Bridgerton Fans Spot 1 Big Change From Books In New Episodes That Hints At A Future Queer Romance
Warning: This article contains major spoilers for season three of Bridgerton.
Bridgerton fans were thrown a major curveball after the new episodes of the hit period drama debuted on Netflix.
The second half of Bridgerton’s third season began streaming on Thursday morning, diving deeper into the romance between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington (dubbed “Polin” by fans) after that carriage scene cliffhanger last month.
However, it’s a very different budding romance that got viewers talking in the new episodes.
In the original Bridgerton books, Francesca’s love interest is a man named Michael Stirling. However, in the new season three episodes, she’s seen getting flustered when introduced to a young woman named Michaela – immediately leading fans to the conclusion the character is a gender-flipped version of Michael, which will see the show exploring its biggest queer relationship to date in a future episode.
Bridgerton’s official IMDB page also reveals the character’s full name is Michaela Stirling, played by newcomer Masali Budaza.
And to say the news got a big reaction would be a bit of an understatement…
ITS MICHAELA STIRLING!! WE WON OMG WE WON #BRIDGERTONpic.twitter.com/41GL2xge6o
— bee !! alevels era (@luvrlr) June 13, 2024
francesca literally forgetting her own name because of michaela IM CRYING 😭😭 #BRIDGERTONpic.twitter.com/k2kySHjRqG
— mel ʕ•̮͡•ʔ (@hcsiequake) June 13, 2024
so the cousin is michaela sterling and not Michael, francesca my my my woah
#BRIDGERTON— ananya (@notexhausted) June 13, 2024
MAJOR FRANNIE SPOILERS ‼️‼️
okay they definitely gonna change her plot because frannie is DEFINITELY the one falling first , love at first sight 😭😭🫶🏻 #BRIDGERTONpic.twitter.com/TBMy2mOlnN— mel ʕ•̮͡•ʔ (@hcsiequake) June 13, 2024
SPOILERS!!! FOR BRIDGERTON
So masali is not playing Sophie BUT Michaela Stirling #bridgertons3pic.twitter.com/H2oC26FJKB— 🌷-_-🌷 (@my_kindreds) June 13, 2024
ITS MICHAELA STIRLING!! WE WON OMG WE WON #BRIDGERTONpic.twitter.com/41GL2xge6o
— bee !! alevels era (@luvrlr) June 13, 2024
They baited us SO BADDD with that either Eloise or Benedict is going to be in a queer relationship but its FRANCESCA WITH MichaeLA STERLING??? #BRIDGERTONpic.twitter.com/FHugen2f6S
— ChaengHyun ⊽∙⋏∙⊽ (@KalJo96) June 13, 2024
MICHAELA. DID THEY SAY MICHAELA?!?! MICHAELA STIRLING. OH MAMA HAPPY PRIDE TO THIS DIVA! #BRIDGERTON#bridgertons3#bridgertonseason3pic.twitter.com/n3QUtH9MvG
— BRIDGERTON SPOILERS! (@nanikorrasami) June 13, 2024
*SPOILER BRIDGERTON S3 EP8*
MICHAELA STIRLING???? AND WE GET THESE NEWS DURING PRIDE MONTH TOO??? SHONDA YOU HAVE DONE IT AGAIN OMGGG 🙇🏻♀️🙇🏻♀️ #BRIDGERTON#bridgertons3#bridgertonseason3#pride— Ally (@donutforniall) June 13, 2024
her already being a flustered mess oh… the longing the pining the yearning that’s about to come from francheala… thank you shondaland thank you i never said anything bad about you pic.twitter.com/wLwYRyjHGX
— 🍊 (@tempermentaIs) June 13, 2024
francesca down bad for from first look omg this is what real love at first sight looks like we are eating good pic.twitter.com/4pvKTxuJDi
— appy (@sooyashosie) June 13, 2024
🗣️ MICHAELA STIRLING ! pic.twitter.com/xLeIu7L1za
— thalia (@S0PHlEBECKETT) June 13, 2024
we‘re getting gay francesca bcs michaela sterling has arrived #BRIDGERTONpic.twitter.com/ZmSnjjdVnh
— midead (@maegorwlthteats) June 13, 2024
#bridgerton i know some people aren’t happy with the michaela stirling genderbend but as a queer girl i couldn’t be more thrilled 🥹 thank you thank you thank you shondaland and netflix and everyone involved for bringing the sapphic representation i’ve always wanted 🫶🫶🫶 pic.twitter.com/7lr5NGvcgv
— talia ✡︎ bton s3 spoilers (@sirko_karen) June 13, 2024
Before joining the cast of Bridgerton, Masali’s biggest roles included the BBC adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s Noughts + Crosses, the Viola Davis action movie The Woman King and the 2021 slasher Slumber Party Massacre.
Meanwhile, showrunner Jess Brownell is keeping schtum about which member of the Bridgerton family will be taking centre stage in season four.
“I’m really excited about what we’re writing. We’re towards the end with the writers room season, with the scripts. And I feel like it’s some of my best work and my writers room’s best work. We’ve just really gelled our collaboration, and we’re firing on all cylinders so I can’t wait for fans to see what we have,” she teased to The Hollywood Reporter.
Bridgerton season three is now streaming in full on Netflix.
