Bella Maclean graced the cover of ELLE UK, embodying a classic English rose as she discussed her breakout role in the bonkbuster series Rivals. The 28-year-old actress showcased her striking looks in an ethereal, minimalist photoshoot, wearing flowing cream outfits with a fresh-faced makeup look.
In one figure-hugging negligee-inspired dress, she flaunted her svelte frame, and later posed in a draped backless blouse, arms raised and beaming against a blue sky backdrop. Speaking to the publication, Bella shared her connection to her character Taggie O'Hara and her friendship with the cast, ahead of the highly anticipated second series this month.
Based on Dame Jilly Cooper's 1988 novel, the comedy-drama debuted on Disney+ in October 2024, becoming an instant hit and quickly renewed for a second season. The new season again revolves around the 1980s TV franchise war, behind the corporate power struggle lies love, lust, debauchery, and emotional duplicity that viewers adored in the first series.
Despite winning rave reviews for her performance in series one, Bella admitted she feared being fired because her co-stars constantly made her break into laughter during filming. 'I spent so much time laughing on this job that, in the first season, I was worried I'd be fired,' she explained. 'Taggie is so serious and earnest – she's wonderful to play – but I also have Alex Hassell and Katherine Parkinson and Danny Dyer, who all love making me break [character]. When you're on the cusp of laughing all the time, there's an energy that's so fizzy – everyone's chemistry is so strong.'
Despite being younger than most co-stars, Bella has grown close to Alex Hassell, who plays her onscreen love interest Rupert Campbell-Black, and Danny Dyer, who plays electronics businessman Freddie Jones. Gushing over her friendship with 'bezzie mate' Alex, Bella revealed that EastEnders star Danny is now her first call for support. 'One of the nicest things about this job is you end up with friends across completely different ages and backgrounds who you would never normally meet,' she said. 'Alex is 45 – he's some random bloke I met two years ago and is now my bezzie mate! If I have something like a broken heart, Danny is the person I call. There was an incident that happened and I called him up and he was like, "All right, where is he!" He gives advice but it's not even that. He has my back so much and I have his. Danny makes everyone feel like the most special person.'
Reflecting on playing Taggie, Bella addressed the age gap between her character and Rupert. In the original novels, Taggie is 18 to Rupert's 37, but the Disney+ adaptation aged her up to 20, a change the late author Dame Jilly Cooper supported. 'Jilly was so wonderful about it,' Bella said. 'She knew it wasn't the same Taggie as in the books. Although it's set in the 80s, we're telling it from a 21st Century lens. It's still a massive age gap. I feel so strongly about this.'
Bella admitted worrying about how audiences would react to the romance but defended it as 'a soul connection,' insisting Taggie is mature for her age. 'I was so worried about what people would think. But Gen Z seem to love it! My girlfriends send me these really funny reels of me and Rupert on TikTok. Because of the way it's done, because they really loved each other at first sight, I just feel like it's a soul connection with them. Taggie is wise beyond her years - she sees him for all his faults and believes he can change, and he really sees her. That's what's so painful. There's so much going against them, but there's a pureness to their love. It's very Disney princessy, which I still love.'
Co-stars have teased that the second season will be even raunchier. Danny Dyer, whose character Freddie has an affair with romance author Lizzie Vereker (Katherine Parkinson), said: 'We're delving into the complications of two people who are madly in love but married with children to other people. There are a lot of people rooting for infidelity, which is quite rare.' Aidan Turner, who plays TV journalist Declan O'Hara, described a steamy shower sex scene with wife Maud (Victoria Smurfit) as 'fun' to film. Emily Atack, who plays saucy seductress Sarah Stratton, teased a complex dinner party scene that pushed her acting skills, noting the show 'did it all in one go,' which was a new experience for her.
