When Victor Alli first joined the cast of Bridgerton in season 3 as Lord John Stirling, it was a noticeable vibe shift from the other leading men of the show. The male main characters up until that point had been a certain type—brooding, emotionally unavailable, and very much in their own way. But John was different. He was forthright and communicative. And Victor imbued him with a quiet sensitivity that set him apart. As his character and Hannah Dodd’s Francesca Bridgerton fell in love, they established a different mode for romance on the show: Not every relationship has to be loud or dramatic to be real. Quickly, their bond became a fan favorite.
But in season 4, their story comes to a crashing halt. [SPOILERS AHEAD] At the end of episode 6, Lord John Stirling is found dead in his bed after suffering a series of seemingly minor headaches. Book readers have been dreading this since Lord John was introduced in season 3, but for those who somehow have avoided those spoilers until now, it will be devastating. And Francesca’s future is somewhat unclear. The series has gender-swapped Francesca’s second-chance love interest Michael to Michaela, meaning even book readers won’t be able to predict what’s next for the character. Bridgerton is about to enter uncharted territory.
Victor hopped on Zoom with Cosmopolitan to chat through Lord John’s soul-crushing death, how the gender-swap for Michaela opens up the story thematically, and whether he thinks pinnacles (that’s Bridgerton speak for orgasms) are the be-all and end-all of a relationship.
You and Hannah Dodd were both new to the show in season 3, even though her character had been established already. Were you able to bond over being new to the set? How did you find your footing together?
I met her at the chemistry read, and I think I was the first one to read with her, and we got on really well. I knew the show was a big deal. I told the whole cast I hadn’t seen the show, and they were like, “What?” Hannah and I relied heavily on each other, and taking in the grand scale of it all was like, whoa. And we were experiencing this thing together for the first time. We bonded over being the new kids on the block, and it helped us get through the days easier.
Was it an advantage that you hadn’t seen the show beforehand?
I think so. I’d heard of the show. When I got the audition, it was such a fast process. It was due the next day. So I thought, I haven’t got time to watch it. When I then got the role, I was like, Okay, let’s do some research. Let’s watch it. It did make me not have any sort of preconceived ideas of the show.
Coming into this season knowing it’s going to be your last, how did that change your approach to the character, if at all?
John doesn’t know he’s gonna die. I know he is, but he doesn’t know. Trying to do anything differently would make it sort of seem like, This is really strange. Why is he acting so different? So I tried to keep it as normal as possible and not try to embellish. Even in the moment before I go to bed that last time, the director was like, “Just sort of touch your head.” And I was like, “Okay, wouldn’t it be too much?” I didn’t want to make it a thing of, like, the last moment.
Was the puzzle scene the last one you filmed?
It was so out of order. The last scene we filmed was Cressida’s ball. We shot the death scene quite early on in the fourth block of shooting. Even on the day, we just couldn’t take it seriously—me and Hannah were having a whale of a time.
How so?
We were giving each other acting notes. In those moments where the camera would be rolling, and she’s having this moment, I’m like, “Hey, Hannah, just try to cry before they say cut.” I’d be lying on the bed, dead, and she’d be like, “Victor, that’s the best acting I’ve ever seen you do. Well done.”
After you die in episode 6, there are two episodes where Hannah does a lot of emotional heavy lifting. Did you guys talk through that at all together?
I read episode 7 and I thought, Okay, this is going to be intense. She prepared for it really well. Sometimes these moments—and we both spoke about it—it’s easy for the actor to overdo it and and they would be justified in doing so. She lost her husband, she lost her baby, and that regret that she feels and that anger, she has a moment and it’s all let out. But she wanted to not lose the essence of Francesca in this. Episode 7 is my favorite episode. It’s Hannah really digging deep.
What is it like to watch a funeral scene for your character? That must be so bizarre.
I went to it. I wasn’t in the box, but me and a couple of the assistant directors, we planned that I would show up as a surprise. I got to location and I was hiding behind one of these screens, and Luke was saying the speech. I appeared, and I was like, “Hey guys, how you doing?” Everybody was like, “What? Oh my god.” And there were tears and they laughed and cried. It was the most amazing moment ever. And no one knew, so it was just a lovely surprise. But it was quite intense, seeing everyone gathering and saying all these lovely words.
We as viewers are going to see Francesca move into a different phase of her life. What do you think her relationship with John has given her, emotionally or spiritually?
