbeats will align together. You know, we're biologically made
to be in communion. And so when you are the
only one, which, when you're you know, which is an
(11:47):
experience that many people of color will have. You know,
in the West, you need to make your alliances where
you can, and you need to be generous and open,
hard and strategic because it's your duty to get in
a position and then you help the next generations up.
(12:07):
When I started in this business, the way I got
my next job was because other black actresses told me
about auditions. They made me competition for scarce work out
of an act of solidarity and generosity. And I would
be remiss in my duty and my joy if I
(12:31):
did not continue to repay that act of generosity to
me forty years ago. You know, you pay it forward always.
You make the door wider, you let the ladder down further.
You encourage. You see people. I spot the crew on Bridgeton,
I see the trainees. I see them all. You know,
(12:53):
each one teach one. We are all gifted. Share your
gift together.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
We are strong about it. How you always reach out
and offer an opportunity for those who are coming up
to show out shine and go further. Yeah, Shonda Rhimes
wanted in this story to tell the stories of present
day Lady Bridgerton, present day Lady Danbury, and present day
Queen Charlotte. And it made me wonder for women watching,
(13:21):
who can relate to those three characters, who is teaching
them and pouring into them? And I'm wondering how you
feel about that.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Well, none of us start off the finished article. We're
all just groping our way forward. And that is what's
so beautiful about going back in time in this way.
How do we grope our way forward in the world.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
That scene where Lady Danbury, Lady Bridgerton, and the Queen
are sitting together to have some tea, This is when orangury.
What is that?
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Oh, an orangeury. It's the glasshouse where they could grow oranges.
It was such a sign of what that was. Yeah, yeah,
it's such a sign of do you remember that. Then
they have the scene earlier where young Queen Charlotte goes
to pick an orange and someone rushes forward.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
I can pick my own orange, Grimsley, Yes, your majesty orange.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
That's the same place.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
It's the same place I didn't know that was the Oh,
so to be able to grow tropical fruit on freezing
cold little England was a sign of great privilege. It
meant you had to construct these enormous glass houses to
you know, keep in the heat of the sun. All
these things. They were the height of wealth and prosperity.
(14:46):
So anyway, the girls are sitting in the orangey and
still at it on the plotting front.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Oh, I love that, and I just love now that
extra understanding that that is where the queen chose to
sit and invite you all to That's so interesting.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Yeah, that's a really nice little nuance there.
Speaker 5 (15:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
So I was wondering who's pouring into these present day women,
older women, and they're pouring into each other. That's why
they're sitting together. They're holding onto each other.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
It's like, just get me a little war canceled together here,
we have to huddle. Now, what are we going to
do about X.
Speaker 6 (15:25):
Y and Z.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
But you know, they've still got the little digs going
on there, you know, the children. Yes, thank you for
was quite enough for me, you know, all of that
stuff that's going on. Sobody, yeah, yeah, yeah. What I
love about the show is that the variety of depictions
of women. You know, you have Violet who loves her kids.
(15:46):
Her kids are rather the center of her world and
have needed to be because she was widowed so young,
so that has had to be her focus in a way,
and it's her joy. You know. I've always said, you know,
women be who you be, not every womb needs to
be filled. WHOA, I will go there. Yeah, but it's
(16:09):
you know, it's true.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
You know whoa. Yeah, let's pause a moment, and when
we come back, we'll unravel the subtleties of Queen Charlotte
of Bridgeton's story with Adua and do we're back and yes,
(16:32):
we're hungry for more. Here's more with actious Adua and O.
I want you to talk to me a little bit
about that friend in your life though that has had
that secret for decades. I'm thinking about the moment when
Lady Danbury and Lady Violet Bridgerton sit down silently surrounded
by Lord Leger's hat aua. That scene spoke volumes, can you.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Yeah, well, I know. Actually it's given me goosebumps thinking
about it. I was so moved to have that be
part of her story that Agatha has been enormously and
utterly in love and that you know, a bad marriage
(17:23):
does not obviate the possibilities of love. You know, life
goes on. But also that sacrificial love that kind of
went this cannot be pursued because there is too much
difficulty around it and the way in which the love
for Lord Ledger translates into her love for Violet and
(17:48):
anything pertaining to violets happiness and wellbeing. So why does
she care about all these Bridgeston kids?
