The Duke of Hastings is Hotter Than Mr. Grey
Regé-Jean Page is the ImageMakers & Influencers Magazine January 2021 Spotlight Celebrity
On December 25, 2020, Netflix unleashed its first Shondaland (Shonda Rhimes) TV project Bridgerton, a guilty pleasure romance series, and what a Christmas gift that was with the alluring breakout star Regé-Jean Page in the male lead role playing the Duke of Hastings.
Adapted from Julia Quinn’s wildly successful romance novels, the series about wealth, lust and betrayal is set in Regency-era England and delivers a diverse casting you would not expect to see in that era. Some call it augmented reality or fantasy. Either way, it is an interesting twist with people of color in prominent roles playing in this era. Imagination is everything!
I watched the 8 episodes of season 1 in two settings. Regé-Jean Page who plays the intriguing and dapper Duke of Hastings pulls his role off beautifully and, in my opinion, keeps viewers interested throughout the episodes not only because of his good looks but also because of his acting skills and amazing screen presence as well as the character he plays. Vigorously pursued by coming-of-age upper class women in their quest of seeking a suitable husband, the Duke of Hastings finds himself in an uncomfortable position as he has no interest in ever marrying anyone. And no, his Grace is not playing hard to get, there is a reason why he doesn’t want that kind of commitment. I will stop here to avoid mentioning any spoilers, you’ll just have to watch Bridgerton for yourself to see how it plays out.
Born in London in 1990 and raised in Zimbabwe as the child of an interracial couple, Regé was educated in England and trained at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain before entering the 'Drama Centre London'. He began his career on stage in 'The History Boys' at the Sheffield Crucible, and then played alongside Jonathan Price in 'The Merchant Of Venice' at Shakespeare's Globe. His film career includes roles in Roots (2016), the legal thriller For The People (ABC TV series 2018-2019), Amazon’s jazz age epic Sylvie’s Love (2020) and Bridgerton (2020), to mention a few.
He has quickly become one of the most exciting British acting talents of his generation. Currently, Regé, along with Tom Hardy, James Norton and Idris Elba, is rumored to be a contender to become the next 007 when Daniel Craig retires from that role after the next Bond film No Time To Die, which will be released this year. Although, Hardy, Norton, and Elba outrank him at the moment, don’t give up on that idea yet because we all know that things can change in a heartbeat in the film industry. As a matter of fact, the British betting firm Ladbrokes stated that the odds of breakout star Regé-Jean Page becoming the next Bond are turning more in the actor’s favor. The firm’s Bond predictions are closely followed in the U.K., and buzz around Daniel Craig’s replacement as 007 is at an all-time high. Regé’s odds have jumped to 5/1 in the betting after being 40/1 before Bridgerton aired at Christmas. I am not surprised because for me, Regé-Jean Page is the one who carries this show and I would be thrilled if he became the next 007. Let’s put that thought out to the universe.
What does Regé think of Bridgerton? “It’s not your grandma’s period show,” he said. And that is a fact. With steamy sex and other daring plot scenes, expect something different than the usual period piece.
Find out more about the hotter-than-Mr.Grey actor Regé-Jean Page here in his Netflix Queue interview.
https://www.netflixqueue.com/rege-jean-page-queue-and-a/
Follow Regé on Instagram here @regejean
Watch the official Bridgerton trailer here