Bridgerton's colorblind casting signals a 'real shift' in Hollywood
Actress Lorraine Toussaint says Black Lives Matter and Netflix shows like Shonda Rhimes' Bridgerton are positive signs of change in the entertainment industry -- and beyond.
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Lorraine Toussaint says she's been sending emails every few months to television producer Shonda Rhimes, offering to play a "grand old dame" in future episodes of Rhimes' groundbreaking Netflix series Bridgerton.
It's not just because the historical drama has become one of Netflix's most popular original shows, with the eight episodes in season 1 watched by more than 82 million accounts in its first month, according to the streaming service. It's because the popularity of the show has taken the concept of colorblind casting from the stage, where performers of color have acted in historical roles for years and cemented the success of the approach on television.