Bridgerton stars Hannah Dodd and Victor Alli have admitted that filming John's heartbreaking death scene was actually one of their favourite moments on set. The actors, who play Francesca Bridgerton and the Earl of Kilmartin in the Netflix period drama, confessed they had 'the most fun' while shooting the emotional sequence.
In an interview with Metro, Dodd laughed about the contrast between the serious on-screen moment and the behind-the-scenes antics. 'I think sometimes, as people, if things get a bit too serious, we go, "ahh, I can't engage with these big feelings",' she said. Alli was reportedly 'jumping up and down on the bed' and 'doing forward rolls' between takes, and even teased Dodd by whispering 'Come on, the man's just died, cry!' during her close-ups.
The death of John Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin, occurs suddenly in season three part two after he complains of a headache. Francesca discovers his body in a wrenching scene that Dodd described as 'too serious' to film. Despite the levity on set, the pair managed to deliver a powerful performance, leaving fans devastated.
Alli, who knew about John's fate from the books before his chemistry read, said it was important to show the realities of death on screen. 'You see Edmund's death, their father, and how it happened, but now they're really showing it on screen. It's part of life,' he explained. Co-star Masali Baduza, who plays Michaela, added that her character had 'lost her other half' and that the cast would miss Alli greatly.
Fans have taken to social media to mourn the loss, with one writing: 'I've never sobbed at Bridgerton the way I'm sobbing at John's funeral like I'm actually there.' Another pleaded: 'JOHN COME BACK RIGHT NOW.'