Speaker 5 (17:55):
Why?
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Why not some other kids? And then you understand why?
You know, yes, and I love that. There was one
day where I was going to shoot a scene when
Lady Danbury remembers that bed and the two different experiences
of being in that bed that she had with her
husband and with Lord Leger. And I passed here and
(18:18):
I hadn't met before, and I met him and I
saw him, and my little heart went for drink. Okay yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah yeah, Lady Downby could have flown and love of
this one. Oh yeah, I just I was like giddy,
My face flushed. I was like, oh he's lovely. So yeah,
I was very thrilled about casting.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Do you have a favorite scene with Lady Danbury that
you got to dig into. And a favorite scene maybe
from the whole show.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
I really like the scene with me and Violet just
not saying and saying everything.
Speaker 7 (19:00):
Oh, those are my birthday hats. I believe I may
have told you about them.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Yes, you did. Your father made them for you every
year on your birthday. Correct.
Speaker 8 (19:13):
Yes.
Speaker 7 (19:14):
And I used to make them for Edmund. And there are,
of course the ones I used to make for the
children over the years.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
You keep them all on display.
Speaker 7 (19:22):
I did not always, but lately I suppose I am
feeling sentimental. Look, these are the ones my father made.
They are twoerful, are they not?
Speaker 2 (19:39):
They are? I love the spoken and the unspoken. I
love the generosity and the love between those excuse me,
two women. Yeah, the love and the generosity of those
two women towards each other, but also in memory.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
Wow, you're okay.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
I am. It's very interesting. Sometimes when something is powerful
that needs to be spoken, sometimes it's hard to get
it out. So I say to you that scene of
speaking and not speaking and then suddenly I'm coughing. Interesting. Yeah,
the generosity of those two women that they both love
(20:19):
this man, and they love each other and They don't
want any of those relationships to be damaged, so they
have to find a way to have that conversation in
a way that stays kind, that stays open, and that
it's not going to damage them going forward or damage
their memories of the past. I just love the delicacy
(20:39):
of Shonder's writing for that scene. And you know, I
get to work with Ruth Gemmel, who I adore. She's
known as Gemma and I'm known as Ange Geena and Ange.
I love working with her. She's brilliant and Erica. I
(21:02):
have to shout out loud and hearty to his direction
on Queen Charlotte. It is beautiful, beautiful. He works with
such generosity and such delicacy and such thoughtfulness and also
such efficiency. He's fantastic and it's beautifully lit by Jeff Joel.
(21:22):
So I love that scene.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Sam Clement, who plays Young Brimsley, told me that Hugh
Sachs sat in on some of his scene work with
Tom Errika to take that into his performance. He studied
the dance did you and have time together?
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Oh my god, she's so I'd love her so much.
She's just got this joy about her, this skill about her,
this openness, a smart, lovely, lovely woman. Yeah. We we
had many phone calls, the two of us. We had one.
I think we had like like a two and a
(21:58):
half three hour zoom where we just went through the
script and we talked about, oh wow, who you know
who Danbury was in? Who I had imagined Danbury to
be as I was creating her. Because you know, when
you come when you come at a character who has
already you know, lived a life, you can't just you
(22:20):
can't die well I can't. I think lots of actors can't.
You can't just dive into them with what's on the page.
You have to go yes, but who would the person
be that would respond in that way? So I'd done
my young Danbury stuff already, you know, you know we actors,
how we study I love it. So yeah, So I
(22:42):
just i'd kind of thought about all of those things already,
and i'd actually been a bit scared that when I
read Queen Charlotte, I'd go, I don't think you'd do that,
And no, not at all, absolutely on point, emotionally, vibrationallyationally,
oh so yeah, I'm big on vibrations, and I just, yeah,
(23:05):
the vibe was good. And I found a photo of
me in casualty. I think. I put it up on
Twitter and a picture of our Semma and Asma and
I look the same, like really spookily ooh they look
the same. I send it to Tom. Veracra was like Gus,
(23:26):
so we did work together. We talked a lot. She
painted me as a farewell gift Arsthma as a great painter.
