India Amarteifio has revealed she didn’t used to watch period dramas because they lacked racial diversity.
The actress, 21, will be playing Queen Charlotte in the Bridgerton prequel series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
The Netflix spin-off show will chart Charlotte’s rise to power and pivotal marriage to King George III.
Speaking in an interview with the Radio Times, India said: ‘I never used to watch period dramas. I’m half black and white. My family looks like lots of different people. I didn’t see myself represented so I didn’t ever feel a need to watch them.’
She explained she now ‘loves’ period dramas due to their increased representation and credited Bridgerton franchise showrunner Shonda Rhimes.
Underrepresented: India Amarteifio has revealed she didn’t used to watch period dramas because they lacked racial diversity
Spin-off: The actress, 21, will be playing Queen Charlotte in the Bridgerton prequel series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
She said: ‘Shonda Rhimes is at the forefront of this movement of including people in genres where they didn’t exist before – people just weren’t writing shows for people of colour to be in period costumes.’
India added that historical accuracy wasn’t necessary for the series, saying: ‘This was my first lead, it was a lot of pressure. But I read an interview that Golda [Rosheuvel] did in which she said the Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton isn’t based on facts. She’s a historical figure, but this isn’t a documentary, it’s a fantasy world in which real people exist.’
The streaming service has announced that the series will make its debut on May 4, and will be ‘centered on Queen Charlotte’s rise to prominence and power’.
‘This Bridgerton-verse prequel tells the story of how the young Queen’s marriage to King George sparked both a great love story and a societal shift, creating the world of the Ton inherited by the characters in Bridgerton,’ the description continues.
India could potentially be Britain’s first mixed-heritage queen playing the role as she’s believed to have had German and African ancestry.
A source revealed that producers might have taken note for the spin off series, after Brigerton’s second season didn’t live up to the raunchy heights of the first.
For one scene, it was alleged a wall was reinforced. In another scene viewers will see banging headboards.
There were fears that one energetic love-making scene featuring the young monarch, played by India, might be so energetic that it could literally bring the house down.
Changed her mind: She explained she now ‘loves’ period dramas due to their increased representation and credited Bridgerton franchise showrunner Shonda Rhimes (pictured)
Speaking to The Sun, the insider said: ‘There is a young cast for the prequel and the sex scenes feature them. It is definitely going to satisfy those Bridgerton fans who are complaining that there are no sex scenes in the second series.
‘In one storyline there will be a headboard banging hard against a wall. It will be more racy than anything from the first series.’
It comes after the next series of Bridgerton has been plunged into chaos after bosses thought that some of the storylines had gone ‘too dark’.
Sources working on the production of the Netflix bonkbuster say that some of the scripts have had to be rewritten as Shonda Rhimes, the programme’s producer, wants to give viewers more joy.
It is understood that there were concerns over a sex plotline.
It was reported last year that Ms Rhimes has been joined by another executive producer, Jess Brownell.
One source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Filming has been delayed due to the screenwriter not being happy with the direction of it.
‘We have been told that it needs the fun back so there are changes, which of course means delays. One thing is for sure though, the production team want to get it right for Bridgerton fans so they enjoy it as much as they have in the past.
‘There are some elements that Shonda is just not happy with so wants to change them. Some of it got very dark.’
It was announced in 2021 that there would be a third and fourth series of Bridgerton following the success of the first two. The show is based on the series of romantic novels by American author Julia Quinn.
Last year actress Simone Ashley, who portrays Kate Sharma, told how she was ‘very happy when reading the scripts. When I receive them, I’ve got a beaming smile on my face’.
Making a statement: As the stunner promoted the upcoming series she commanded attention in a chic Michael Kors ensemble
Style: She looked sensational lime silk shirt, matching fringed sarong and chrissy gold sandals from the Spring/Summer 2023 Michael Kors Collection
She also said that the third series is about to get ‘super steamy’ and added that it would be ‘condensation central’.
The new series will be based on the fourth book in the series, called Romancing Mister Bridgerton, and will follow the budding romance between Penelope – played by Nicola Coughlan – and Colin Bridgerton.
The pair will embark on a journey that will see them go from friends to lovers.
Jonathan Bailey will also reprise his role as Anthony, Claudia Jessie is back as Eloise, Luke Thompson as Benedict and Ruth Gemmell as Lady Violet Bridgerton
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