Bridgerton Star Calls Out Show’s Issues With ‘Lighting Black Skin’

Adjoa Andoh criticized Netflix’s Bridgerton and different exhibits for failing to gentle Black actors correctly.

Throughout an episode of the “Stirring It Up” podcast from earlier this month, Andoh, 61, mentioned among the challenges within the trade which have prevented her from feeling absolutely snug as an actress.

“The persevering with dialog about lighting Black pores and skin on each present, nothing’s modified,” famous Andoh, who performs Woman Danbury on the hit Regency-era sequence.

Andoh highlighted that for consciousness surrounding the distinction in lighting varied pores and skin tones to get “higher,” Black actors should be those to talk up. “I wish to keep in character,” she defined. “I simply wish to come on and be Woman Danbury and do what she’s received to do and be completely engaged with that.”

Whereas reflecting on her profession, Andoh admitted that she hasn’t all the time felt empowered to convey the subject up.

“I’ll now go, ‘Am I blond?’ However I hate doing it as a result of a little bit of me is like, ‘Oh, I don’t wish to do it. I don’t wish to make a fuss,’” she continued. “When individuals say we’re chippy or we’re being militant or we’re all that stuff, what I wish to say is, ‘I’m only a human being and I simply wish to do the reward that I’m blessed with. I wish to do it in a free manner, like I see many different individuals doing.’”

Andoh is trying ahead to not all the time questioning how the colour of her pores and skin impacts the roles she applies for, including, “I don’t wish to give it some thought. I simply wish to get the job as a result of I’m nice, or not get the job as a result of I’m s–t.”

Based mostly on Julia Quinn’s guide sequence, every season of Bridgerton focuses on a special member of the titular household as they try to search out love in Nineteenth-century London. The hit Netflix sequence is anticipated to have eight seasons based mostly on the eight novels written by Quinn about every Bridgerton sibling.

Bridgerton‘s success impressed a prequel sequence titled Queen Charlotte, which launched the younger Queen Charlotte’s (India Amarteifio) rise to prominence and energy after she exchanged vows with King George III (Corey Mylchreest).

Queen Charlotte, which was launched in 2023, allowed Andoh to be taught extra about her character by way of Arsema Thomas‘ portrayal of a younger Woman Danbury.

“I feel for me, season 3, having the data of younger Woman Danbury, how she received to be right here, how she’s managed to remain within the recreation and make her manner by way of the world, I feel that can enrich the expertise of watching season 3,” Andoh solely instructed Us Weekly in February. “It actually enriched my expertise of taking part in Woman Danbury, realizing that the viewers can be in control with who I’m and the place I’m from in a broader manner than they’d’ve been earlier than Queen Charlotte got here out.”

Andoh praised the prequel for increasing on Woman Danbury’s journey.

“[The prequel enriched] my relationships with Queen Charlotte and Woman Violet particularly, as a result of these mates you’ve had because you have been at college, they know you,” she continued on the time. “They bear in mind you in that ridiculous, terrible uniform. They bear in mind your zits and your coronary heart. I really feel that now when audiences come to season 3, they’ll see these girls because the younger girls that they have been, and they’re going to know that they’ve gone on that journey by way of their lives collectively on this surroundings. I discover that slightly stunning.”

Bridgerton is at the moment streaming on Netflix.