Her relationship with John will allow her to be more bold. Season 3 was a real journey for the both of us learning how to not just declare our love but to be bold in a society where everyone is so outspoken, with these massive personalities, doing things a certain way as far as having passionate, hot sex. John and Fran were so different in their approach to love and their relationship and marriage, and the gradual process of things is, I think, more sustainable. Hopefully in her future relationships, she wouldn’t need to rush or do things the way society does it, but take her time and do it her way, because it’s not wrong; it’s just different, and that’s fine.
This season did delve into John and Francesca’s sex life. I saw many fans interpreting this as “oh, if he can’t give her what she needs in bed, then there’s something inherently wrong with their relationship.” How would you respond to that?
Are we talking about pinnacles? [Laughs] It is a process of learning one another and discovering things together. Having just been married and probably having sex for the first time, they’re learning their bodies. They’re learning what turns them on. With more time, more practice, more getting intimate, I’m sure John would have found those areas that were really pleasing to Fran. I don’t think that takes away from their love life. I don’t think it makes it any smaller.
The moment when we have that lovely chat, and him saying, “It’s absolutely okay if you don’t get them now or later, we’ll get there. It’s a process, but we have all the time in the world.” Apparently not! The times are so different, and this world is fiction. But now, we know we have to take it easy on ourselves. Having that dialogue in a loving way and still enjoying all the other parts of sex...there’s so many different things under that umbrella.
The idea that it works perfectly for a couple right away is the more unrealistic of the two, in my opinion. Their journey strikes me as a bit more real. But I didn’t interpret it as meaning anything about their relationship broadly.
Yeah, it’s like, is that not normal? It shines a light on a grounded relationship that is actually real, that a lot of people can relate to. A lot of people have messaged us online and said, “Hey, thank you for shining a light.” I’m like, “Thank the writers!” Hopefully, it’s made people a little bit less hard on themselves.
Do you believe that John is Francesca’s true love?
Well, he’s her first love. There was a connection right away. This is interesting because with what’s happening next season and seasons to come, and if people have read the books—no, do you know what? Yes, he is her true love. Because I remember reading a part of the book and it says that John is her true love. That’s what Julia Quinn said.
With the gender swap of Michael to Michaela, how does that open up the story thematically?
Francesca is on this journey, and I’m sure it’s going to bring up a lot of unexpected moments in the show. These are two people who my character absolutely loves, my cousin Michaela and my wife, Fran. John wants the best for both of them. In season 4, John and Francesca are looking for a husband for Michaela, and she hates it, but we do it because we care and love her. It will be an interesting journey for them to go on together. I think what John would want is for them to look after each other. He’s witnessed the highs and the lows of their relationship, and he’s leaving them on a high.
Do you think John has any clue about Michaela’s sexuality or an understanding of the tension between Fran and Michaela?
I don’t think John has any idea of Michaela’s sexuality. I think what he is aware of is how different they are. He can understand why they might despise each other at first, and you can understand why he wants them to get along, because they’re two people he deeply cares about. He’s aware of the butting of heads, and he tries to do something about it and is very surprised when it finally comes to a halt. That brings him a lot of joy.
Did the directors give you any notes about playing with that subtext in your performance? Like, “Okay, if we’re gonna do this next season, maybe let’s have John give a look here.”
You know, they didn’t because we didn’t know we were gonna do it next season. I don’t know what direction they’re heading. I mean, there’s so many different story plotlines they’re working on. Fran doesn’t know what’s next for her. She doesn’t know how she might feel in the next year or what she might begin to feel for someone else. They allowed us to play in those moments, in the reality of what was going on there and then, and it made it easier to sort of tell the story,
Were there any scenes you shot that didn’t make the final episodes that you wish fans could see?
Me and Hannah playing the piano. She was playing the piano, I sat with her, and we had this moment. We loved filming it. And I don’t think it made a final one. Hannah learned it for the sole purpose of the scene.
As someone who has worked on the show and has watched the show, whose plotline are you the most excited to see going forward?
I’m excited to see Hannah and Masali take on whatever season they’re going to be taking on. But I’m also excited—I’ve told him this as well—for Will who plays Gregory. He’s hilarious. He’s like a little brother; he’s crazy. I don’t know what his story is or where it leads, but I’m excited for him to have his moment.
I have to ask you this or else people reading this will murder me: Do you know whose season is next?
Yes.
Can you hint at anything?
I can’t. Jess, the showrunner, wore a pocket square [with E and F embroidered on it] to the premiere and said seasons 5 and 6. People don’t know what order that will be. So 5 and 6...I know whose season is next, but I can’t say.
How do you think fans will feel when they find out who it is?
Oh, I think they’ll be delighted. Obviously, they’re familiar with the characters. It’s really exciting. We follow the books, but we don’t follow the books, so it could be any book. It could be any sibling.
