When it became clear that season three of Bridgerton would focus on Penelope Featherington (played by Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), social media was flooded with concerned (mostly female) viewers worrying that Newton wouldn’t stack up against previous male leads in terms of his hotness.
By then, the series had earned a reputation for delivering very attractive male leads and catering to the female gaze – and many felt that Newton’s appearance, while pleasant, couldn’t compete with actors like Regé-Jean Page and Jonathan Bailey, whose faces (and bodies) were more chiselled.
Nicola Coughlan takes the romantic lead in Bridgerton season 3.Credit: Netflix
Shortly after, images began circulating of Newton with some clear differences in his “look” – a sharper jawline and cheekbones, fuller lips, a new hairdo – that were more in line with masculinity standards dictated by the fans. While some speculated plastic surgery, others seemed convinced it was just “the Bridgerton effect”, where the show’s excellent hair and makeup department had worked their magic.
Regardless of how it came about, Newton’s transformation confirmed one thing: to be a Bridgerton man, you have to look like you could convincingly grace the cover of a romance novel. And if you don’t, you’re simply not hot enough.
In contrast, the series has been lauded for breaking beauty standards for women, casting female actors from different cultural backgrounds with different looks, and, this season, featuring a “plus- size” actress as their romantic lead (there is much debate about whether Coughlan actually qualifies as plus-sized).
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It might seem like the show is promoting a double standard by expecting the male leads to go to extraordinary lengths to enhance their appearance for the sake of fans’ expectations while simultaneously breaking down stereotypes for women. But, as with all presumed double standards, the reality is more complex.
The one thing we’ve learned over decades of watching actors arrive on the world stage and be labelled heartthrobs is that the burden of attractiveness rests much more easily on men than it does on women.
If a male actor is objectified by female fans, it has an overwhelmingly positive drive on his career. He will rise to the top quickly as appetite for his beautiful face gives producers a good incentive to cast him in their projects and cash in on his popularity. Fans will show support for his projects and offer praise and support. Importantly, his career will be aided by his looks but not defined by them.