'Bridgerton' star Regé-Jean Page addresses those co-star dating rumours

There are many reasons to binge (and re-binge) the current streaming sensation that is Bridgerton. But one of the biggest reasons that fans might be cuing up another re-watch right about now is to spot any clues that stars Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor have taken their fictional courtship to the real world. 

Luckily for them, Page isn’t shy about teasing things, even if it sounds as though the pair are not in fact together in real life. During a joint interview with Access Hollywood on January 9, the 31-year-old actor dashed hopes everywhere by revealing he and his co-star left the romance up to their characters.

 “I think that everything you need to know is on camera,” he laughed when asked about the rumours, before saying it was “the beautiful scripts” that got those sparks flying. “The sparky words, scripts and material are more than enough.” 

Fans have been speculating that Dynevor, 25, and Page were dating in real life ever since their scenes together on-screen, but flirty Instagram posts between the two have definitely taken the speculation to that next level. Because in 2021, who isn’t hoping for a romance to root for? 

For her part, Dynevor just sat quietly as Page blushed his way through the relationship Qs. When the interviewer joked that the actors were “actually together” for their virtual interview, which took place from different locations, Page continued the gag by revealing, “We’re playing footsies under here.” 

Since dropping on Christmas Day, Bridgerton has become one of the most-watched original series on Netflix, right behind shows like The Queen’s Gambit. The series hails from producer Shonda Rhimes and is based on Julia Quinn’s best-selling series of novels tracing the families of British high society as they marry off the next generation. The first season had all the sex scenes (some of which were masterfully set to Taylor Swift), and it immediately gave viewers lots of feels. But one of the biggest relationships to watch was the one between Daphne Bridgerton (Dynevor) and the Duke of Hastings, AKA Simon Basset (Page).

In an interview with Grazia UK, Dynevor did open up more about her on-screen intimacy. When asked about shooting some of those aforementioned sex scenes, she revealed that the set, “Felt safe and fun.” She also noted that it was a welcome change from some of the scenes she had been asked to shoot for previous projects. 

“I’ve done sex scenes before that I can’t believe I did. It was only five or six years ago, but it would not be allowed now,” she added. “I love [Daphne’s] coming-of-age story and her sexual awakening. I love seeing the female gaze and watching her figure it out for herself. She’s a late bloomer, but it’s not like she can Google it.”

Before starring in Bridgerton, the British actor became familiar to North American audiences with a recurring role on Younger, in which she played Josh’s (Nico Tortorella) Scottish girlfriend-turned-bride, Claire, from 2017-19. Before that she also starred alongside Rupert Grint on the short-lived TV series version of Snatch.

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Page, meanwhile, is known to Rhimes fans from his gig on the equally short-lived ABC series For the People, in which he played assistant US attorney Leonard Knox. However since shooting to popularity on Bridgerton, it seems as though fans could be seeing a lot more of him in the near future. Especially now that there is a contingent of viewers who are intent on making him the next James Bond.

“I think there might be an element of cultural translation to be done here. Like if you're a Brit, and you do something of any kind of renown that people regard well, then people start saying the 'B' word," he recently told Jimmy Fallon. “[It’s a] merit badge,” he added. “I'm very, very glad to have the badge. I'm glad to be in such wonderful company of people who have the badge. But it's a badge.”

At time of press, Bridgerton hadn’t yet been officially renewed for a second season, but considering all of the fanfare and star power both onscreen and behind-the-scenes, no one should be surprised if an announcement comes soon. In the meantime, it seems like life isn’t imitating art for Page and Dynevor, but fans everywhere are still holding out hope.

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