We're finally returning to the Ton. More than 18 months after the release of the last season of Bridgerton—one of Netflix's most-watched TV shows of all time—season 4 drops its first batch of episodes on January 29, 2026, with the second half arriving February 26. This time around, we're focusing on Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), the charming, free-spirited star of Julia Quinn's third Bridgerton book, An Offer From a Gentleman. Thompson and Yerin Ha—who plays Benedict's love interest, Sophie Baek—will lead the cast of the fourth installment, while a mix of old favorites (Penelope Bridgerton, née Featherington!) and new stars (Michaela Stirling, a key player in a planned queer storyline for one Bridgerton daughter!).
To refresh your memory and prepare for new Regency romances before you dive into the next season of the beloved series, check out our guide to the actors and characters, old and new, of the world of Bridgerton.
Simone Ashley as Kate Bridgerton, née Sharma
Previously the leading lady of season 2, Kate is played by British actress Simone Ashley, 30. Before Bridgerton, she was best known for playing Olivia, a popular girl on the Netflix comedy Sex Education, and she's also been in the British shows The Sister, Casualty, and Broadchurch. Next up, she's set to appear in The Devil Wears Prada 2.
Kate Bridgerton, née Sharma
After arriving in London from India, Kate had one goal: to find a suitable match for her younger sister, Edwina, and then settle into life as an unmarried woman. That mission got very complicated when she crossed paths with the handsome rake Viscount Anthony Bridgerton. By the end of season 3, the happily married couple were expecting their first baby and planning to travel to India to have the child there.
Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton
Jonathan Bailey, 37, was an accomplished English actor even pre-Bridgerton, with roles on Broadchurch, Jack Ryan, and the Phoebe Waller-Bridge show Crashing. He's also a musical theater actor, having won a Laurence Olivier Award for his role in the 2018 West End revival of the musical Company. Since his star power skyrocketed thanks to Bridgerton, the actor has held even more high-profile lead roles in films like Jurassic World Rebirth and, of course, the Wicked movies, in which he starred as Fiyero.
Anthony Bridgerton
In season 2, we saw the eldest Bridgerton child apply the intensity he showed during his sister Daphne's season to his own search for a bride. Once he decided on Edwina Sharma as his future bride, he had to deal with her overprotective older sister. However, he finds himself irrepressibly drawn to the elder Sharma even though she infuriated him.
Charithra Chandran as Edwina Sharma
U.K. native Charithra Chandran, 29, began acting in college, approaching the field as a hobby and joining the National Youth Theatre while earning a philosophy degree from Oxford University. She eventually decided to pursue acting full-time and landed her first-ever role on the series Alex Rider. Bridgerton was her second TV role, quickly followed by several more on hits like One Piece and Dune: Prophecy.
Edwina Sharma
In season 2, shy, kind-hearted Edwina was thrown into London society once Queen Charlotte named her "the diamond of the season." She developed quite a crush on Anthony Bridgerton, though ultimately bowed out before going through with their marriage after seeing the undeniable chemistry between him and her older sister. She hasn't appeared on the show since then, but Kate says in season 3 that Edwina was happily married and living in India.
Shelley Conn as Mary Sharma
Shelley Conn, 49, is best known on this side of the pond for starring in the Lifetime series Mistresses and The Lottery, as well as the short-lived Fox show Terra Nova. She also starred in the BBC show Liar alongside Downton Abbey's Joanne Froggatt. Since Bridgerton, she's popped up in shows like Good Omens, Gen V, and Alex Rider.
Mary Sharma
When she was young, Mary Sharma, née Sheffield, left England for India amid a scandal in which she'd married a common worker who already had a child from a previous marriage (Kate). In season 2, she returns home so her daughter Edwina can find a suitable husband—hopefully a love match like Mary had with her late husband.
Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Bridgerton, née Featherington
Irish star Nicola Coughlan, 39, became one of season 1's breakout stars, thanks to the finale reveal that her character had been Lady Whistledown the whole time. The actress has been keeping busy with Bridgerton ever since—but she found time away from the Ton to film a third and final season of the coming-of-age comedy Derry Girls, while also appearing in the Barbie movie, the dark comedy show Big Mood, and more.
Penelope Bridgerton, née Featherington
Quiet, observant Penelope has long put her skills to use as the secret writer behind Lady Whistledown's regular missives. After successfully evading Queen Charlotte's multi-season investigation into the gossip writer's identity, Penelope came clean to all of high society at the end of season 3, since her double life was driving a wedge between her and her new husband, Colin Bridgerton. In a flash-forward to close out the season, the duo was shown living a happy life as new parents and both published authors, with Penelope now writing under her own name.
Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury
After season 1, Adjoa Andoh, 63, joined the cast of another beloved Netflix series, playing priestess and magic teacher Nenneke in The Witcher season 2. She also kept up her prolific career narrating audiobooks, with recent narration works including Lauren Groff's Matrix, Vanessa Riley's Island Queen, and The New Yorker's The Matter of Black Lives.