She's done a portrait of me. I mean, like, gosh,
she's a lovely woman. I love her.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Andrea and you are from Saturn. You are just I'm
thinking Stevie Wonder when I say that, you are just
Stevie Wonder. Now this world.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
He is a golden monks man.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
I'm so, so so privileged to be able to sit
here with you, and thank you for giving us this
slice of time and dropping all this knowledge on us.
You are remarkable.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
I'm very happy to have been able to chat with you.
Gabrielle really pleasure, absolute pleasure.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Isn't she amazing? Like need at the sourus to capture
the amazingness. Amazing. Don't go too far because just ahead
here Charles and Cyril Henri will talk about their characters'
motivations and the portrayals of the men of the time.
We'll be right back. Welcome back. So, as promised, we
(24:41):
have the pleasure of being joined by two extraordinary talents
who bring death and complexity to their respective roles. Please
join me in welcoming Cyril Henri, who plays the esteemed
Lord Danbury, and here Charles who embodies the charismatic cat Daddy,
Lord Ledger. So they're going to join me on unpacking
(25:01):
the intriguing dynamics of the ton the elite Society reborn
out of the union of Charlotte and George and Cyril
and Kir are going to help us shed light on
the relationships between Lord and Danbury, Lady Danbury and Lord Ledger.
But real quick, I wanted to share this insight from
Kelly Valentine Henry.
Speaker 9 (25:22):
First, Cyril, who plays Lord Dunburry. That's an interesting self
tape request. I have to say. When one of the
scenes is as you will have seen him being very
excited in the marital bed, but lovely Cyril just weaver
it day one and when we had to read through
(25:42):
the very first time, Cyril was just having the time
of his life and Arsenal was sitting next to him
just grinning.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Oh gosh, we laughed. It was so joyous.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
That was Kelly Valentine Henry, the casting director of Queen
Charlotte Bridgeton story, isn't that interesting? Let's talk about it
with these two gents right now. So we are here
finally with Lord Ledger and Lord Danbury. We've got Kiir,
Charles and Sarah Henri with us today and we're gonna
(26:13):
get into episode five, all of the memes you guys
have of these characters out there, and just learning more
about these phenomenal actors who come from stage and screen
and have just completely blessed us with really really interesting
characters that allow us to learn more about some of
(26:37):
the characters we've already come to love over the last
couple of years. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Kier and Cyril.
Speaker 10 (26:42):
Thank you so much going to be here.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
You, what was your audition experience like? Because these two
characters are so important to how we understand Violet and Agatha,
What were your sides? What was your audition like?
Speaker 10 (27:00):
I seem to remember the sides were the first scene
in which you meet the Ledgers, when Violet is discussing
Lord Leger's friends and stuff, and so I seem to
remember that being one of the sides. And then actually
the arrival at the Danbury Ball as well, when he
(27:22):
and Lady Letter and you know, it suggests, you know,
hopes that Lady Danbury and he could be friends.
Speaker 11 (27:29):
Be friends at that stage, but.
Speaker 10 (27:44):
I mean it developed, sure, but on first encounter, I
think it was just genuinely. But I think I seem
to remember auditioning for one of the children on the
Queen's Kids, you know, in the future as it were
in the Bridgeton times. I seem to remember doing that.
(28:06):
So that was my experience.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Where were you when you did a self tape, Cyril, Well.
Speaker 5 (28:11):
I was at home, actually, I was just upstairs from
where I am now, and I did my self tape
with my daughter filling in as Agatha, and it was
all very I read the scene where he.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Rolls off and their first lines.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
That was a very good ride. Yeah. The way I
read this scene, it's obviously we had just used the
I just did it on my iPhone and I said, well,
what what I'll do is that I'll start with me
just above you, okay, and and then I'll roll off
(28:55):
to the side and you roll the roll the thing
with me. You really went to town, you don't, but
it wasn't town really. I just thought we'll do it
from her point of view, and.
