‘So, two women find love. And?’ Adjoa Andoh from Bridgerton shuts down season five critics

Dearest gentle reader, Adjoa Andoh, who plays the iconic Lady Danbury in Bridgerton, had nothing gentle to say to the homophobes who are already judging the next season before even seeing it. The controversy revolves around Francesca’s gender-swapped romance in the Netflix series—an alteration that upset some fans of the original book.

“The show is about people finding love,” Andoh told Attitude Magazine. “So, two women find love. And?” the actress added, illustrating the point that there’s nothing to fuss over. So what if Francesca is a bisexual woman? It’s not the most shocking thing to happen in fiction.

“Listen, I was working for Gay Sweatshop in the ’80s. So, it’s 2026. Come on, catch up everybody,” Andoh said. The Gay Sweatshop Theater Company aimed to combat misrepresentation of LGBTQIA+ people in mainstream theater. Although the company had long disbanded in ’97, Andoh illustrated her point clearly—she’s an ally of the community.

“I know how popular the show is around the world, and we know that there is an imbalance of the way LGBTQIA+ people experience life around the world,” she points out. She hopes that Francesca’s upcoming storyline with Michaela might open up people’s hearts. Needless to say, Lady Danbury approves of the match.

Bridgerton and inclusivity

One social media user commented on Andoh’s stance on the matter. They wrote, “Viewers consume the art but they don’t respect the humanity of those who make it.”

“I’ve said from the beginning that this show, in so many ways, is about allowing people to see themselves represented, allowing themselves to dream, and imagine themselves in these fantastical roles,” Brownell said during an interview. She added, “It never felt right to not be inclusive of queer love as well within that fantasy.”

Moreover, even Julia Quinn gave her blessing on Brownell’s decision to alter Francesca’s story. She made it clear that the book and the Netflix adaptation are two different stories, not a one-to-one copy. If the original author sees no problem with the book, why do so many other people have a lot to say about the changes?

People can’t accept Francesca’s queer storyline

In Quinn’s When He Was Wicked, Francesca wound up with Michael Stirling after John’s death. Michael was John’s best friend, and a large part of the story dapples into Francesca’s evolving perception of romance and her struggle with fertility. It’s presumed that the latter part of her storyline might not be explored, and original fans have bemoaned this.

But queer people do struggle with infertility, too. Besides, the story may be set in the Regency period, and yet many creative liberties have been taken by Shondaland. There is always room for change and surprises—Francesca and Michaela’s romance is unlike any other, so there’s bound to be a lot of twists and turns.

What is disturbing is that there are already so many opinions about Francesca’s sexuality online. But the reality is, at this point, nobody has seen the fifth season. But it’s still about love—a story about a woman’s struggle to find it again after her husband’s passing. The book and the upcoming season will tackle it differently, but it doesn’t matter.

Because in truth, nobody can cast a fair opinion on the matter until season five drops. Passing off premature judgement on the season and deciding that Francesca’s storyline has been ruined on the basis of her sexuality alone is homophobic.

(featured image: Netflix)

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]