Lady Danbury
Lady Danbury led her godson, Simon Basset, through his courtship with Daphne in season 1 and facilitated another Bridgerton match as the Sharmas's sponsor in season 2. In season 3, Lady Danbury spent much of the season growing her friendship with Violet Bridgerton—and encouraging her friend to let her "garden" "bloom," if you know what she means, after mourning her husband for decades.
Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte
Like several of her costars, Guyana-born Golda Rosheuvel, 55, also joined a huge sci-fi franchise after season 1, portraying the housekeeper Shadout Mapes in Denis Villeneuve's Dune remake. She also reprised her Bridgerton role in Netflix's spin-off series about young Queen Charlotte.
Queen Charlotte
Queen Charlotte spends much of the social season overseeing the latest batch of eligible bachelors and bachelorettes and meddling in their matchmaking. At the end of season 3, her years-long dream of unmasking Lady Whistledown finally came true, so who knows what kind of scheme she'll come up with to while away the hours this time around.
Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton
36-year-old Brit Claudia Jessie has mostly stayed busy with Bridgerton, though she has an extensive back catalog if you want to watch some of her old shows. She previously starred in the British series Vanity Fair and Defending the Guilty, and has had guest starring roles in Lovesick, Call the Midwife, and Doctor Who.
Eloise Bridgerton
Proto-feminist Eloise entered society in season 2. But when the fourth season rolls around, she's still maintaining her independence and will be fresh off a trip to Scotland to see the world and figure out how to make her mark on it. She's also mended her best friendship with Penelope, which fractured during season 3 after Eloise discovered Penelope's double life as Lady Whistledown.
Ruth Gemmell as Violet, Dowager Countess Bridgerton
Prolific TV and theater actress Ruth Gemmell, 58, spent 2021 reprising her role as Tracy Beaker from the beloved British series in a new miniseries, and she also appeared in the Queen Charlotte spin-off show. Outside of Bridgerton, she's perhaps best known for starring alongside Colin Firth in the '90's film Fever Pitch, as well as appearances on the series Home Fires, Utopia, and EastEnders.
Violet, Dowager Countess Bridgerton
The Bridgerton mom has had to juggle a seemingly never-ending stream of her children navigating courtship throughout Bridgerton's run. She's helped mitigate Daphne's close save from scandal, Anthony's too-methodical approach, Colin's friends-to-lovers romance, and Francesca's quiet love story—plus, of course, Eloise hating the entire process. This time around, she'll be watching her second-eldest son, Benedict, finally go all-in on marriage.
Phoebe Dynevor as Duchess Daphne Basset, née Bridgerton
Season 1 star Phoebe Dynevor, 30, has been hard at work since the blockbuster success of Bridgerton, with tons of projects in the works. Some of the films and TV shows she's worked on since her breakout role include highly underrated thrillers, such as Fair Play, Inheritance, and Anniversary.
Duchess Daphne Basset, née Bridgerton
After her tumultuous and extremely steamy romance with Simon Basset took center stage in season 1, new mom Daphne showed up for her family in season 2 to help out with Eloise's introduction to society and Anthony's search for a wife. Unfortunately, she didn't return to the Ton in season 3 and isn't included on Netflix's cast list for season 4.
Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton
Before landing his role as the third-born Bridgerton, Luke Newton, 32, was best known for his role in Disney's U.K. show The Lodge and the teen show The Cut. He's mostly been devoted to Bridgerton since the show's success, especially as his character took center stage in the third season.
Colin Bridgerton
Following his failed engagement in season 1, the third-born Bridgerton took some time away from the Ton, but kept in touch with his neighbor Penelope Featherington in letters. Their friendship turned into something much more in season 3, as Penelope's long-unrequited crush on the boy next door was finally reciprocated. Heading into season 4, they're both published authors and new parents of a tiny Lord Featherington.
Kathryn Drysdale as Madame Genevieve Delacroix
Kathryn Drysdale, 44, has been a fixture on British TV for over two decades, having starred on the sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps for eight seasons. She is also known for playing Meghan Markle in the comedy soap The Windsors, based on the royal family. Amid Bridgerton's success, she's mostly done voice work on shows and podcasts, including the cartoons Circle Square and Best & Bester.
Madame Delacroix
After being falsely suspected to be Lady Whistledown in season 1, our favorite modiste—and a former love interest of season 4 lead Benedict Bridgerton—has remained wrapped up in the gossip columnist's schemes, serving as a confidant and business partner to Penelope as she juggled her double life.
Polly Walker as Lady Portia Featherington
Odds are you've seen Polly Walker, 59, somewhere before Bridgerton, either in another acclaimed U.K.-based series or one of your favorite '90s or '00s movies. The prolific actor previously starred in the Batman prequel series Pennyworth, the period series Rome, the mythology-action flick Clash of the Titans, and the Austen adaptation Emma, among other titles.
Lady Portia Featherington
After her husband's death at the end of season 1, Lady Featherington has had to ward off bankruptcy and a sleazy new Lord Featherington, all while ensuring all three of her daughters were successfully married off (and aware of how exactly to produce an heir).
Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton
In addition to appearing as the second Bridgerton son since the show’s beginning, Luke Thompson, 37, has also racked up plenty of roles across British film, TV, and, most of all, theater, including countless Shakespearean works and an award-winning turn in the stage version of A Little Life.
Benedict Bridgerton
A constant presence on the sidelines of his many siblings’s messy love lives, Benedict finally gets the leading man treatment in season 4. We’ve seen him hook up with men and women (sometimes both at once), but he’ll only have eyes for the mysterious “Lady in Silver” when it finally comes time to hit the marriage market.
Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek
Yerin Ha, 28, is a newcomer to the world of Bridgerton, but you’ve probably seen the Australian actress in shows like Halo, Dune: Prophecy, and The Survivors in recent years. She was also nominated for awards for her roles in the miniseries Bad Behaviour and the play The Maids.
Sophie Baek
Ha’s character first catches Benedict’s eye as the masked “Lady in Silver” at a masquerade ball. While he’s trying to uncover her identity, he just so happens to develop a spark with a maid named Sophie who looks quite a bit like his mystery woman—unbeknownst to him—and who’s sure that a romance between her and the high-class Benedict could never work.
Katie Leung as Araminta Gun
You’ll definitely remember Katie Leung, 38, for her role as Cho Chang in four of the Harry Potter films. In the years since the franchise wrapped up, the Scottish actress has starred in a handful of films, including T2: Trainspotting, and shows like Amazon Prime’s The Peripheral and The Wheel of Time.
Araminta Gun
Araminta is the intimidating widow for whom Sophie works as a maid. She’s all but single-minded in her goal of marrying off her eldest daughter, Rosamund Li (Michelle Mao), who’s set her sights on Benedict, as well. Araminta also has another daughter, Posy Li (Isabella Wei), who’s much kinder and gentler than her older sister and mother, and so is rarely taken seriously by either of them.
Hannah Dodd as Francesca Stirling, née Bridgerton
Hannah Dodd, 30, was a dancer and model before getting her big acting break in the Hulu series Find Me in Paris. Since then, besides joining the Bridgerton cast in 2024, she’s also appeared in films like Marvel’s Eternals and Enola Holmes 2, along with TV roles in Harlots, Anatomy of a Scandal, and more.
Francesca Stirling, née Bridgerton
Sweet, introverted Francesca made her society debut in season 3. While finding it difficult to dive headfirst into all the excitement and attention like her siblings had before her, she found a quiet kinship with John Stirling. They were married in a low-key ceremony at home in season 3, which ended with the introduction of John’s cousin Michaela, who will play a major role in Francesca’s future.
Victor Alli as John Stirling
After graduating from London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2019, Alli landed roles in the films Death on the Nile and Belfast before arriving on the Bridgerton scene in 2024. Since then, he’s also appeared in a few episodes of Gangs of London and joined the cast of 2026’s A Colt Is My Passport.
John Stirling
John materialized as a much-needed breath of fresh air for Francesca when she was feeling overwhelmed by the bustling marriage market. Much to the confusion of her watching family, the pair fell in love largely through their shared silences, and they also empowered each other to speak up more. They set off at the end of season 3 to start married life at John’s family home in Scotland.
Masali Baduza as Michaela Stirling
South African actress Masali Baduza, 28, is perhaps best known for playing Sephy in the BBC series Noughts + Crosses, and she also had a role in 2022’s The Woman King before arriving in the Ton in the final moments of Bridgerton’s season 3.
Michaela Stirling
Michaela is the cousin of Francesca’s husband, John. When she appeared in the final moments of the third season to announce she’d join Francesca and John in Scotland, she was shown leaving Francesca quite flustered. The series’s showrunner has confirmed that Michaela, a gender-swapped version of Michael Stirling from Quinn’s Bridgerton books, will represent a chance to tell an authentic queer love story in the show.
Martins Imhangbe as Will Mondrich
Martins Imhangbe, 34, got his start in theater over a decade ago, with credits in nearly two dozen shows in London and beyond, and an award nomination for his part in a production of Shakespeare’s Richard II. Bridgerton is his first major onscreen role.
Will Mondrich
Will has been a mainstay on Bridgerton since season 1, when he was introduced as a close friend of Simon Basset and a boxer grappling with an off-the-books moneymaking opportunity. He later opened a gentleman’s club, but after his young son Nicky (James Bryan) unexpectedly inherited a title in season 3, he was forced to make the difficult decision to sell the club to keep with his newfound high class status.
Emma Naomi as Alice Mondrich
Like many of her castmates, London-born Emma Naomi, 31, got her start on the stage. After joining the cast of Bridgerton in 2020, she also took on a lead—and award-winning—role in the British crime drama series Professor T., among a handful of other TV and film appearances.
Alice Mondrich
Alice, too, has been on Bridgerton alongside Will since the beginning. Though always understanding and supportive of her husband and his concerns, she seems to have adapted more easily to their upward mobility, adding inherited jewels to her wardrobe, joining Lady Danbury in encouraging Will to close the club, and hosting an extravagant ball that impressed even Queen Charlotte.