Speaker 6 (29:10):
I just did it on my bed, you know, and
just yeah, you know, and so yeah, my daughter held
the camera and just yeah.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
Wow, yeah, and so you know, it's quite quite a
short scene. You know, take my teeth out during it,
and had to pretend that I was taking it because
obviously I didn't have the teeth at the time. But
so I did. I did, you know, I did what
(29:43):
I could, and I think it must have made them
laugh or something.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
For sure. I'm sure I did.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
But you know, I mean, yeah, they teach all that stuff,
you know, get their attention. So I thought, well, they've
written this as build. I said, well, you know, if
they write the stuff, then they are to here the stuff.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
So yeah, yeah, so.
Speaker 5 (30:07):
I just I just gave it a yeah, and they
came back. They did. They did ask me to redo,
you know, a little more placid. But I think the the.
Speaker 10 (30:20):
The same side, red the same side when you and
and a couple of others.
Speaker 5 (30:25):
Actually right, obviously.
Speaker 10 (30:28):
Your foot was in the door by then.
Speaker 5 (30:29):
You've got that exactly. Yeah, you know, as they say,
if you notice my hat, then you will be my
next lover, because I got you there the eyes around you.
So that's why I'm wearing this flashy hat. And now
you looked into my eyes and it's all over for you. Yeah,
(30:54):
so that was good.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
Have you both seen any I don't know if you
spend any time on social media. I'll just say social
media as an umbrella. But have you seen the little
images of your characters where there's and it's a photo
of Lord Danbury making a face?
Speaker 5 (31:13):
I haven't seen it, unfortunately. If you've got it there,
show me, yes, I want to see it.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
It says I want sugar, and then in the box
is Lord.
Speaker 5 (31:27):
And then that's wish for.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
There's a there's a ton of that out there, these
two characters. People love these characters and what they represent.
Speaker 10 (31:39):
Connie, who plays Pilot, sent me, just sent me a
couple of things.
Speaker 5 (31:44):
On top the tiktop.
Speaker 10 (31:50):
Yes, but she just sent me them. But she's quite
active on those kind of things. But I'll leave that
to her because she's young and young and vital.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Can you describe one of the ones Connie sent to you?
Speaker 12 (32:03):
It was something Uh, oh god, I can't really. I
think it's quite which is not rude as such, but
it's someone saying to Connie or Connie's character saying I
want my daddy, and then someone else saying I want your.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Yeah, I loved, I loved, I loved, loved, loved love
seeing how audiences reacted. But yeah, completely connected to Yes,
Young Violet and Young Agatha. I was wondering what your
first encounters with the script were, if you had your
own memes in your head about these characters, or you know,
(32:47):
any serious thoughts about these characters and the roles that
they play in a society that you know is not
is not necessarily woman forward. I think Cyril, you said
you have a daughter here, you had a lot of
uh scene work with Kannie, who's you know, an emerging performer.
(33:08):
Just wondering how your encounters with the script influenced your
thinking about the roles your characters play in these worlds.
Speaker 10 (33:16):
Yeah, I'd say Lord Letter is a pretty progressive guy
for those times you know he's he seems from my
point of view, he seems to see people very much
as individuals rather than you know, gender or race, which
is rare and is highlighted in the script. You know,
(33:39):
he he's you know, he's very forward thinking for those times,
and I think he stands out for that reason. You know,
he's just asking lady down be for a dance, his
constantly adorable encouragement of his daughter, and the little relationship
they have with kind of roles at them. Who's you know,
(34:03):
let's face it, not so nice. Sometimes it was interesting
how it's quite a gentle way. He shows these kind
of forward thinking ideas that he has because he doesn't
really confront his wife, but he just but in his
actions he demonstrates that that's not what he thinks at all.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Which I think is fascinating when you think about conversations
today across the pond, for me and here in the
United States, about privilege and who should be speaking up
and when that's.
Speaker 10 (34:39):
Exactly wow, yeah, exactly, it's I don't.
Speaker 5 (34:44):
Know, I've got a slightly different because he does cheatad.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
I mean he does.
Speaker 10 (34:51):
He's absolutely absolutely no, listen, he's no saint. I'm not,
I'm not.
Speaker 5 (34:55):
Actually he does.
Speaker 10 (34:57):
You know, good people do bad. He does a very
very you know, undeniably pard thing.
