Why was Francesca Bridgerton re-cast in season three?
20 May 2024, 09:04
Who played Francesca Bridgerton and why was the role re-cast? Here is everything you need to know about Ruby Stoke's departure and Hannah Dodd's arrival in Bridgerton season three.
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Bridgerton is back on Netflix for a third season of romance and drama as we watch Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) fall deeply in love.
While Lady Violet (Ruth Gemmell) tries to encourage her children to find their perfect partner, one of the Bridgerton siblings set to take the ton by storm is Francesca Bridgerton. However eagle-eyed fans have noticed that the sixth Bridgerton child looks a little different than how she did in seasons one and two.
Previously played by Ruby Stokes, 23, Francesca Bridgerton has been re-cast this series, with Hannah Dodd, 28, taking on the exciting role.
Why did Ruby Stokes leave Bridgerton and who plays Francesca Bridgerton in season three? Here is everything you need to know.
Who played Francesca Bridgerton?
Ruby Stokes played Francesca in seasons one and two of Bridgerton, before the role was re-cast and Hannah Dodd was announced as the new Francesca.
Why did Ruby Stokes leave Bridgerton?
Ruby Stokes left Bridgerton reportedly due to 'scheduling conflicts' as she was filming Lockwood & Co.
Speaking of the character, Bridgerton creator and seasons one and two showrunner Chris Van Dusen told TVLine: "I love Francesca, but we lost her midway through Season 2."
He went on to add: "After exhausting all other options, she unfortunately had to come out due to reasons beyond our control."
- READ MORE: Who is Jonathan Bailey? Bridgerton star's age, partner and other TV work
- READ MORE: Where was Bridgerton filmed? Set locations for the Netflix drama revealed
Watch the Bridgerton season three trailer here:
Watch the Bridgerton Season 3 trailer
Who plays Francesca Bridgerton?
Francesca Bridgerton is played by Hannah Dodd.
Speaking about her new role, Hannah told Tudum: "Francesca has been preparing for [her debut] … Filming it was absolutely terrifying, because it was quite early on in production.
"There was a little bit of life imitating art there. She was nervous and I was nervous. She was watching people, and I was watching people to learn. We were kind of going through it together."
How old is Francesca Bridgerton?
In season three of Bridgerton, Francesca Bridgerton is 17-years-old. Hannah Dodd– the actress who plays Francesca– is 28-years-old.
When asked about which Bridgerton sibling she thinks Francesca is most like, Hannah told Tudum: "Fran is a completely different character. But if she’s more similar to anybody, I think it is Eloise.
"In the book, she’s referred to as Eloise’s accidental twin quite a lot, and so I wanted her to have some of that sarcasm and banter that the others have."
- READ MORE: Who is in the cast of Bridgerton and where have you seen them before?
- READ MORE: Were the Bridgertons a real family and how historically accurate is the Netflix drama?
- READ MORE: Who is Simone Ashley? Meet the Bridgerton season two newcomer
