I Just Learned Hannah Dodd Had Originally Tried (And Failed) To Land Another Role On Bridgerton

Those with a Netflix subscription know that Bridgerton has many things going for it. The Regency romance helps fans reach their personal pinnacles in several different ways every season, from those delightful orchestral covers of pop hits, to unbelievably sexy scenes, and wonderful love stories that we all root for. Of course, those love stories would be nothing if not for the actors who bring the beloved characters to life, and I just learned that Hannah Dodd, who plays Francesca, actually first tried to land a different role on the hit series.

What Role Did Hannah Dodd Originally Audition To Play On Bridgerton?

From the very beginning, Bridgerton has helped immerse fans in the world of Regency-era London (despite some historical inaccuracies here and there) with sumptuous locations, wild wigs, wonderful clothing, swoon-worthy dialogue, lovely heartwarming moments, and much more. But, one thing that has really brought all the pieces together is the casting. I mean, once you’re four seasons in, it can be really hard to imagine anyone else in these beloved roles, right?

Well, prepare yourselves for a big almost-was when it comes to the cast, because we could have seen Hannah Dodd portray someone else on the show. She recently told the LA Times that she auditioned “quite intensely” to play (Drumroll please!)...Daphne Bridgerton in Season 1, which eventually went to Phoebe Dynevor.

Though her efforts to nab that particular gig didn’t work out, all clearly wasn’t for naught. It’s likely because of what she was able to show the casting director and producers at the time that led them to call upon her to audition via self-tape for what was only presented as a “very secretive” job. That, of course, was her current role as Francesca, which she took over from actress Ruby Stokes beginning in Season 3.

Dodd added that she really had no clue that she was auditioning for the now-megahit romance again, and that it took many months before the mystery project was revealed to her. She also said that was skeptical at the time about potentially going through another tough audition process:

Isn’t that amazing? It’s crazy how things work out sometimes. Without missing out on the role of Daphne, Dodd wouldn’t now be poised to help Bridgerton showcase its first full-blown LGBTQ+ love story, which is already delighting fans despite the fact that it’s only been vaguely hinted at so far. The dynamic between Francesca and her husband’s cousin, Michaela, definitely changed a lot over the course of Season 4, but we’re still waiting to see how much that will be explored in Season 5.

Whether or not Dodd is the romantic lead of the fifth season, fans are lucky that we still have a lot more of Fancesca and her portrayer to enjoy in the future.