Speaker 5 (35:05):
I think with all these characters, you know, they they
have both sides, and you know, when I was thinking
about Danbury, he doesn't. He lives in a certain society.
He has been brought up with a lot of wealth,
and he feels that he should have a position. It's
(35:27):
shown enough in the script just how much he suffers
at each little you know, slight, at each turned down,
at each you know, despite putting all this stuff in,
and he's trying desperately hard to to move himself up
but doesn't know how to do it. And he's not
(35:48):
a leger. He's not the you know, reconstructed male. You know,
he doesn't think about Lady Danbury in terms of, you know,
her rights, partly because he's getting it in the you know.
And actually, I think that a lot of that, you know,
when I look back at the you know, if you
look further into the future and you look at the
(36:09):
struggles of as things move on, you go, well, was
there a lot of time for those people who were
you know, being lynched to think about you know, the
missus you know, and you know, or are you facing
the everyday struggles and trying to And I sort of
(36:32):
thought about it in that way and just thought, well,
he doesn't, he doesn't even think about it, doesn't come
into his radar that she might Agatha. Agatha, Yeah, that
Agatha might you know, want emancipation or rights or whatever
or any of those things. And as far as he's concerned, well,
(36:55):
she is.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
His, damn. But yeah, I mean.
Speaker 5 (37:00):
He doesn't Yeah, she's just his. He doesn't think about
it in any other way, you know. And the the
sad part is that you get to see on his
level of understanding some quite tender moments where although he
doesn't afford her, you know, the freedom to think or
(37:23):
be hurt or any of those things, he wants her
to hold him in that way, you know. And I
think there are there are just enough of those scenes
to show how somebody who is quite so hurt is
not thinking of others.
Speaker 10 (37:41):
Well, that's what's interesting. It's I mean, it makes everyone,
every character you know, fully rounded and complicated. You know,
everyone is complicated. There is no you know, no one
is perfect and no one is awful that they are.
They are real, you know, kind of confusing gray a
mesh of kind of different characteristics. So it's which is
(38:06):
what people are fun to play and fun to watch,
I think as well.
Speaker 5 (38:10):
Yeah, and you know that that sense of privilege where
you just dismiss other people because you think it's yours.
So I mean, like when he gets the key and
to the new Danbury house and you know, actually it's
one of my one of my favorite moments. It's just
(38:33):
such a naughty moment from him. He's quiet. Woman, you
think it's.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
Going to be this moment where they both are like
you have made it, dear.
Speaker 3 (38:46):
I never thought that I would see this today. Do
you know how this happened?
Speaker 2 (38:52):
I have no idea.
Speaker 5 (38:54):
I will tell you how this happened.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
The King seized me for who I am, my value,
my word. He understands that the old days are over,
that this is a new world, that men are men,
(39:17):
regardless from whence they come.
Speaker 8 (39:26):
That's this is the beginning of a new year.
Speaker 2 (39:30):
You know, I believe I will try the key.
Speaker 5 (39:35):
At every single opportunity where he gets the opportunity to
celebrate them going up in the world. He takes the
phrase because this is all me.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
I laughed till I cried, and replayed it and replayed it.
I'm wondering if you both saw, For instance, Cyril, although
Lady Danver in a sense belonged to Lord Danbury and
young Violet was Lord Ledger's daughter. I feel like Lord
Ledger was able to see and appreciate young violets budding
(40:15):
brilliance and agency. And I wonder if Lord Danbury was
also able to see that in Agatha. Do you do
you think he was able to see that and Agatha
although because he confided in her, Yeah, I think.
Speaker 5 (40:31):
There is enough there to show that, yes, in those
bed moments when he confides in her that you know,
they'll never give this to me. You know, he's also
got the thing of age, because he's like forty years
older than she is, if not more so, the idea
that she would understand because she hasn't lived through all
(40:53):
that he's lived through, you know, so he can say it,
he can say yes in this way of no, that'll
never give this to me, you know. And you're being
naive to think they will, you know, because you just
haven't experienced the fact that not only I, but my
father was the person who propped up this throne with
(41:14):
his wealth. It was his wealth that propped up this throne.
