Now Netflix has announced that actor Rupert Evans, 44, is joining the cast of the Shondaland period drama and he will be playing a major role—that of Edmund Bridgerton.
“Dearest readers, Rupert Evans joins the cast of @bridgerton as Edmund Bridgerton, the loving and devoted husband of Violet Bridgerton and an endlessly patient and kind father who takes special pride in guiding his eldest son Anthony through life,” the announcement read via Twitter.
The Charmed star has been cast as the Bridgerton siblings’ late father in the racy Regency-era series.
Per the books, Edmund Bridgerton died young at the age of 38 from an allergic reaction to a bee sting—leaving a profound effect on the young Anthony.
Season two follows Anthony Bridgerton’s (Jonathan Bailey) quest for love as chronicled in the second book from Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series “The Viscount Who Loved Me.”
The fact that a young Edmund has been cast may mean that a young Violet will too.
Other casting announcements for season two so far include Simone Ashley, who plays Kate Sharma, Charithra Chandran, who will star as Edwina Sharma, as well as Rupert Young as Jack, Shelley Conn as Mary Sharma and Calam Lynch as Theo Sharpe.
In Charmed, Evans stars as Harry Greenwood, a college professor and the sisters’ whitelighter (guardian angel.)
A member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, his first major role was as FBI Agent John Myers in director Guillermo del Toro’s 2004 comic book movie, Hellboy.
He also starred alongside Rachel Weisz and Max Minghella in the film Agora.
Horror fans may also recognize Evans from the films The Canal and The Boy. Many Bridgerton fans were disappointed to learn that the Duke of Hastings actor Regé-Jean Page will not be returning for the show’s second outing.
The actor said that Bridgerton producers Shondaland told him: “It’s a one-season arc. It’s going to have a beginning, middle, end—give us a year.”
He added: “I have nothing but excitement for Bridgerton continuing to steam train off and conquer the globe. But there is also value in completing these arcs and sticking the landing.”
