Bridgerton's creative lead has provided a detailed explanation for Benedict Bridgerton's romantic path in the hit Netflix series, addressing why the character ultimately forms a relationship with a woman despite being explicitly portrayed as bisexual.
Benedict's Queer Identity Throughout the Series
Since the show's debut, Benedict Bridgerton's sexuality has been subtly hinted at through various narrative choices. In the first season, he observed two men engaged in intimate activity during one of Sir Henry Granville's gatherings, displaying clear curiosity about the encounter. This exploration continued in season three, where Benedict participated in a threesome with Lady Tilley Arnold and Paul Suarez, openly expressing his appreciation for sexual freedom during that storyline.
Season Four's Romantic Developments
The latest season introduces Benedict's long-awaited romance with Sophie Baek, a character faithful to Julia Quinn's original novels. However, the narrative also includes a significant moment where Benedict shares a kiss and sexual encounter with a male character in the opening episode, occurring just before he attends the Masquerade ball where he first meets Sophie.
Showrunner Jess Brownwell has confirmed that these scenes intentionally establish Benedict as authentically bisexual, rather than simply experimenting. "It's really important that just because someone might end up in a heterosexual-presenting relationship, that does not negate their queerness," Brownwell emphasized during an interview with Variety. "I think Benedict's queerness will always be a piece of his identity."
Addressing Representation and Stereotypes
Brownwell highlighted the particular importance of Benedict's storyline within the broader context of media representation. "When we were talking about representation, I don't think there's a lot of representation that I've seen of bisexual men," she noted. "There is a really harmful and untrue stereotype that bisexual men are actually just gay men."
The showrunner pointed out that television and film often depict bisexual male characters exclusively entering same-sex relationships, creating an imbalanced portrayal. "More often, we see bisexual men ending up in media in homosexual-presenting relationships," Brownwell observed, suggesting this pattern reinforces narrow assumptions about bisexual identity.
The Significance of Benedict's Relationship with Sophie
Explaining the creative decision to have Benedict form a lasting connection with Sophie, Brownwell stated: "It felt fresh and important to see a bisexual man ending up in a heterosexual-presenting relationship and still owning the fact that he is still queer." This approach challenges the common narrative that bisexual characters must ultimately choose between exclusively gay or straight identities to achieve romantic fulfillment.
While Benedict's storyline follows his literary counterpart's relationship with Sophie, the series continues to expand its queer representation elsewhere. Fans have already noticed that Francesca Bridgerton's love interest from the books has undergone a gender swap, promising another significant queer relationship in future seasons.
Brownwell's comments underscore Bridgerton's ongoing commitment to diverse representation while maintaining connections to its source material, creating a more inclusive period drama that reflects contemporary understandings of sexuality and identity.