And yet we're not accepted and actually historically that is
the fact, and it's there in the lines as well.
There there is a point when you know, Agatha talks
about it to the dowager Queen. Yeah, and she she
(41:36):
mentions her husband's wealth and her you know the fact
that a lot of the rewritten history, you know, simply
wipes out the wealth that you know, was taken from
those African princes and kings and you know, to buoy up.
And one of the things I found was because it
(41:59):
came out in Coronation.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Week, which was brilliant.
Speaker 5 (42:03):
Yeah, you know, good timing, you know, we especially when
you've got discussions about you know, the jewels on the
head of this king coming from Africa and India or
wherever else, and you've got that sort of Actually the
Dan Breeze. The reason why they're in that society, even
(42:26):
though they're not given the recognition up until that point
when they're useful, you know, is that they have actually
supported this state, you know. So you know, it's it's
really interesting. Of course that's then paralleled in the idea
that you know, the queen has come from you know,
(42:46):
that background and comes to save this monarchy. Essentially.
Speaker 1 (42:50):
Wow, that's for me. Makes Agatha's what she whispers while
the two of you are sitting at the wedding, oh
little more nuanced for me now where she says everything's
falling into place and understanding Agatha understands that history in
a broad sense is oh wow, Okay.
Speaker 5 (43:12):
I think that the problem for Danbury is that he's
old and he just he cannot get around the idea
that even though you know, like that conversation at the wedding,
you know, he sort of misses those moments where she
is absolutely brilliant and I don't think he can quite see,
(43:33):
you know, that she should be allowed that, you know,
that freedom.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
Which makes Ledger such a breath of fresh air in
her in her life.
Speaker 10 (43:45):
Yeah, well, exactly, because he doesn't miss those moments. He
you know, he notices, as he says, he kind of
sees that sees the person and sees their vulnerability and
sees their dilemmas and their pain, and it's not lost
on him. And that's you know, and all any of
us one needs to be seen, especially Lady Danbury at
(44:07):
that time, you know what I mean. So that's where
I think that connection blossoms between the two of them,
because he's I feel he's been lost as well in
that kind of loveless marriage that he's in, you know,
probably to the wrong person, or to not to the
person that she was when they got married. I think,
(44:30):
you know, I think she's probably. I think they must
have been in love or there must have been something
there originally, but as the years have gone by, they've
drifted apart in their views and their attitudes have separated.
Speaker 1 (44:47):
Yeah, she's she's very much like Lord Butte, I think,
in her thinking right very.
Speaker 10 (44:53):
Much, very much. And she's much more conservative, and then
Lord Ledge's much more liberal. And it's just that parting
of ways. These two ships that were potentially once parallel
have now gone separate ways. She's such a strong force
and so vocal about her right beliefs, and he is
(45:17):
more passive and introspective and internal about his. And so
it's a delight when he meets Agatha and someone who's
more like him in so many ways than, you know,
than his wife has turned out to be.
Speaker 1 (45:35):
Hearing what you just said, Cyril, and what you just
said here, you're able to really capture who should be
together who shouldn't be And like, oh, if only Lord
Danbury were wasn't carrying that hurt with him.
Speaker 5 (45:48):
Yeah, pretty much all the characters are trapped in a
social etiquette prison that doesn't allow them to be fully
who they are.
Speaker 1 (46:00):
I've got to ask Shonda, like, why do you write
men and women? Because I think Princess Augusta said very triggering.
And one of my favorite favorite favorite Shonda Land shows
is Scandal and my favorite character Eli Pope, and he
plays Olivia Pope's father. Okay, so Olivia was in an
interracial relationship with the President. Not only was it interracial,
(46:23):
it was also a power dynamic. And Eli's whole thing was,
You're not really powerful, Olivia, you are a pawn, you
are a kncubine. There is something about whatever Eli was
bringing to that conversation, from his pain and his hurt
and upbringing into that conversation with the next generation, reminded
(46:46):
me so much of Lord Danbury talking to Agatha. And
I'm thinking specifically about the line where he tells her
to act like she's been there before.
Speaker 5 (46:57):
Yeah, because it's important because you know, this is about show,
it's also about you know, knowing you fit in here.
