The actor tells us why he's not in it for the fame

Luke Thompson is best known as a Bridgerton boy. But as an actor he’s navigating fame on his own terms and staying true to his compass, finds Tessa Dunthorne in our pre-season 3 interview.

Many have suggested that Mr. Benedict Bridgerton might desire to join the mart this season. This author suspects what the second son truly seeks is a sense of purpose. I do encourage you to say yes to society for once, Mr. Bridgerton. You never know where it may lead you.

Society may surprise you yet, Mr. Bridgerton...

Whoever could they be speaking of?

Who is it I'm seeing in the bottom left corner? Why is he there? Who let him in? We all know he's nowhere near strong enough to contribute anything 😂

Benedict Bridgerton

Bridgerton Season Three Trailer 🐝

It warms my heart to know that Sophie was admired in Wiltshire, even if the ton never accepted her.

My headcanon is that she built a school in the village open to anyone who wanted to learn, no matter who they were.

I think she would like to offer the children a chance for a better future. Knowing how to read, count, and write, they could get involved in trade and work their way up, ideally. Or even if they go to be servants, they can ask for higher positions, valets, or lady’s maids.

Benophie week 2024

So it looks like people are interested in a split Benophie Week!

So I’ve created a Google Form which I’m going to leave open for a week for people to vote on their themes and prompts.

I’m asking people to vote for their favourite 5 as I’ll do two lots of 5 days.

Please bare in mind part one of Benophie week is going to be during part 2 of Bridgerton season 3 so there is likely (based on leaked spoilers) some things that happen with Benedict but it doesn’t have to affect Benophie week…

I do hope no matter what people partake still and get involved with it…

So without further ado:

Please vote and please share within the Benophie nation

Luke Thompson as Benedict in Bridgerton Season 3 teaser.

When Sophie Beckett gets introduced as Sophie Bridgerton, I'll simply die on the spot.

BRIDGERTON (2020 - ) | s01 ep04 'AN AFFAIR OF HONOR'

I hate when people deminish Benedict's struggles saying they are not that big of a deal, I'm sorry but I don't think it's nice to hear every single time people speak to you that your only goal in life it's to be your brother's replacement 😤

To say I need them to address this in season 2 & 3 is and understatement. I don't see why they wouldn't but I always live in fear with adaptations that they'll leave the really important stuff out.

Benedict being the second child (the spare, Number 2) is such a huge part of who he is as a person. And I really need to see that struggle.

I think I mentioned before in a previous post about how as Anthony starts to fall in love with Kate and gets his stuff figured out I really would like to see the opposite of Benedict. Like the man just getting more and more frustrated by society. Maybe Granville's parties aren't giving him excitement anymore. And he's just like a step away from losing it because now Anthony's married and all the society mama's are pushing their daughters on him and he just can't stand it because ya know "Well I mean he isn't a Viscount but a second son will do just as nicely" And they don't give a shit about him. They don't care who he is as a person. They care about his family status and that's it. And then boom SOPHIE BECKETT ENTERS THE CHAT. And takes the time to ask him something personal like what his favorite color is. And she's real and honest and different and Benny B isn't going to be able to handle himself.

I really need the show to go into more detail about the rocks and Benedict losing his father. I mean the man keeps a jar of rocks that he collected on hikes with his father. Those are important. He knows the stories of each and every one of them. I understand Anthony losing Edmund is a HUGE part of his character development and what not....but Anthony isn't the only one who lost him. Benedict and the other Bridgerton's did as well. I would really like the show to go into this more.

