Hannah Dodd lights up the screen
Get a sneak peak of our cover story with Hannah Dodd, where the new face of ‘Bridgerton’ opens up about her artistic journey from dance to acting and the thrill of joining the beloved Netflix series as Francesca.
Hannah Dodd is quickly becoming a name to watch in the entertainment industry. The 29-year-old actor grew up in Leavenheath, a village on the Essex-Suffolk border, and started acting professionally straight after graduating from the London Studio Centre, where she trained in ballet, contemporary jazz and musical theatre. It was acting that was Dodd’s true calling, though. After leaving school, she was awarded a role in the teen sci-fi fantasy drama Find Me in Paris. Now you’ll recognise the rising British star from shows like Anatomy of a Scandal, films like Enola Holmes 2 and juggernauts like Bridgerton.
Her new role in the third series of everyone’s favourite period drama is her most prominent to date. She plays Francesca Bridgerton in the Netflix show, having taken over the part from Ruby Stokes – and it’s fair to say that people had been awaiting Dodd’s rendition of the regency socialite with bated breath.
Jordan Rossi: You’re playing Francesca Bridgerton in the latest series of Bridgerton. How does it feel to join such a renowned series and how would you describe your character?
Hannah Dodd: Bloomin’ terrifying! But I’m so grateful to have been able to join such a loved show, and I’m so thankful to the cast for welcoming me. Francesca is making her society debut this season, but she’s slightly more introverted than her Bridgerton siblings – she avoids the spotlight at all costs. But we get to know her so much more as the season progresses. I really hope audiences enjoy Frannie as much as I do.
JR: What initially sparked your interest in acting and when did you decide to pursue it as a career?
HD: Honestly, I didn’t really. All I ever wanted to do as a kid was dance. I’d grown up watching a lot of old Hollywood musicals and my school had incredible performing arts teachers. I got involved in shows as often as I could. I did study acting and musical theatre throughout school, but I very much boxed myself in as a dancer. My first job out of dance college was playing a ballerina and I fell in love with set life and being part of a crew with all their individual jobs and skills to help tell a story. I think storytelling was something that had been a real passion within dance for me too. I just kept auditioning and I never looked back.