And he hasn't got time to keep explaining, you know,
the whole rigors of you know, civil rights, how we
got here, where I marched, what I've given up for
(47:19):
you those sorts of characters, which I think you get
all the time quite often, particularly with you know, black parents.
I'm struggling to hold down a job and do this
and that and whatever, and you know, even at the
highest level, you know, I haven't got time. That is
(47:40):
to be explaining to you the last three hundred years.
Speaker 1 (47:49):
The moment Lord Ledger decides to knock on Agatha's door
and say he's not there, I am so curious about
the rehearsal table reads and just kind of as an actor,
what state of mind you put yourself in to make
(48:09):
that scene? So I guess palpable is the word.
Speaker 10 (48:13):
Just yeah, well, I don't really know what. I don't
even know if he knew what he was thinking really
when he turned up.
Speaker 5 (48:19):
Oh he turned up with what?
Speaker 10 (48:21):
He turned up with a birthday hat?
Speaker 3 (48:22):
So is.
Speaker 10 (48:25):
Action really the objective is a handover this birthday?
Speaker 5 (48:28):
That's his excuse?
Speaker 1 (48:29):
Shot anyway, shot.
Speaker 10 (48:35):
Letter lady, what is that birthday hat? I make them
I made this one for you. He turns up with
the birthday hat. So it's purely to you know, to
(48:55):
say happy birthday. I have missed your birthdays this week.
I know, I know, it's just sometimes happy birthday. Now,
I think he thinks that that's all. But I mean,
if you were to pop him on the psychiatrist couch
and if you really kind of got your hands dirty
(49:17):
in his head, I'm sure there's He wouldn't admit it,
but I think there's elements of him going thinking or
hoping that something more may happen.
Speaker 5 (49:27):
I think it was therefrom would you mind if I
danced with your wife? Of course you do.
Speaker 10 (49:34):
You're you're a suspicious mindset, or there was there may
have been something there as spark, but you know, and
perhaps an indefinable spark. Initially you think, oh, there's she's nice,
and it can be simply that initially, but then they
get to know each other on these rambles, on these
walks that they do, and I think that's where.
Speaker 5 (49:57):
They didn't fall in love.
Speaker 10 (50:02):
And this is a culmination of that period they've spent
together and it's it's come to a head and they've
been so incredibly honest with each other, and they like
they haven't been with anyone else. They've really confided into.
Speaker 5 (50:18):
Each other and.
Speaker 10 (50:20):
Got to know each other and talk to each other
and be so honest. That brings a closeness they may
not have experienced either ever or in a long long time,
and that is attractive and exciting and an aphrodisiac.
Speaker 1 (50:42):
Ha.
Speaker 10 (50:45):
So I think that's why he knocked on the door,
you know, not knowing even why, just kind of being
pulled there.
Speaker 1 (50:53):
Yeah, Lord Ledger and Lady Agatha Danbury definitely sapio seculs.
You guys were eating each other's brains. I was so
with it. I was I loved it, and I guess
I'm always curious about how you all film. So were
there any scenes that you had to shoot, like more
(51:17):
than fifteen times because you were just giving so many
different variations, or something was just needed to be just right.
Speaker 5 (51:24):
The big ballrooms and things, of course coverage rather than
rather than retaking as such, you know, there were you know,
every single angle is covered. Yeah, and more, Tom. You know,
he he would even shoot stuff that I don't know,
(51:47):
for his own entertainment, for the for the what you
call it real you know he had there. There are
some wonderful bits in the in the out takes reel
the Danburry Ball. We had this you know, Funkapolitan moment
where it went from the ballroom dancing into full on
you know, soul.
Speaker 1 (52:08):
Train, okay, Shandala, and you have to post this video
somewhere because everyone is talking.
Speaker 13 (52:12):
About it, I mean, full on, you know, and all
these dances are fantastic, you know, and then you you
have musicians there, you know, live musicians know, absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 10 (52:26):
They were great fun. I was really kind of sorry
for you, sir, or that you weren't really dancing in
videos scenes, because what was great, what was brilliant and
an incredible kind of introduction to everyone before it was
short anything was the dance rehearsals that we do, So
that was meeting everyone was in like a few different
(52:46):
rehearsal rooms with Jack Murphy, the dirt, the choreographer and
kind of the cast. And for a few weeks before
we shot anything, we just hung out and learned these dances,
which was an incredibly kind of feels like a luxurious
way to work.
