Since Rege-Jean Page’s breakout role in Bridgerton, we’ve been discovering how intelligent and grounded he is. We’ve also noticed how damn fine Rege is too, but that is another post. Rege, who will not be returning for season two, had a conversation with The Crown’s Emma Corrin as part of Variety’s Actors on Actors series. Rege made the profound observation that Simon is an archetype of an emotionally stunted man. He said that he had to make Simon layered enough so that Simon wouldn’t be depicted as a toxic man who no one would root for. Rege wanted Simon to be a romantic hero and worked to humanize. Below are a few more highlights from Variety:
On what he thought when he read the Bridgerton script
I was like, OK, cool. It’s a period drama. It’s Jane Austen-esque. Why are we doing this now? What does it have to contribute? We have a couple hundred years between Jane Austen and where we’re at now, which means we’ve got like five or six waves of feminism since. And so, in carrying the torch, we need to make some ground with it.Because Simon’s an archetype that already exists. He’s Darcy. He’s Heathcliff. He’s a tall, dark, brooding, emotionally stunted man.
On Simon’s journey
When you say the word “hero,” it implies it’s someone you look up to. We talk a lot with “Bridgerton” about it being female-centric, but also, what are men looking up to? What am I doing with this icon of masculinity?What’s making this meal actually worth eating? I think of “Bridgerton” as a Happy Meal but with secret vitamins put in there. It’s like a secretly healthy, organic burger.
On Simon’s relationship with his father
I think that will tie into masculinity as well. The relationship to your dad. How you inherit responsibility? What do you do with that power?
Listen, I love me some Rege-Jean. The man is an absolute gem and he is so thoughtful. I love the way Rege approaches his characters. When he said he starts with his character’s shoes when building their personalities, I felt that. That is the one thing I look at first when I meet someone, their shoes. You can tell a lot about a person by their shoes. It was dope when Rege made the connection to Emma between an audition and Diana’s Balmoral test. He also took into consideration that the Regency period was before the feminist movements but the books were post feminist revolution.
Rege truly loves the art of acting and it shows in his insight into the source material, into his character and in his incredible delivery. Every time I see an interview of Rege’s I fall more in love with him. I really can’t wait to see his upcoming projects. I am sure he will be just as methodical about building those characters too. Rege definitely has a bright future ahead of him in show business. Now let me go watch these Audi commercials.
The full interview:
Those car pics instantly made me think he would make a great James Bond 🤤
Excited to see him in his next movie. He is very talented and seems like he has a good head on his shoulders
Yes! I am here for him as Bond.
I’m more into him as the new Superman. But that’s because I am NOT a Bond fan at all. And I do love my DC comics. Ta-Nehisi Coates is writing this for WB, and they are going to start casting. I think it’s going to be amazing.
@Darla
I could see him as Superman too and I totally would watch it just for him but I’m sooooooo nervous as most of the DC movies have been sooooo bad. I’ll have to check out the new writer.
Also isn’t there like a Superman curse?
I guess because of George Reeves and Christopher Reeve, that idea of a Superman curse got going. Brendan Roth and Henry Cavil seem to be okay tho. 🙂
I just think he has the charm and charisma for that role. I haven’t really seen a Superman I love since Christopher Reeve. I think Rege could bring that.
I love RJ but im getting tired to hear Rege and his role in bridgerton although it was such a breakout role for him. Im rolling eyes at this point if questions are about bridgertons. Bring on the new questions.
He is so lovely. I really do enjoy him.
If he’s that hot, I will take emotionally stunted. Lol
I love how thoughtful he is about his work, and everything really. He just seems like a good egg. And that Variety photo is really swoonworthy.
I really enjoyed the conversation between Emma and Rege. You can tell that Rege loves his craft and the acting process.
Why do I seem to be the only one to think of him as….”Meh”? Well…his character in Bridgeton anyway…Perhaps it was due to the cruelty of his character’s father to him & his Mama…I didn’t truck with it
nor did I appreciate how his character responded to his father’s cruelty as a grown man…ALL of it…left me quite cold….LOVED the production though❣
I agree with you about his character. I didn’t really fall in love with him or the storyline with Daphne. Loved the show though and can’t wait for next season, but I’m not sad the story will be moving on from their characters. That being said, he is so good looking and charismatic I would watch RJP in just about anything!
I don’t get all of the love either. He just seems so basic to me in all ways and it’s bizarre how he’s being promoted over so many tall, dark, and handsome Black male leads.
How come emotionally stunted men get so many admirers thrown at them and emotionally stunted women get therapy?
Toxic masculinity.
Don’t you know? If a woman is not a precocious and quirky ingenue, she is an emotionally available wellspring of unconditional love and support. Men are stoic beings who don’t cry and become hotter the less they say.
Virgin vs Brooding Man of wealth and power…it just occurred to me that Bridgerton IS the Twilight of 2021. And yes they are all inspired by Jane Austen.
Emotionally stunted women are regularly lauded as being great for sexual relationships. I just saw a video a (male) friend shared this week of a woman acting a whole entire damn fool in her car (and demanding her boyfriend hug her through it) and a guy in the comments mentioned that those types of women are incredibly toxic but stellar at sex.
I just…the more his PR pushes the more it actually angers me and makes me upset. I am now actively not supporting his work. It’s like I went from passive to extremely irked. 🙄
Huh? What did he do to you?
Huh? What did he do to you?
Really? Why? There really doesn’t seem to be anything that’s he’s said that would qualify as irksome. I’m curious what you’re seeing……he’s not even being out there too much. Or, as some of us might say, not enough.
Smart, smart man. Probably some of the smartest remarks I’ve heard from an actor on character! I didn’t care for Bridgerton but I’ll be looking for him in the future, even more so now.