Television critics and fans hail Shonda Rhimes as a pioneer, celebrating her for diverse casting and groundbreaking series. However, her work, particularly on Bridgerton, has faced significant criticism for perpetuating racial and gender biases. This article examines documented instances of racism and misogynoir within Bridgerton, highlighting the systemic issues that undermine its claims of diversity and inclusivity.

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Unequal Show of Support for Black Cast Members

The Bridgerton fandom has exhibited toxic behavior towards Black actors. Regé-Jean Page faced significant racism, and Ruby Barker experienced monstrous hate that affected her mental health. The production team has not adequately addressed these issues, reflecting a broader lack of support for Black cast members. Yet, before Bridgerton debuted in 2020, Shonda Rhimes publicly defended white actress Nicola Coughlan against online harassment.

On the left, a screenshot of a tweet shows Shonda Rhimes publicly defending Nicola Coughlan against online harassment. The tweet emphasizes Nicola’s inclusion in the “Shondaland family” and reassures her of support. In contrast, the two screenshots on the right demonstrate a lack of similar public support for Black cast members Regé-Jean Page and Ruby Barker. Searches for tweets from Shonda Rhimes addressing either Regé-Jean Page or Ruby Barker yield no results, indicating that no public statements were made in their defense despite them facing significant racist abuse and, in Ruby Barker’s case, serious mental health issues.

While defending Nicola Coughlan against online harassment was the right thing to do as an Executive Producer, Shonda Rhimes did not extend the same support to Regé-Jean Page or Ruby Barker when they faced racist abuse. Ruby Barker explicitly called out Netflix and Shondaland for failing to support her during two psychotic breaks following the show’s success. Regé-Jean Page publicly praised the Rings of Power producers for defending their actors against racism, a contrast to his own experience on Bridgerton. Some have interpreted this as a reason for his decision not to return as a guest on Bridgerton. Despite his departure, Page continues to receive harassment from Bridgerton fans for not returning to the show.

Traumatic Storyline Off and On the Show

Ruby Barker in ‘Bridgerton’ Netflix

The writers significantly altered Marina Thompson’s character from the books, changing her from a Bridgerton cousin to a pregnant teen facing severe mistreatment. This change added unnecessary Black trauma and perpetuated negative stereotypes about Black women. Representations of Black women in popular culture and public discourse often stereotype them in a negative light and in need of policing for perceived moral shortcomings.

Moreover, the storyline had a detrimental impact on the actress Ruby Barker’s mental health, as she faced significant online harassment from fans to this day.

Not a single person from Netflix, not a single person from Shondaland, since I have had two psychotic breaks from that show, have even contacted me or even emailed me to ask if I’m ok or if I would benefit from any sort of aftercare or support – Ruby Barker

Colorism and Harmful Tropes

The portrayal of dark-skinned Black men in Bridgerton is deeply troubling. In Season One, the show depicts Simon’s father, the only dark-skinned man featured, as a monstrous figure, reinforcing negative stereotypes. One might dismiss this red flag as a one-off, but the portrayal of Lord Danbury in Queen Charlotte confirms a pattern. Despite having the opportunity to address accusations of colorism, the show portrays Lord Danbury with a darkened complexion and exaggerated features, casting him as an abusive and idiotic husband to Lady Danbury. This perpetuates harmful stereotypes and reflects internalized racism within the production team.

In #QueenCharlotte, Shonda Rhimes made questionable choices with Cyril Nri, aka Lord Danbury. His character was portrayed with exaggerated features and darkened complexion, evoking minstrelsy. In Bridgerton, Lady Danbury was abused by her dark-skinned Black husband, reflecting a disturbing pattern seen in Rhimes’s work from Grey’s Anatomy through Scandal to Bridgerton. Additionally, Lady Danbury’s acrimonious relationship with her brother this season further underscores the negative portrayal of Black characters. These portrayals could have been handled without resorting to harmful, racially charged imagery

Related | Nicola Coughlan Raises Funds for Trans Rights After UK Court Ruling

Promotion and Reception Disparities

Netflix’s handling of the promotion for their season leads on Bridgerton has shown significant disparities, suggesting that the show’s producers are engaging in token representation. PoC leads have not received the same promotional efforts as their white counterparts. For instance, while Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan received extensive promotional support, including a world tour, a drone light show, and numerous magazine covers and interviews, the previous season’s leads, Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey, received far less attention. They even had to fund the production wrap-up party themselves due to budget constraints.

