Sam Clemmett (‘Queen Charlotte’): ‘Bridgerton’ prequel is ‘a story about love and relationships and human beings and behavior’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
“It’s a story about love and relationships and human begins and behavior,” declares actor Sam Clemmett about the Netflix series “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.” The “Bridgerton” prequel series, created by Shonda Rhimes, follows a young Charlotte (India Amarteifio) in the early days of her marriage to King George III (Corey Mylchreest). Always following Charlotte is her loyal secretary Brimsley, played by Clemmett, who will always put his queen first, even at the expense of his own happiness. In an exclusive video interview with Gold Derby (watch above), Clemmett discusses portraying the bond between queen and servant as well as the emotional resonance of Brimsley’s own romantic struggles.
Because Brimsley is often an observer to what goes on in the palace, Clemmett says that he had to adjust to acting without using his words. “”It was one of the aspects of the performance that I think I was most nervous about,” he admits. “As we got deeper into the shooting of the whole series, I started to understand that language of not being able to have an opinion verbally, but still being able to to drop into him as a human being and for him to have opinions for himself.”
Clemmett believes that the secret to the relationship between Charlotte and Brimsley is their shared feelings of loneliness. “When it comes to having to serve her and understanding her and seeing her at her most vulnerable, he sees someone that is deeply isolated,” he argues. “For me a huge aspect of Brimsley’s emotional core is about he himself is also very isolated.” That shared isolation, Clemmett says, is the foundation of the characters’ connection to each other. “There’s sort of this unspoken bond,” he says. “They make this sort of pinky promise to each other, as it were, without saying anything because they are united in their isolation.”
The other key relationship in the series is the romantic relationship between Brimsley and Reynolds (Freddie Dennis), secretary to King George. The relationship, though carried on in secret, is given the same weight and importance as the central romance between Charlotte and George. Again, Clemmett points to the non-verbal moments between the two men. “There’s a lot played in the nonverbal communication and the looks that go on between Reynolds and Brimsley, which I really do think speak a thousand words,” he says. “These two men are being denied the opportunity to express their love for each other and life the life that they want to live.”
Clemmett says he is gratified both in how the storyline has been received, and in how it allows the audience to empathize with struggles that defy the boundaries of class or sexuality. “We all deal with things in a universal way, regardless of what class you might be from and how you might identify,” he claims. “All human beings are wired the same way.” The actor says love is among the most universal themes that creates “an equal playing field.” “”Love is hard,” he says. “It’s reflected in [Brimsley and Reynold’s] relationship, in the king and queen’s relationship. But it’s worth fight for.”
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