Phoebe’s power play – the Bridgerton star’s shrewd new move
HIT NETFLIX SHOW ? Check. Awardsfriendly biopic? Check. Star boyfriend? Check. If Phoebe Dynevor has a battle plan for long-term fame, the events of recent months show that it’s already paying off. For as the young actor who became an overnight sensation via her leading role in Bridgerton looks ahead to her next steps, it’s clear that Phoebe is so much more than corsets and carriages.
Last month, there was shock across the internet when Regé-jean Page announced that he would not return for Bridgerton’s second series. Phoebe, however, will be back, but with a reduced role. ‘Some viewers may be surprised to see less of Daphne from now on,’ says an insider, ‘but we always knew that the first season would rest firmly on Phoebe’s shoulders and that the focus would then shift to other cast members. Dropping in throughout the series to assist with family scandals is fine with her: she can still be a part of a project she adores, while making time for her next steps.’
Production on the show will soon be underway, but Phoebe is currently busy playing Clarice Cliff, one of history’s most influential ceramicists, in the Sky Originals biopic The Colour Room.
‘Phoebe will have chosen her next post-Bridgerton step carefully,’ an industry source explains. ‘After a big commercial hit like that, it’s very savvy to go small and show the world that you can impress without million-dollar budgets.’ They cite Kate Winslet and Keira Knightley as just two actors who follow blockbusters with critically acclaimed indie pictures. ‘Beyond that, the sky’s the limit,’ they add. ‘She’ll be able to pick and choose her parts.’
Phoebe’s work to establish herself on the world stage will by no means be harmed by the confirmation of her romance with Pete Davidson, the American SNL comedian known for his A-list relationships and as the OG of Big Dick Energy (according to his ex-fiancée Ariana Grande). Rumours of a relationship began in March, but they were confirmed in April when Pete and Phoebe were photographed on a romantic walk and a Tesco trip in Stoke-on-trent, where The Colour Room is being filmed. ‘They met at a party in Manhattan and hit it off right away,’ a source explains. ‘Phoebe is in New York fairly frequently for work – she’s been staying at Pete’s new apartment – and in the UK he’s got to meet her family and friends: they all think he’s great.’ It seems Pete is ready to take this romance seriously. Following high-profile relationships with Ariana, Kate Beckinsale and Kaia Gerber, Pete said last February, ‘I’m not dating for a while… unless I meet the love of my life.’
Who knows what the future holds. But one thing seems certain: Phoebe’s career trajectory is one that even Lady Whistledown could not hold back.