Warning: This article contains spoilers about the limited seriesQueen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
There is no one fiercer in the ton than Lady Danbury.
The belovedBridgertoncharacter has faced down everything from meddling mamas to fluffy corgis and then some.
Arsema Thomas as Lady Danbury on ‘Queen Charlotte’.Nick Wall/Netflix
But how did she become that way?
Was she always this fierce and self-possessed?
She gives a powerful speech, declaring her dedication to her widowhood.
Lord Danbury (Cyril Nri) and a younger Lady Agatha Danbury (Arsema Thomas) arrive at court on ‘Queen Charlotte’.Liam Daniel/Netflix
“She’s realizing [these things] for the first time in the moment,” Thomas says.
I’d rather cook for myself.'
It becomes so crystal clear that this is a woman who stands alone by choice."
However, it’s an arduous journey to Agatha’s moment of empowerment and reflection.
We called up Thomas to spill the tea on Lady Danbury’s secrets.
ARSEMA THOMAS:For the actual work that we started to do on set, it wasn’t.
Together, Adjoa and I sculpted this backstory so that we both had the same jumping off point.
Did she give you any pointers or things that helped you understand the character?
I wanted to know about how Agatha likes to wear her hair.
Why is it always slicked back and in this bun?
Adjoa discussed with me how she doesn’t like anything to be in her face.
She’s not this soft woman.
She wants to be taken seriously, and she doesn’t want anything to distract from it.
We also had the same idea of how she was brought up.
We see her say she loathed her husband and we do see what Agatha endures.
But in terms of your own approach, does she hold any affection for Herman?
When he dies, there does seem to be some true sense of grief.
There is obviously grief in a loss.
She has lost somebody.
This is the person that has been her by her side for a really long time.
It is the face that stares back at her when she sees her children.
She didn’t even realize that she could have a chance to make a decision until he is dead.
She is extremely frustrated because she had no say in any of it.
What was it like filming those?
They were actually quite fun because it was a moment where I got to zone out.
Do I actually have groceries?
F—, there’s no more pasta."
She’s extremely torn because in order for her to do one, the other must be achieved.
The fight is not really for her.
If she gives up, they all give up as well.
It’s quite revolutionary and liberating to be able to act that out.
Tell me about the evolution of her relationship with her maid Coral (Peyvand Sadeghian).
Coral, in a weird way, represents to Agatha her isolation.
And Agatha realizes that there’s only so much that Coral can do.
These are big, big problems.
Everything is on shifting sands.
She needs somebody who can actually be a source of proper guidance rather than somebody that she chats with.
And the power dynamic doesn’t allow them to have a real friendship.
Does any part of her fully trust and love Charlotte?
They have an uneven power dynamic, so it’s a fairly precarious relationship.
A hundred percent,she loves and trusts Charlotte.
Charlotte is not her friend in that way where you’re both equals.
She starts to realize that.
So, she then takes on a different role for Charlotte, which is almost like an advisor.
Why are you going around my back?"
She’s absolutely shocked.
She didn’t even think that Charlotte would care.
Charlotte is light-skinned, she is the queen, she has everything at her beck and call.
Whereas Agatha is dark-skinned, about to lose her title, and unmarried with four kids.
But then she also recognizes in Charlotte,This woman actually cares about us.
That’s a moment where they finally build that trust.
I’m not doing it alone."
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