Speaker 6 (53:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (53:04):
Yeah, because often you meet people on set in costume
five minutes before your take.
Speaker 5 (53:10):
I was deeply jealous. I was deeply jealous because I
wanted to dance. You know.
Speaker 12 (53:17):
How cold you do, So I was really sorry that
you couldn't.
Speaker 5 (53:23):
He was deemed too old, Yes.
Speaker 1 (53:29):
According to the memes, someone would have been like, hey
cat daddy, and you can come dance with me. So
any full circle moments for you, Ridgerton is so much
about full circles, looking back, looking forward, anything like that,
or any pinch me moments, like wow.
Speaker 10 (53:47):
So many there were a million pinch me moments. Every
day is a pinch me moment on Queen Charlotte, really,
and there's some of the just the scale of it,
the people, the look patients we went to just incredible
being in those costumes and looking out if you know,
it kind of turned your back to the camera and
(54:07):
you could have been back, you know, you could have
been two hundred years ago. The scale of it was
something I hadn't really encountered before or for a long
long time. And the detail on it is just, you know,
second to none.
Speaker 5 (54:21):
Yeah, pinch me moments, well, I mean just I suppose
the first read through which we did and Shonda came
and you know, I mean just sitting in a room
with you know, you were there in a room with Shonder.
Oh my god, I mean, I'm you know, it is yeah,
(54:48):
I mean it is a you know, it's it's an
Oscar moment for me. You know, and I have to
pinch myself about that stuff. But the you know, in
terms of circle, that will be when I come back
to play my son the post Bridgeton world. Just putting
that out there, shund you two.
Speaker 1 (55:09):
Have been an absolute joy to spend time with today.
I could keep going.
Speaker 10 (55:16):
Garri has been a delight.
Speaker 1 (55:18):
Thank you, Thank you so much. Seriously, you've totally given
us emotional whiplash with your performances. I mean also a
little dizzy with some of the opening scenes with the Danbury's.
Speaker 5 (55:32):
But by the way I thought, I thought Danby actually
gave better sex. Well I'm just there. Let's ask, you
can ask. But actually he was technically more proficient four technical.
Speaker 10 (55:55):
Technical exercise, very very curate.
Speaker 1 (56:03):
Thank you so much, and I'm the note of technical proficiency.
We made you all the good day special Thanks again
to Adua and Do and her sweet dog. She'd unschooled
us again. There's never enough time. We love Adua. Thank you,
(56:24):
and again to Cyril, Henri and kir Charles. Thank you
for not holding back. I'm so glad we had the
time to get into the minds of Agatha's booth things
and that we got to look at some memes together.
You know, I've got more to bring to you. Right
on our next episode.
Speaker 8 (56:43):
You see all of those people who are now part
of the Ton, being part of a completely new society
that they've never been there, now in another culture, and
they have to assimilate, you know, act like they've been
there before. It's like, it's what Lord Danbury says to her, which.
Speaker 14 (56:59):
Is you know, wait, that was so funny, though true,
It's like the slogan for anyone who's ever moved to
another like place.
Speaker 1 (57:10):
It's like, act like you've been here before. Stop gawking
our semma, my bff in my head. She's joining us
for an afternoon tea. So bring your shades because she
shines brightly. Queen Charlotte the official podcast is executive produced
by Sandy Bailey, Lauren Homan, alex Alja Tyler Klang, and
(57:34):
me Gabrielle Collins. Our producer and editor is Tarry Harrison.
Subscribe to the podcast anywhere you get your favorite shows.
Get the book I'm a Crispy Turn the page, Smell
the Binding kind of Queen. But you can download it
and you can find Queen Charlotte a Bridgeton story on
Netflix We'll see you next week, Queen Charlotte. The Official
(58:01):
podcast is a production of Shondaland Audio in partnership with iHeartRadio.
For more podcasts, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
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