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Prepare to swoon overJonathan Bailey.
While theRegé-Jean Pagehad everyone’s heart inBridgertonseason 1, Bailey is rightfully taking the spotlight in the upcoming season ashis character Anthony finds his viscountess.
The English actor, 33, has gained critical acclaim for his role on the hit Netflix series, but he’s been acting since he was very young.
Bailey first got his start on the stage, appearing in various productions over the years includingA Christmas Carol,Company, andKing Lear.
As you tune intoBridgertonseason 2, here’s a handful of interesting facts you should know about the actor.
Jonathan Bailey knew he wanted to be an actor at a young age
Bailey knew what he wanted to do early in life. Duringan interview with Whatsonstage.com, Bailey recalled wanting to get into acting after seeing a performance ofOliver!when he was just five years old. “I remember announcing to my family something very cliched like ‘I want to be up there one day,'” he told the publication.
Jonathan Bailey is an accomplished theater actor
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Bailey’s big break came at age 7 when he scored a role in the 1995 Royal Shakespeare Company production ofA Christmas Carolat the Barbican Theatre in London.
Since then, he has starred in a number of theater productions, including the musicalAmerican Psychoalongside Matt Smith in 2013,King Learopposite Ian McKellen in 2017, and the second West End revival ofCompanyin 2018. The latter performance earned him the 2019 Laurence Olivier Award for best actor in a supporting role in a musical.
Bailey currently stars opposite Taron Egerton ina production of Mike Bartlett’sCockin London’s West End.
Jonathan Bailey found out he bookedBridgertonon his birthday
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Bailey first auditioned for the part of Anothony Bridgerton when he was starring in the West End revival ofCompanyin 2018. A year later, he learned he scored the role,tellingEvening Standard, “I got offered the job on my 31st birthday, 25 April 2019.”
Jonathan Bailey previously starred on the same show as hisBridgertoncostar Simone Ashley
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InBridgertonseason 2,Simone Ashleyjoins the cast asBailey’s onscreen love interest, but this actually isn’t the first project they’ve done together. Ashley previously appeared on the British crime drama,Broadchurch, on which Bailey had a starring role.
If Jonathan Bailey wasn’t acting, he’d be a teacher
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During an interview withHarper’s Bazaar UK, Bailey revealed that if he wasn’t acting, he’d want to be a primary school teacher.
“I think all teachers are basically modern-day heroes, and I love going to see my niece in her nativities and stuff at school,” he said. “I just always think that they’re so sweet and lovely and generous. Watching the next generation of Baileys grow up you just realize how informative those years are and I think being a part of that is pretty special.”
source: people.com