Like maybe Anthony's on the cusp of admitting his true feelings for Kate and everybody can see how happy and in love he is, especially Benedict because he notices things about Anthony first because he's been compared to Anthony his whole life. But Benedict's unraveling because he doesn't know who he is and here's Anthony MARRIED and refusing to admit he's in love and utterly convinced he's going to die young just like their father. And Benedict just loses his shit because he can't stand it anymore. Being compared to Anthony and maybe he's a little jealous that his eldest brother, the one who couldn't figure his damn life out, is happy and in love( even if he can't admit it to himself) and Edmund's ghost constantly hanging over Anthony and Benedict loses it because "DAMN IT ANTHONY YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO LOST HIM!" And then he goes into this big rant about how amazing Kate is and how stupid Anthony is for not realizing it or just plain denying it. And how much it annoys him because all he's good at being is the spare. Number 2. Anthony's replacement for when he dies and Anthony's just sitting there with a glass of scotch in his hand utterly fucking confused because Benedict's always the level headed one. The calm one. The Bridgerton with his shit together. Because like Anthony never had to be Benedict's father. They were always just brother's and maybe that could be a moment where Anthony realizes he doesn't know his brother and his struggles like he thought he did. And it could be an excellent brother bonding moment right before Benedict gets the rug pulled out from under him when he meets Sophie.

....this got away from me but I hope you get the gist. I need all the character development for my favorite boy.

BRIDGERTON (2020 - ) | s02 ep05 'AN UNTHINKABLE FATE'

In one of your asks you said you had a lot of thoughts about Benedict, I'm very curious about that, care to expand yourself if you have the time or you want to? ☺️

Hi Anon! Yes, I do! I love Benedict and I have a lot of thoughts about him haha. It's definitely something I plan on touching on in my fic Royal Pains and future fics.

I did love AOFAG, I just think Benedict's book let him down. The forbidden love trope and Sophie are perfect for him and Sophie is such a strong, great character.

It's just, Benedict is very different to his siblings and being the spare, the second son, that can do a lot to a person, especially in that era. The constant feeling of not being enough-he's not the Viscount, he's just the spare. It's where a lot of his insecurities stem from, like not thinking he can paint and being heavily critical of himself stems from. I know AOFAG touched on it and these insecurities but I really think it was sort of a wasted opportunity and instead made him a bit of a dick? Instead of explaining his feelings, his emotions, his anger? Letting him have his moment? Then Sophie comes into his life and she's someone who wants him for him, not because he's the spare, she doesn't even really know who Anthony is until she starts working for Violet.

He's also the most sensitive, romantic sibling, I think. He's in a role and society he isn't suited for. It's wearing him down. He puts on this front, in the show and in the books, of being the peacemaker. He doesn't get into arguments. He's reliable. He's his mother's favourite. There's no room for him to be judgemental or angry. His role is to always be there but not be seen. He's incredibly unhappy but I think he feels he isn't entitled to be unhappy or bitter and he has more freedom than Anthony but less freedom than Colin, so he's sort of stuck. Being in Anthony's shadow your entire life would make you angry and frustrated and he never really had a moment to fully express that. Instead, he blackmails Sophie to come to London to control one of the only things he can in his life even though it's incredible unfair on Sophie and the pressure he puts her under to be his mistress is unacceptable and I wish it had been written differently.

He also fixates on Sophie in masquerade because she's the one person who made him feel more than just the spare, on that one menial boring night at the ball. He's stuck in the boring, frustrating loop in his life and she was that moment of freedom and then she's gone.

Sophie is also the one person who makes him feel like he's worth something. Who sees him for who he is and not just the second Bridgerton, which is why she's perfect for him and she also takes little shit. He needs someone to show him sometimes he's worth something. That doesn't mean his family don't love or appreciate him as Anthony/Colin/Violet heavily rely on him and the show definitely has built him a strong relationship with Eloise which I LOVE, but no one really sees him and understands him to an extent.

Him acting unfair and irritational is human behaviour but it needed to be explained more about why he's acting and feeling that way. What being the spare does to a person. Like in season 1 during the duel-he's visibly terrified as his brother may die and the last thing he would ever want is to be Viscount, but he isn't happy being the spare either. The show has more room to explore him and is dealing with Ben very well so far- with his passion for art, sexuality and his role as the second & I'm excited for season 2 as he's definitely getting a big arc to build up for season 3! We already got a few Sophie hints and we'll definitely be getting a lot more!

"Yes," Araminta replied. "I know. I hated that, too."

An Offer from a Gentleman, Chapter 22

Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton in the promotional stills for season 3 of Bridgerton

Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton in the promotional stills for season 3 of Bridgerton

Benedict Bridgerton