Exploring love, wealth, and identity in 'Bridgerton' season 4 with Masali Baduza, Emma Naomi, and Martins Imhangbe

Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel in Cape Town, was the perfect setting for a "Bridgerton" season four press junket. As I waited to speak with Masali Baduza, Emma Naomi, and Martins Imhangbe, I couldn’t help but feel like Lady Whistledown herself,  transported into the Regency-era world the series brings to life.

South African actress Baduza is a new addition to the “Bridgerton” world. She was introduced at the end of season three, and she portrays the character of Michaela Stirling.

Baduza, even before joining the cast, was a fan of the show, and her welcome to the cast was a dream experience. “Hannah and Claudia wrote me the most beautiful notes, and Emma took me out on a coffee date. 

“Everyone has really welcomed me with open arms, so that's been great,” shared Baduza.

Michaela brings a fresh arc to “Bridgerton,” and Baduza stepped into the character by bringing her own fresh energy and authenticity.

“I think that does translate into Michaela's energy too, and she's so much fun to play. She's so worldly and just smart and fun and quirky and brings a levity to this world, which I think is fun.”

Baduza expressed her enjoyment in portraying Michaela, a queer character. Michaela was specifically created as a female equivalent to the book's Michael Stirling, to establish a lesbian romance with Francesca Bridgerton.

“I'm really passionate about showing all types of love on screen. I feel very proud of the work Hannah and I are doing and have done so far, and I'm just really excited for people to fall in love with Michaela.

“I've fallen in love with these characters and go on this journey with us, because it's so beautiful and I couldn't be more proud.”

Having grown up watching “Grey’s Anatomy,” Baduza admits she is having such a “pinch me moment” working with the legendary Shonda Rhimes that grounds her.

“Just getting to meet my heroes working with Viola Davis is it's insane, and I'm very lucky that I have friends and family who are real people and who remind me of real life,” said Baduza.

The young artist is making her mark in Hollywood, from “Noughts + Crosses” to “The Woman King.” Baduza is the latest South African talent export. Her career has taken off, and life isn't stopping, but she is figuring it all out.

“I think being from South Africa, where people are, I feel like real, genuine and friendly, that also helps. I'm figuring it out, but I think just spending time with things that ground me is really good and strengthening my spirituality, and I don't know, yeah, it's all a bit crazy, but like, yeah, just being with my cat really grounds me.”

Imhangbe and Naomi portray the on-screen family, Will and Alice Mondrich. Alice's great aunt had died, leaving an estate and a title to their son, Nicky. Soon after, the whole family moved to the new estate, introducing them to a new world of wealth.

Imhangbe’s character Will started as a boxer on “Bridgerton,” working hard to provide for his family, and now his family is instantly rich. The actor explained that when it came to his character’s development, he liked how “not straightforward” it is.

“Some people assume that the rags-to-riches story is linear. I like how complex it is and how we kind of doubt it, then we embrace it, and we doubt it again. I love that kind of complexity. 

“I'm very grateful to the writers for having paid attention to that because it's rich, it's nice. It's an opportunity to show that all money ain't good money. You should be careful of how money is represented and used, and I think having love at the centre of that and to show that love trumps all of that, is an amazing thing to be a part of.”

Alice finds herself in the challenge of having to uphold the family name and keep her son grounded while also still trying to elevate in this world. “We’re figuring it out,” says Emma Naomi. 

“It's interesting, isn't it? I mean, back then, if it were today, it would have been Alice who would have been inheriting that estate, not her 10-year-old son. 

“I think what's a challenge for Alice is because our son is so young, he's not able to represent us. We have to do it. And I think that challenge, or how do we behave now? It is all resting on us. And I think in Alice's head, she thinks it's going to be taken away.”

Alice is a very forward and confident woman, and Emma Naomi admires that Alice doesn't apologise for herself. “She just says what she thinks to anybody.”

"I hope women watching feel confident in their own abilities and know they’re capable of anything."

There are different traits that viewers can pick up from the characters Emma Naomi, Imhangbe, and Baduza portray. Being an actor can stretch a person, and they still have to be authentic to the character, no matter what their personal journey.

Imhangbe recalls how 10 years ago, when he was in South Africa, he did a show at the Baxter Theatre that was a part of the Zabalaza Festival, being blown away by the South African actors who he found brought their souls to the work. “It really moved me.”

“I think that's something we have to, as actors, for me personally, is to embrace that embrace the soul, because these characters are real people. 

“I don't want to necessarily separate in my work, I want to always bring the soul and to bring whatever my struggle has been in my personal life, I want to be able to allow that to permeate, because it might resonate with someone who might need to see that. 

“I think the reason why we learn art and the work is that we see ourselves and are rooted by people showing their souls. I often try not to separate the work,” said Imhangbe.

Imhangbe has been part of “Bridgerton” since the first season. It was his first big TV role, and since then, he has had more and bigger doors open for him. The show has taught him that when it comes to longevity and adaptability, “stay open, stay present.”

“We don't know what these scripts are going to be. We get these scripts and go, oh, oh, oh, so allowing yourself to, and they change, sometimes even when we film it, what you filmed may not be shown in the final edit. Just trust the process, stay open and present.”

“Bridgerton” season four, part one, is streaming on Netflix.

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