‘Bridgerton’: Hannah Dodd Replaces Ruby Stokes as Francesca Bridgerton

Martin Holmes May 12, 2022, 9:59 am

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Hannah Dodd at NEtflix premiere — Jeff Spicer/Getty Images

There has been a casting shake-up on Netflix‘s popular period drama Bridgerton as Hannah Dodd (Anatomy of a Scandal) is set to take over the role of Francesca from Ruby Stokes for the upcoming third season.

As first reported by Deadline, Dodd will play the reserved and mysterious Bridgerton sibling in Season 3. The recasting comes after Stokes left the Shondaland series and was cast as the lead in another Netflix production, the upcoming adaptation of Jonathan Stroud’s Lockwood & Co.

Francesca’s presence across the first two seasons of Bridgerton has been fleeting, only appearing twice in Season 1. She did feature in the first three episodes of the second season but then disappeared without explanation for the remainder of the season as Stokes fulfilled her obligation to Lockwood & Co.

“I love Francesca, but we lost her midway through Season 2,” Bridgerton creator and Seasons 1 and 2 showrunner Chris Van Dusen told TVLine earlier this year. “After exhausting all other options, she unfortunately had to come out due to reasons beyond our control.”

The character will now be able to feature more prominently as Dodd takes over the role. Dodd recently played the younger version of Sienna Miller‘s character in David E. Kelley’s Netflix anthology series Anatomy of a Scandal. Her other credits include Lifetime’s Flowers In The Attic: The Origin, Hulu’s period drama Harlots, and the teen dramedy Find Me in Paris. She most recently wrapped filming on the Enola Holmes sequel opposite Millie Bobby Brown.

'Bridgerton' Star Ruby Stokes to Lead Upcoming Netflix Series 'Lockwood & Co.'

Bridgerton was created by Van Dusen and is based on Julia Quinn’s collection of novels. It follows the eponymous Bridgerton family and is set in the competitive world of Regency-era London during the social season where marriageable age children of nobility and gentry are set forth into society. Jess Brownell is set to take over as showrunner for Season 3, which is slated to begin production this summer.

Bridgerton, Season 2, Streaming Now, Netflix