I like to think of this family as the Kardashians of the Regency era
Sexcapades and society scandals are waiting to be unwrapped on Christmas Day with new Netflix drama Bridgerton. Polly Walker tells MARION McMULLEN why it’s just the sort of television we need
STUFFY period dramas are getting a sexy revamp and Polly Walker could not be happier. She’s shocked viewers as Line Of Duty’s corrupt lawyer Gill Biggeloe and her career has spanned everything from top dramas like Age Before Beauty and Rome, for the BBC, to ITV’s Mr Selfridge.
She has also appeared with Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson in films like Clash Of The Titans and Patriot Games with Harrison Ford.
Now she’s playing pushy mother Lady Portia Featherington on the prowl to find suitable wealthy society husbands for her three unmarried daughters.
She declares they will all dress in yellow to stand out from the crowd and make an impression wherever they go and she will stop at nothing to earn the title of mother of the bride.
“She’s definitely value for money,” chuckles Polly.
“Portia is the matriarch of the family. I like to think of them as the Kardashians of the Regency era. “I like playing strong women and I think I am a strong woman. I don’t see myself playing someone downtrodden. I don’t think I would be good at that.
“My first film was Enchanted April years ago when I was in my 20s and it was a big deal for me. I got quite a lot of interest from that and offers. It was a turning point in my career.” Polly’s acting career has gone from strength to strength and daring, witty and sexy Bridgerton is one of the most anticipated series of the year. The Netflix original launches on Christmas Day and a second series has already been commissioned. Polly says it is drama on epic scale that is rare in television these days. Produced by Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland, the company behind Greys’ Anatomy, Scandal and How To Get Away
With Murder, the series features huge sets and costumes and ballroom scenes soundtracked to classical reinterpretations of pop songs by singers like Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift.
“We start filming the second series next year in a big studio devoted to all thing Bridgerton,” says Polly.
“My character’s house is there and epic ballrooms and bedroom. It is kind of amazing what they have built just for Bridgerton.
“I think the series is many things – epic, colourful, romantic. It’s not like other period dramas which can be a bit stuffy. This is very modern and ticks lots of boxes.”
Ben Miller plays her husband Lord Fetherington and Polly says they had great fun sniping at each other as a couple who have nothing in common except their ambitions for their children.
“Ben is amazing and such a nice guy as well,” says Polly.
“He does a brilliant job playing my husband. We play a couple who are stuck in a desperately unhappy marriage. I don’t know why, but those parts are such fun to play.”
The series is based on the historical novels of Julia Quinn and features Dame Julie Andrews in voiceover as a gossip monger whose pamphlets are the talk of the town in Regency-era England.
A stellar cast includes Phoebe Dynevor (daughter of Coronation Street’s Sally Dynevor), Jonathan Bailey, Vanity Fair star Claudia Jessie and Derry Girls’ Nicola Coughlan.
The smart feminist take on Regency England romance unveils the glittering, wealthy, sexual, painful, funny and sometimes lonely lives of the women and men in London’s high society marriage mart as told through the eyes of the powerful Bridgerton family.
Daphne Bridgerton (played by Phoebe Dynevor), is the eldest daughter and is making her debut onto Regency London’s competitive marriage market.
She is hoping to follow in her parents’ footsteps and find a match sparked by true love, but then the high society scandal sheet written by the mysterious Lady Whistledown begins to cast aspersions on poor Daphne.
Bridgerton was filmed pre-Covid, but Polly has also been acting with pandemic restrictions in place, reprising her role of Peggy Sykes in season two of DC-Comics crime drama series Pennyworth alongside Jack Bannon and Paloma Faith.
“It was the first hiatus and we were able to get up and running with Covid safety precautions in place,” says the 54-year-old.
“It was a challenge filming, that’s for sure, with social distancing and the crew wearing masks, but there is the potential for another series so Pennyworth and Bridgerton are likely to take up the whole of next year for me.”
The mother-of-two says she kept busy during lockdown periods working in the garden, taking her dogs for a walk and making sourdough.
“The first lockdown was that amazing weather and like a lot of people I was out in the garden planting seeds and doing things.
“I think having a garden helps and I got outside a lot.
“I did the sourbread thing as well,” she laughs. “I had various disasters but kept on going.
“I find it hard to relax in front of the television and I don’t watch a lot, but thank goodness for Strictly and Bake Off. I’m a huge fan of both shows.”
The Golden Globenominated actress admits she finds it hard to watch herself on screen but might take a peek at the start of Bridgerton on Christmas Day with here family – “hiding behind a cushion behind the sofa,” she laughs.
“Bridgerton is epic... a feast for the eyes and after this horrible year everyone deserve somes escapism.”
Bridgerton starts on Netflix on Christmas Day.