The Bridgerton universe is expanding, and Arsema Thomas is stepping into the shoes (and corset) of one of its most beloved characters
Hitting Netflix on Thursday, May 4, the Bridgerton spinoff series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story brings us back to Regency England for a tale of romance and power. In the series, Queen Charlotte—who was, in fact, real—is less than pleased that she's to set to wed King George. But will things change once she actually meets her groom-to-be, face-to-face?
Arsema doesn't play the young queen—that would be actress India Ria Amarteifio—but she does play another very important royal in the 'Ton. Let's get to know the new member of the ever-expanding Bridgerton clan.
Who does Arsema Thomas play in the 'Bridgerton' spinoff?
In her breakout role, Arsema Thomas will portray the younger version of Lady Danbury in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
In the prequel series, Agatha Danbury is in a power struggle of her own, as she is obediently navigating her way through life with Lord Danbury (Cyril Nri), the man her parents had forced her to marry. “For her, it’s very much about how to survive a world in which you have no power,” Rhimes told Netflix Tudum.
Adjoa Andoh, who plays the elder Lady Danbury in both the original series and the spinoff, told Tudum that a major theme for Thomas and the rest of the cast is to learn what marriage means to them.
“What we discover in Queen Charlotte is [Agatha and Violet’s] different marital histories, and what that has done to their sense of what is valuable in marriage,” Andoh told the outlet. “Whether it be love, or whether it be safety or security through alliances, or how you stay authentic in your own heart whilst in the middle of something that seems transactional.”
Who is Arsema Thomas from 'Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story'?
A self-described clumsy person who can usually be found snacking on grapes and listening to female rappers like Megan Thee Stallion, actor Arsema Thomas seems to have stumbled into acting accidentally. Originally, she graduated with a B.A. in Biological Sciences from Carnegie Mellon University in 2016 before earning a Masters of Public Health in Health Policy from Yale University two years later, according to IMDB.
Though Thomas was born in the United States—Atlanta, Georgia, to be exact—she ultimately made her way back to sub-Saharan Africa with her family. (The actor is of Ethiopian and Nigerian descent.) After college in the States, Thomas ventured to South Africa, auditioned for an agent and, the next thing you know, was off to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
In an interview with Cosmopolitan UK, the performer shared the mantra that changed their perspective: "The best piece of advice I received is to not pay so much attention to what other people are doing. I grew a lot after recognizing the moment that I realized that I put a lot of that effort into somebody else I'm also depriving that effort for myself."
This is definitely something we, and young Lady Danbury, can appreciate!
Arsema Thomas' movies and TV shows
Thomas' resumé isn't terribly lengthy yet, but along with the Bridgerton prequel, she has also appeared in One Touch (2021) and Redeeming Love (2022). We're excited to see what she does next!
Arsema Thomas age: how old is she?
Born on June 19, 1994, Thomas is soon to be 29, and for the astrologically curious, she's a Gemini, one of the zodiac's three air signs.
Arsema Thomas parents and family
Thomas' mother, Nardos Bekele-Thomas, is Ethiopian, and her father, Adebisi Babatunde Thomas, is Nigerian. Thomas also has a sister, Abigail.
Arsema Thomas Instagram: where to find her
Head over to @arsemathomas for her nods to Regency England, activism and even a glimpse of her on a #TEDxYale talk in 2018.
As for what to suspect from Arsema Thomas' first big role? Quite a lot!
“Fans can look forward to some really exciting moments, some really romantic moments and some very surprising moments,” Rhimes told Tudum. “[Cast members] build the world and fill it out in a way that [fans] have never seen before.”
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story premieres on Netflix on Thursday, May 4.
