Bridgerton's Kathryn Drysdale praises show for being diverse... after casting was criticised - Culture

Kathryn Drysdale has praised Bridgerton for casting a diverse range of actors, saying it’s been ‘the stuff of dreams’ to work on the series.

The actress, 39, who plays Genevieve Delacroix, said it’s incredible to now be able to work on period dramas ‘without having to just play long-suffering slaves or oppressed people’ in an interview with Digital Spy.

Her comments come after some viewers of the hit Netflix series, which was seen by 82 million households in its first month and used an ‘inclusion lens’ to find a stellar cast, had criticised the show for its on-screen diversity.

‘The stuff of dreams’: Kathryn Drysdale has praised Bridgerton for casting a diverse range of actors after the show was criticised by some for its casting (pictured in February 2020)

Kathryn said: ‘Years ago, we were told that diversity wouldn’t work in period dramas, that Black leads in movies and TV shows wouldn’t sell. That’s a thing of the past now.

‘To be able to partake in these stories without having to just play long-suffering slaves or oppressed people, to actually participate in joy and celebration and escapism, to have been a part of that as a Black artist has really, really been just the stuff of dreams.’

The actress then revealed that someone had once asked her why lots of black people had been ‘put in this drama’, saying the man speaking to her ‘really didn’t believe’ black people existed in England at the time the show was set.

She added: ‘There’s been erasure of their presence, but their existence in these stories, and in history, has been very, very much a real thing.’

In character: The actress, 39, who plays Genevieve Delacroix, said it’s incredible to be able to work on period dramas ‘without having to just play long-suffering slaves or oppressed people’

Kathryn’s comments come after Netflix’s vice-president of inclusion strategy said Bridgerton’s racially diverse cast was the result of an ‘inclusion lens’ being applied to casting decisions.

Verna Myers said the company supported diverse lead producers and showrunners for the series as well as its executive producer Shonda Rhimes.

Bridgerton is a romantic drama set in Regency London which re-imagines the period as one where black and white people were equal.

Ms Myers told The Guardian: ‘We’ve got to get folks in front of the camera and behind the camera. When that happens you’re going to get something you’ve never seen before. Bridgerton is something we have never seen before.’

On set: Reflecting on the casting furore, Kathryn said: ‘There’s been erasure of their [black peoples’] presence, but their existence in these stories, and in history, has been very, very much a real thing’ (pictured with co-star Jonathan Bailey who plays Anthony Bridgerton)

Different approach: Kathryn’s comments come after Netflix ‘s vice-president of inclusion strategy said Bridgerton ‘s diverse cast was the result of an ‘inclusion lens’ (pictured right with Polly Walker as Portia Featherington and Ruby Barker, middle, as Marina Thompson)

‘We help out all of our creative folks in content and marketing with what we call an inclusion lens, when they’re casting and when they’re green lighting: see who’s there, see who isn’t.’

Ms Myers said the historical lack of black employees in the technology and entertainment industries is down to industry trends and said Netflix has put special emphasis on recruiting black employees.

She explained: ‘We had a special person to think about recruitment, specifically for underrepresented groups, and we started with people of colour, and we really emphasised black.’

The VP added that she did not think the problem was specific to Netflix and was instead a ‘function of the industry’.

Story: Bridgerton is a romantic drama set in Regency London which re-imagines the period as one where black and white people were equal (Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury)

Top spot! Bridgerton debuted on Christmas Day and has since been watched by more than 82million households (Golda Rosheuvel pictured)

Ms Myers said companies should back up talk of diversity with action such as Netflix’s new £350,000 investment scheme to help develop black creative talent.

Speaking about the Black Lives Matter movement, Ms Myers said she believes it has opened peoples eyes to a ‘social hierarchy’ that exists in the world.

Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope Featheringon, also recently had some harsh sentiments for those who have criticised the show for its diverse casting.

In a string of tweets, the actress, 33, touted the success of the racy period drama as proof of audiences’ fervent acceptance of the show and its cast.

‘You know the way some people were like “Diversity in period drama doesn’t work…”‘ Nicola tweeted.

’63 million households thought it did tho so,’ she continued, adding a skull emoji.

What an achievement! The hugely successful drama has also been renewed for a second series which will focus on Anthony Bridgerton’s quest for love (Rege-Jean as Simon Bassett, the Duke of Hastings, and Phoebe Dynevor as Daphne Bridgerton pictured)

Hitting back: Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope Featherington, recently shared some stern words for viewers who criticised Bridgerton for being diverse (Nicola and Claudia Jessie, who plays Eloise Bridgerton, L-R in show still)

She wrote on Twitter: ‘Remember people were trying to downvote the show on IMDB cos it was so diverse? You can’t downvote us being Netflix[‘s] fifth biggest original release ever’

Minutes later, the Galway, Ireland-born star added, ‘Remember people were trying to downvote the show on IMDB cos it was so diverse?

‘You can’t downvote us being Netflix[‘s] fifth biggest original release ever.’

Bridgerton has now officially been renewed by Netflix for series two after weeks of speculation.

The second season will focus on Anthony Bridgerton’s (Jonathan Bailey) quest to find a wife after his turbulent love life was played out in the first series.

The series follows the self-titled family and how their lives are turned upside-down by the revelations of the illusive and anonymous Lady Whistledown in London.