How Regé-Jean Page Feels About Bridgerton Recasting the Duke

Regé-Jean Page has put his womanizing ways behind him—at least, in Bridgerton.

The star, who played Duke Simon Basset in season one of the Netflix series, reiterated that he has no intention of returning to the Ton. “They’re free to do as they like,” he told Variety when asked if he’d be OK with the series recasting the role. “Shonda [Rhimes] and I had a wonderful conversation at the end of season one. We were quite happy with how we stuck the landing on that one.”

Bridgerton‘s season one finale saw his character and Phoebe Dynevor‘s Daphne welcome their first child together, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. More than that, it was a sign that the once-promiscuous Duke is, as Regé-Jean put it, a reformed “Regency f–kboy.”

“We did so well on that redemptive arc that people forget that Simon was kind of horrific,” the Gray Man star said. “And so, because we came around full circle so well, because we stuck that landing, you’re left with this great feeling. You really do have to be brave about ending stories like that.”