The deal was seen as a coup for Netflix due to Rhimes' close ties to ABC. In July 2010, she gave birth to their first child, a son named Vasco. image caption Chris Van Dusen [L] previously worked with Shonda Rhimes on Scandal and Grey's Anatomy Coughlan notes today's audience may feel … Created by Chris Van Dusen and produced by Shonda Rhimes, the show revolves around Regency London high society's Ton during the season, when debutantes are presented at court. Rupert Young (Merlin) also has been tapped for a major new role on the series, created by Chris Van Dusen, I hear. [2], Van Zeller is married to her former Columbia classmate Darren Foster, who is a series producer and director with National Geographic Channel. [citation needed], "The OxyContin Express" also received the 2010 Television Academy Honor, a Prism Award and an Emmy nomination. Exclusive: Newcomer Charithra Chandran has landed the role of Edwina in Season 2 of Bridgerton, Netflix and Shondaland’s hugely popular Regency-era period drama series based on Julia Quinn’s romance novels, I have learned. Indian state facing lockdown unless cases fall, Egypt's ancient rulers return in mummies' parade, 'The China media war that pushed me out’, Celebrity rush exposes Australian 'double standard', Street racing: They're fast, Atlanta's furious, WHAT?? The whole of Portugal is watching you. Netflix's new period drama Bridgerton, which launches on Christmas Day, has been described as a Regency-era Gossip Girl. "I think that's a common thought, that people look down their noses at romance novels," says showrunner Chris Van Dusen. Nearly every critic has noted that Bridgerton's release is well-timed, arriving at the end of a ghastly 2020. The series was created by its showrunner Chris Van Dusen and is based on a Regency novel by Julia Quinn. [1] The dean was impressed, according to her, and allowed her to enroll. ", Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope Featherington, agrees: "I think they definitely can be [looked down upon], but that's part of the show's secret power in a way, because it's a genre that hasn't been explored much on television.". But at the end of the day, these books are filled with compelling characters and interesting stories. "But it wasn't that long ago that young women still weren't told all of the facts of life. "We explore things like family, sexuality, dating, they had courtship in Regency times, and instead of those dating apps like Tinder, they were effectively swiping left and right in ballrooms all night. [citation needed], Van Zeller claims fluency in Portuguese, English, Spanish, Italian, and French. But also having to be fitted into the costumes - whenever I wasn't filming I was in a fitting.". Egypt's ancient rulers return in mummies' parade1, Jordan figures arrested for 'security reasons'2, WHAT?? I worked in Shondaland pretty much my entire writing career, since Grey's Anatomy," explains Van Dusen. Everyone reads her well-informed takes with fascination - but nobody knows who she is. Things are made challenging by her older brother, whose discerning eye stops most male candidates from getting very far. Shonda Rhimes isn't hugely well-known in the UK, but she's one of the most powerful execs in the US TV landscape, having created medical drama Grey's Anatomy and political thriller Scandal. According to van Zeller, she studied international relations at the Universidade Lusíada de Lisboa.[1][when? She began working in the travel and international departments of the main networks channel and later joined SIC Notícias, the network's news channel. She is also chief correspondent for Fusion and is a former correspondent for the Vanguard documentary series on the former Current TV. © 2021 BBC. Coughlan notes today's audience may feel a new appreciation for how far society as come since the 19th Century. Finding those modern references was something we had a lot of fun with. I don't think that it's the same with other genres. But there's a decent chance you've never heard of them, which could partly be due to a certain snobbery that exists towards the genre. After Coughlan was cast in the show, she "went lurking on the fan forums online", which is something only the bravest of actors would do. Dynevor, though, chose to avoid the forums ("for my own mental health"), adding: "There is quite a lot of pressure when there is already such a following.". She was contacted that morning by a producer from SIC Notícias, where she had previously interned, and was directed to meet a news crew atop the CBS Building in Midtown Manhattan, where she would go live in three hours. Chris Van Dusen, who created the Shonda Rhimes-produced show, also wants to see the characters continue to develop on the small screen. Aja Romano of Vox was more critical, saying the show "comes off like many of the aristocrats it's skewering: soulless and vapid". In the show, Britain's real-life Queen … "But there's a huge fandom behind the series." LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX Dynevor also had "horse riding lessons, dance lessons and etiquette lessons", in addition to learning all the lines. "Prior to Bridgerton I was working on Scandal, and as that show was coming to an end, I was looking for what to do next. [citation needed] Over the next two years, her freelance documentaries from Syria appeared on PBS's Frontline/World, the CBC, and Channel 4 (United Kingdom). She also wrote the Britney Spears film Crossroads, but nobody's perfect. The first season, written by Shondaland veteran Chris Van Dusen (Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy), follows The Duke and I fairly closely — including … Vanity Fair's Sonia Saraiya described it as "frothy, silly escapism - the perfect Christmas offering for a craptastic year". “Bridgerton,” the new series based on Julia Quinn’s romance novels and developed by hitmaker Shonda Rhimes and showrunner Chris Van Dusen for Netflix, is a … [citation needed], Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Learn how and when to remove this template message, International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Livingston