Regé-Jean Page is having a great couple of months. After the success of the popular Netflix series “Bridgerton”, the star of the show will make his debut on “Saturday Night Live” tonight as a presenter alongside musical guest Bad Bunny.
Not familiar with the 31-year-old “Bridgerton” emerging star? Here are five things you should know about the page before Saturday’s “SNL” episode.
Who is Regé-Jean Page?
1. He grew up in Zimbabwe and the UK
Page was born in 1990 in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, the son of a nurse and an English preacher, reported the Square Mile. The actor spent his childhood in Harare, but his adolescence was spent in North London. Page told InStyle in December 2020 that he was a “musical, loud and bouncy boy” while growing up. He started out as a hobby when he was a child to earn enough money to buy a Gameboy.
According to WWD, Page went to acting school as a child and was able to reserve some roles. He called acting his “favorite hobby that occasionally made up for it” before realizing it was something he could really pursue. He went to drama school and reserved a few more roles before getting Shonda Rhimes’ attention.
2. “Bridgerton” was his decisive role
Page portrays the role of Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, a sullen suitor who vowed never to marry or have children. “Bridgerton” was a huge success for Netflix, becoming the the largest original series on the streaming platform after debuting on December 25th. According to Deadline, the first season of the Regency era drama was watched by 82 million families worldwide. The show will be returning for a second season, giving fans even more time to show Page as the Duke of Hastings.
3. Recently, there were some rumors of 007
Last month, there was a rumor that Page would be a potential favorite for the next James Bond film after Daniel Craig left. Unfortunately, the actor announced that the rumors were not true and clarified everything during an appearance on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon”.
“I think the internet thinks a lot of things, and this is one of the most pleasant things, so I can be satisfied with that,” said Page to Fallon. “But no, I think there may be an element of cultural translation to be done here. If you are a Brit and do something of any kind of renown that people consider well, then people start saying the word with B “.
He said that the “word B” is almost like a badge of merit for the actors, adding, “But I don’t think it’s much more than that.”
“I am very, very happy to have the emblem,” he said. “I am happy to be in the wonderful company of people who have the badge. But it’s a badge. “
4. He is loved by Shonda Rhimes
“Bridgeton” is not the only time that Page has worked with the legendary showrunner. He starred in the legal drama produced by Rhimes, “For the People”, as the character Leonard Knox, an assistant to the public prosecutor. Rhimes recently praised Page in his actor’s appearance for the Time100 Next List, released earlier this week.
“He is that rare actor, who brings intensity, intelligence and precision to his work, providing infinite depth to any scene,” she wrote. “His disappearance in the character builds a vibrant world for us to enter, making it impossible to imagine any other actor playing the role. Few actors create their moments so beautifully – or steal our attention so quickly. “
She continued, adding: “As evidenced by his performance at Bridgerton, Regé is a unique talent whose perspectives are limitless”.
5. Your next big role will be in “Dungeons & Dragons”
Want more of the page? In addition to the second season of “Bridgerton”, Page has another big project coming up. The actor was cast in the adaptation for the film “Dungeons & Dragons”, which will also star Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Justice Smith, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