Meanwhile, the marketing team’s biases became even more evident with a Netflix-approved ad by Redbubble on June 12, which depicted Kate, a dark-skinned Indian woman, as an animal, while Penelope and Colin, white leads were portrayed in a cutesy manner. This stark contrast exhibits old-school racism, portraying white characters as sweet and loving, while PoC characters are dehumanized and single.

On the left, a comparison is shown with two characters: a white woman depicted in a cute, favorable manner, while the brown woman (Kate, a dark-skinned Indian character) is portrayed as an animal. This ad, approved by Netflix, underscores the problematic marketing strategies that perpetuate harmful stereotypes. In the center, a promotional image from Netflix India features Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan dressed in Indian attire for the current season, while the search on the right shows “No results” for similar promotional efforts for Simone Ashley, the Indian lead from the previous season.
Bridgerton’s Racist Marketing Disparities

It gets even worse when considering that Netflix India X’s account promoted Penelope and Luke dressed in Indian attire, yet gave no promotion to Simone Ashley, the only Indian woman lead, during her season. This is another troubling inconsistency and further emphasizes the neglect and marginalization of PoC in Bridgerton’s promotional strategies.

Marginalization and Misrepresentation of PoC Characters in Bridgerton

Bridgerton frequently portrays Black characters in negative contexts, reinforcing harmful stereotypes. These portrayals contribute to real-life disparities in how Black women are treated, including in healthcare. Rather than providing empowering storylines, the show often focuses on their struggles.



While the titular Bridgerton family and previous seasons’ leads are predominantly white, the show inadvertently reinforces racial biases in its portrayal of PoC characters. This narrative choice marginalizes and mishandles PoC storylines, contributing to racism within the fandom and leading to targeted harassment of PoC actors. Despite promoting itself as a diverse and inclusive show promising “Happily Ever After” escapism, Bridgerton fails to deliver this for its Black characters. White female leads receive various forms of romantic love, while characters like Marina end up in loveless marriages, and both Simon and Lady Danbury are depicted as victims of spousal assault.


The decision to cast a dark-skinned Black woman in a gender-bent queer role adds multiple layers of racism, colourism, and homophobia, which the character and actor will have bare as they are now receiving harassment and hate. Despite the need for LGBTQ representation, it should not come at the cost of the actor’s well-being and the lack of vocal support for the production team. Unfortunately, Netflix and Shondaland have not addressed or defended this actress against this backlash. This is in contrast to how other production companies, including Shonda Rhimes herself, have previously defended her white lead. It’s been a week since these issues emerged, and yet no statements have been made by Netflix or the show’s producers to support the new lead, which illustrates the need for better preparation and response to such situations.

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Addressing Systemic Biases and Responsibilities

Despite its claims of diversity and inclusivity, Bridgerton perpetuates racial and gender biases that undermine its progressive facade. The show’s treatment of Black characters reflects broader issues within the media industry. Addressing these systemic problems requires more than surface-level diversity; it demands genuine commitment to equitable and respectful representation.

Shondaland and the Bridgerton production team may not control what their fans do, but they have a responsibility to protect their actors from harassment. They must be vigilant about what their marketing teams distribute to avoid feeding into racist narratives that some racist fans love to see. This duty of care extends to ensuring that promotional materials and public support are equitable and do not disproportionately favor white actors over their PoC counterparts. The disparities in support and promotion for PoC actors highlight the need for a more thoughtful and inclusive approach to representation both on and off the screen.

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