Award winners for National Reporting, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mariana_van_Zeller&oldid=1008415609, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alumni, Articles with Portuguese-language sources (pt), Articles with unsourced statements from December 2020, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Articles lacking reliable references from December 2020, Articles needing additional references from December 2020, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 23 February 2021, at 05:37. "It was over the top. Many wondered if, after ending season 1 happily married, Simon and Daphne would still be a part of Bridgerton. [citation needed] In 2005, she joined Current TV as a correspondent and producer for the Vanguard documentary series. They've sold more than 10 million copies in the US alone and been translated into 32 languages worldwide. And you can see why. "We do, yes. You have the dancing, the costumes, the jewels, the country homes, the glittering ballrooms, and I think all of that works to provide us an escape. But that wasn't the only time-consuming thing the stars had to do in preparation for shooting. Read about our approach to external linking. "She's the eldest daughter of the Bridgerton family," explains actress Phoebe Dynevor, "and she conforms to all these crazy social rules and expectations which are placed on women, but also men, in those times. Fortunately, they gave Coughlan the seal of approval. You see the pressure on men to fulfil these stereotypical male roles within society and how people don't want to be part of that.". She is also chief correspondent for Fusion and is a former correspondent for the Vanguard documentary series on the former Current TV . Bridgerton fans mourn Regé-Jean Page's exit3, Seven UK clotting deaths after AstraZeneca vaccine4, Graffiti art accidentally defaced by spectators5, 'Speedboat drug smugglers' arrested in Spain6, Italy returns to strict lockdown for Easter7, Suez traffic jam caused by stuck ship 'cleared'8, Site boss bailed as Taiwan probes train crash9. In 2017, Netflix signed Rhimes and her production company Shondaland to an exclusive deal worth a reported $150m (£110m), which has so far seen her develop Bridgerton and the forthcoming series Inventing Anna. Extraordinarily, the move came about because of a dispute Rhimes had with ABC's parent company Disney over some free family passes to Disneyland, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "We'd go to Nicola if we had any fan questions." However, as Daphne debuts onto London’s marriage market, viewers also feel the series creators Chris Van Dusen and Shonda Rhimes get a lot wrong. "But you had to throw yourself into it," she says. "And I realised that the fans really loved Penelope, so I felt a lot of pressure and like I didn't want to let them down," she explains. But when showrunner Chris Van Dusen announced season 2 … [2][better source needed], One month after she moved to New York City, the September 11 attacks took place. “Obviously, we’re just focused on … It's clear from the first few minutes of Bridgerton that a lot of time and effort went into the costumes, hair and make-up. But she's very young and naive, and she's about to find out that the world isn't quite as she imagined it to be.". I knew I wanted to do something completely different to modern-day political intrigue in Washington DC, and that's when Shonda told me about Bridgerton.". The construction manager is investigated for negligence after a lorry slid onto the tracks. Before going on air, she was told, "Prepare yourself. ", Site boss bailed as Taiwan probes train crash. The same pressure applies in different ways. ", Coughlan says she's pleased such a "colourful and exciting" show is coming out at the end an otherwise miserable year. ][better source needed] After graduation, she says she spent two years working at SIC, which was at that time the first and largest Portuguese private television network. Belgian police 'are supposed to protect us' Video, Belgian police 'are supposed to protect us', ‘Time is of the essence’ to save our oceans. Video‘Time is of the essence’ to save our oceans. All 8 episodes of the show arrived on Netflix on December 25. And according to creator Chris Van Dusen, who adapted Julia Quinn’s best-selling romance novels about London society in the 1800s, tapping into … "It's fascinating to see, even though times have changed, how much human nature persists. What happens to your body in extreme heat? Here's everything else you need to know: The eight-part drama has been adapted from Julia Quinn's series of Bridgerton novels. The new original series, "Bridgerton," produced by Shondaland and created by Chris Van Dusen, has taken Netflix by storm. Bridgerton is based on Julia Quinn's Bridgerton Series, a set of eight romance novels.Like the books, the Netflix show will take place sometime in the early 1800s and center around the Bridgerton family. "I had 104 dresses, all handmade from scratch which is pretty unheard of, the costume department was incredible. "We don't need a drab, grey period drama," she says, "Bridgerton is in full technicolour, so I think that will be nice for people.". The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. British and American viewers are partial to a period drama, and the Regency period especially, because "it was a time of excess, beauty and decadence," according to Van Dusen. But, she added: "If only the writing matched the production values.". "Eloise and Penelope are virgins who can't drive," she points out. Anyway, Rhimes has brought Van Dusen with her to oversee Bridgerton, because the pair go way back. Claudia Jessie, who plays Eloise Bridgerton, and Nicola Coughlan, who plays her pal Penelope Featherington, are "friends in real life," according to showrunner Chris Van Dusen… But the show's diverse cast was applauded by Vulture's Kathryn VanArendonk, who wrote: "Bridgerton a beguiling example of what can happen when romance is allowed to belong to characters who aren't all straight and white, and a fanfare-and-confetti reminder of what the genre can be at its best.".