Chris Van Dusen already knows how to bring a show to life in Shondaland. O Bridgerton creator and showrunner previously worked with his executive producer on Scandal. But now it’s your turn to take the reins by bringing the iconic series by author Julia Quinn to life. The show’s first season, which debuted on Christmas Day on Netflix and serves as the first series of the streaming giant’s new contract with productions Shona Rhimes and Shondaland, quickly became one of the most critically acclaimed shows of the year and all thanks to the sexy and futuristic nature program mixed with the London high society scene.
Seventeen talked to Chris Von Dusen about how to bring together the past and the present in the series, how the show stays ahead of his game and what fans can expect from the series.
17: This is not the first time you have worked with Shondaland, but it is the first time that you have run the entire show from start to finish. How was it to take that step?
Chris Von Dusen: It’s been incredible. It has been so exciting. When Bridgerton debut, it will be about three years since I started working on the project. I just can’t believe it’s finally here. Scandal, my previous program I participated in was coming to an end and I was looking for something to do that was completely different from modern political intrigue in Washington, DC With these books, after Shonda told me about them, I took them home, devoured them and fell in love with them. It was escapism, pure and simple and that was something I was really looking for at the time. It was also a chance to reimagine such an exciting time of excess and beauty known as Regency in something new and fresh. Although I love a good period show, I feel that they are often considered a bit traditional and conservative. So, with Bridgerton, I wanted to do the period show I always wanted to see and what I didn’t necessarily see before.
17: You have a lot more freedom with Bridgerton thanks to him being on a streaming service. Has that changed things?
CVD: Netflix has been amazing. They have been nothing but supporting and encouraging me. There is a real sense of creative freedom here, which is simply unmatched. I think one of the most exciting things for me is to really think about when the show opens, it goes instantly to 190 countries around the world, I think it is. This is so incredible to me, it’s just incredible that the world sees it at the same time.
17: You mentioned that you wanted to create a period piece that you always wanted to see. What did you add or change to make it happen?
CVD: Everything in the program has a contemporary sensibility. Even though we are in the 19th century, sometimes you forget that and it is intentional. We wanted the modern audience to identify with the program and see themselves on the screen. One of the first things you notice is our cast. We have the most incredible, extensive and diverse casts, not only in terms of ethnicity, but in terms of recognition levels. We all have Phoebe Dynevor,
which is incredible, for Regé-Jean Page, whose audience in Shondalnad already knows him To People. And, of course, Julie Andrews [as the voice of Lady Whistledown]. It’s amazing to have you and I’m very excited for the audience to hear the words that come out of your mouth.
I think the tone of the show is also something you can’t get with your more traditional period pieces. It’s very witty, bold, funny and sexy. The look of the show is vibrant and there is a joviality about it. A little sparkle and sparkle to everything. This is true in everything from the stage design to the costumes. Everything is rooted in the Regency’s timeframe, but only slightly updated. And then, of course, the themes that we explore in the program. We are exploring some really modern and relatable issues, like race and gender, and class and sexuality. All of those things were really a part of that really interesting idea of the series combining history and fantasy in a really fascinating way.
17: Was there a time when doing this series that made you feel like you were doing something special?
CVD: I think there’s a moment in the pilot episode, and I don’t want to spoil it too much, but it’s a crucial moment between Daphne and Simon and their love story for the season. It was four in the morning, I believe. And we were in the middle of the English countryside, in this huge set with all these supporting artists, our actors were doing an incredibly choreographed dance under a sea of fireworks in the sky. Many of those fireworks were practical and made on set. I was sitting in the video village and it was a moment for me, not just as the showrunner, but [as a fan] of the show. Watching Daphne and Simon – Phoebe and Regé – along with the chemistry they had, was electric and palpable. At that point, I think we all knew that this was something that would be really special.
17: Fans are always hesitant to watch the adaptation of a book to the screens. What do you want fans of the book series to know before they dive in?
CVD: I think that with any adaptation, there will always be differences from the source material. But book fans will see all the elements they love on the screen. The way the Bridgerton brothers play with their love. I really wanted to capture the spirit of the Bridgerton family like in the books. And, of course, Daphne and Simon’s story is really the foundation of the first season. It is moving, sweeping and full of twists and turns. They will see all of these elements. But there are also new elements. We have new characters like Queen Charlotte, who really opened up the world a little bit. We can also explore love stories from other characters that weren’t necessarily in the books. For me, it was always about opening the world because the show is not just about the Bridgertons, it is about a society.
17: What is the biggest lesson you learned from bringing this series to life?
CVD: To be honest with you, there was nothing easy about the show. But that made it all the more rewarding and challenging. Seeing everything working, it completely surpassed any expectations I had. You hire an incredible team and list these incredible actors, but you never, never really know how it will end. Watching the season, I am incredibly proud of it and I can’t wait for the world to see it too.
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