Masali Baduza And Hannah Dodd Respond To Bridgerton’s Genderswap Critics: “Everyone’s Story Deserves To Be Told”

In Bridgerton Season 3, the showrunners made a major change from the books. Instead of introducing Michael Stirling, the character was genderswapped to become Michaela Stirling, played by Masali Baduza. The introduction of a Black queer woman was embraced by some, but also opened the floodgates for criticism and hate. In Bridgerton Season 4, we start to see the seeds of Michaela and Francesca Bridgerton's (Hannah Dodd) relationship start to develop, with the pair forced into closer proximity.

Baduza is aware of the splash her character has made, but tells Refinery29 Australia she's "proud" to tell this queer story. "I understand that the Bridgerton book fans are very passionate about these characters, and I am too. I love Michaela so much, and I am just very proud to tell the story alongside Hannah," Baduza says. "I think everyone's story deserves to be told, and in Bridgerton, a lot of the characters are growing into themselves and learning new things about themselves," she adds. "I think that the show accepts that, I think it's important for everyone else to accept that too, and hopefully that can be reflected back into society."

For those non-book fans, a big spoiler follows. We're yet to see exactly how it plays out in the show, but in the book, after Francesca Bridgerton's husband John Stirling (played by Victor Alli in the show) dies, she falls in love with his cousin Michael Stirling. It's safe to assume the same thing will happen in the show, but with Francesca and Michaela.

Dodd points out that book purists can always turn to the source material. "The book will always exist as well [but] I'm really, really excited to tell this story and also give it the platform it deserves, like a leading storyline, not additional characters," the actor says. We've had other queer moments in Bridgerton — like when Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) has sideline dalliances with other men — but every leading couple from Season 1 to 4 so far have been heterosexual. To think that we'll get Michaela and Hannah's relationship to take centre stage feels like a win. "Everyone deserves to be represented," Baduza adds. "I think we're excited to see these stories get told."

Dodd has loved the dynamic among herself, Baduza, and Alli in Bridgerton Season 4, as their relationships develop and change. "At this point, Francesca [is] very, very, very much in love with John, and it's not so much — they're not romantic scenes between Francesca and Michaela at the moment, we're exploring a feeling that she whips up inside Francesca," she says. "There's a lot going on within her life and herself. And I think different people bring out different dynamics in you, but we had a lot of fun. It's a really fun dynamic, the three of us. I'm very lucky as an actor."

Of course, hetero couples and biological heirs still reign supreme in the Ton, but to have a queer story that could get a happy ending? That's something to celebrate.