Adjoa Andoh. Liam Daniel/Netflix
Adjoa Andoh criticized Netflix’s Bridgerton and other shows for failing to light Black actors properly.
During an episode of the “Stirring It Up” podcast from earlier this month, Andoh, 61, discussed some of the challenges in the industry that have prevented her from feeling fully comfortable as an actress.
“The continuing conversation about lighting Black skin on every show, nothing’s changed,” noted Andoh, who plays Lady Danbury on the hit Regency-era series.
Andoh highlighted that for awareness surrounding the difference in lighting various skin tones to get “better,” Black actors have to be the ones to speak up. “I want to stay in character,” she explained. “I just want to come on and be Lady Danbury and do what she’s got to do and be totally engaged with that.”
While reflecting on her career, Andoh admitted that she hasn’t always felt empowered to bring the topic up.
“I will now go, ‘Am I blond?’ But I hate doing it because a bit of me is like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to do it. I don’t want to make a fuss,’” she continued. “When people say we’re chippy or we’re being militant or we’re all that stuff, what I want to say is, ‘I’m just a human being and I just want to do the gift that I’m blessed with. I want to do it in a free way, like I see many other people doing.’”
Andoh is looking forward to not always wondering how the color of her skin affects the roles she applies for, adding, “I don’t want to think about it. I just want to get the job because I’m great, or not get the job because I’m s–t.”
Based on Julia Quinn’s book series, each season of Bridgerton focuses on a different member of the titular family as they attempt to find love in 19th-century London. The hit Netflix series is expected to have eight seasons based on the eight novels written by Quinn about each Bridgerton sibling.
Bringing a role to life. The cast of Netflix’s Queen Charlotte series bear a striking resemblance to their Bridgerton counterparts. In December 2022, the original regency series introduced viewers to Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte. Bridgerton, which was inspired by Julia Quinn‘s novels, hinted at the monarch’s past with scenes between her and husband King […]
Bridgerton‘s success inspired a prequel series titled Queen Charlotte, which introduced the young Queen Charlotte’s (India Amarteifio) rise to prominence and power after she exchanged vows with King George III (Corey Mylchreest).
Queen Charlotte, which was released in 2023, allowed Andoh to learn more about her character through Arsema Thomas‘ portrayal of a young Lady Danbury.
“I think for me, season 3, having the knowledge of young Lady Danbury, how she got to be here, how she’s managed to stay in the game and make her way through the world, I think that will enrich the experience of watching season 3,” Andoh exclusively told Us Weekly in February. “It certainly enriched my experience of playing Lady Danbury, knowing that the audience would be up to speed with who I am and where I’m from in a broader way than they would’ve been before Queen Charlotte came out.”
Bridgerton fans have watched the cast change on and off screen since the series first debuted. The historical drama, which is based on the book series written by Julia Quinn, follows the members of the wealthy Bridgerton family as they search for love in 19th century London. When Bridgerton premiered in 2020, the show centered […]
Andoh praised the prequel for expanding on Lady Danbury’s journey.
“[The prequel enriched] my relationships with Queen Charlotte and Lady Violet in particular, because those friends you’ve had since you were at school, they know you,” she continued at the time. “They remember you in that ridiculous, awful uniform. They remember your acne and your heart. I feel that now when audiences come to season 3, they will see those women as the young women that they were, and they will know that they have gone on that journey through their lives together in this environment. I find that rather beautiful.”
Bridgerton is currently streaming on Netflix.
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