How Hannah Dodd Got Ready for 'Bridgerton's Season 3 World Premiere
“I feel like a modern-day Francesca would maybe wear what I'm wearing."
For actress Hannah Dodd, deciding what to wear to the world premiere of Bridgerton season 3 created an opportunity for life to imitate art. This season marks the first time fans will really, truly get to know Francesca Bridgerton, who enters the Ton's marriage mart for the first time in high society London as Dodd also steps into the role for the first time. Outside of Netflix's fictional Regency Era world, all eyes will also be on Dodd.
“Joining this cast has just been the best thing ever," Dodd says. This storyline has been so exciting. To get to join the show myself and start with joining society as Francesca as well… There's lots of life imitating art there. She was very nervous. I was very nervous.”
Despite the nerves, when it came down to figuring out the perfect outfit for the premiere, Dodd drew inspiration from the show to guide her choice.
“We really wanted to do a little nod to Bridgerton and Francesca," she says. "We've gone for a custom Ellie Misner dress, which I'm super excited to wear, in a few Bridgerton blue colors, and we've got a bit of a corset going on as well. I feel like it's a hybrid of modern and a nod to the era, as well."
To make sure the look was worthy of a headline Lady Whistledown herself would write, Dodd tapped stylist Felicity Kay, assisted by Dani Kleinman, makeup artist Shayna Gold, and hairstylist Takuya Yamaguchi as her glam squad. “I feel like a modern-day Francesca would maybe wear what I'm wearing. We’ll see what people think!” Dodd says.
While stepping into a new role can be daunting, everyone at Bridgerton—from executive producer Shonda Rhimes to season 3 hottie Luke Newton—agrees Dodd fits in beautifully. “It's really wonderful to truly welcome Hannah and Francesca," Rhimes says. "We've only ever seen tiny bits of Francesca in seasons past, and in this season, she's back from having traveled and she's ready to get married, and you really get to know who Fran is. Fran's always been the invisible sister, and now she becomes front and center in a lot of ways for us to get to know."
Newton agrees. “It’s been amazing to welcome Hannah to the Bridgerton family. We are so close as a unit, [and] it’s always going to be, I imagine, quite a big deal to join this process," he says. "I imagine it was probably quite daunting for Hannah, but she just slotted into the role so well. The casting of this show is so clever; not only does everyone embody their characters really well, but they also just fit into the family dynamic that we have as actors."
Below, how Dodd got ready for her big night.
On Her Personal Style:
"I think I'm still getting to know it. I like classic pieces. I like tailoring. I like the process of finding pieces that you can keep for a long time and reuse over and over. That's kind of more my style."
On the Most Challenging Part of Being Red Carpet-Ready:
"The nerves I think, and not knowing what it's gonna be like," she says. "And just visualizing it all. You've got hair, makeup, and styling to consider, and you want to make sure that it all comes together and it tells the right story."
Her Getting-Ready Ritual
"It's quite scary. I'm trying to, like, keep calm. I am quite nervous. I don't know what it's gonna be like down there. It's quite a big show, guys."
Who She Was Most Excited to See
"I'm just really excited to see everybody, see the cast, see the looks that Nicola [Coughlan] brings out tonight."
On the Bond With Her Castmates
"Joining the cast has been the best thing ever. It's been the biggest gift. I can't imagine not knowing those people. It's the best place to go to work. We have a group chat, it’s been popping today. It’s called 'Bridgie season 3' and the photo is a picture of Nicola and Luke!"
Her Getting-Ready Playlist:
"Apparently it’s Maggie Rogers's 'Light On' because we started with that and it's been good vibes ever since. We also listened to Beyoncé and Fleetwood Mac."
On Her Style Inspiration:
"I love everything that Zendaya does but, like, doesn’t everybody? She's just a goddess in every way!"
On Her Custom Dress
"Dodd wore a custom satin corset dress by independent London designer Ellie Misner as a contemporary nod to her Bridgerton character," Kleinman, her stylist, says.
Her Jewelry and Accessories
"She wore shoes by Aquazzura and jewelry from sustainable brand Matilde to finish the look," Kleinman says. "Her rings and earrings featured lab-grown diamonds and 100 percent recycled gold.”
The Beauty Breakdown
"Using Chanel Beauty, we wanted to find a balance between a graphic liner and a classic, smoldering eye to act in contrast with the soft satin shades of her dress," Gold says. "Where we landed was a diffused liner with a sharp wing and some shading underneath, keeping the look timeless.”
The Hair Details
“Using Oribe Nourishing Oil throughout, first I blew out her hair, made a middle part, and used a one-inch hair iron to make loose curl waves," Yamaguchi says. "Finally, I completed the look by tying it into a low ponytail and added some loose pieces along Hannah’s face line.”
Her After-Party Plans
"I am just excited to hug everybody! It's been quite a long time since we've all been together."
The first four episodes of Bridgerton season 3 will release on May 16, and the final four episodes will hit Netflix on June 13.
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