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**Warning: Spoilers ahead for Bridgerton Season 3 and parts of ‘When He Was Wicked.’**
Bridgerton's John Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin, may not speak often, but when he does, especially with Francesca Bridgerton, their love speaks volumes. British actor Victor Alli, a newcomer to the ton, takes on this cherished role from the sixth book of Julia Quinn's series, When He Was Wicked.
Before the premiere of part two on Netflix, I spoke with Alli about the developments between Francesca and John in the final four episodes, what lies ahead for the humble couple, and navigating John's heartbreaking fate as revealed in When He Was Wicked.
The ton meets John Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin, in Season 3, Episode 3, "Forces of Nature." Alli shared that what he "loved and enjoyed" most about bringing his character to life was seeing viewers' reactions to John. Although Francesca (Hannah Dodd) is being courted by Lord Samadani, a friend of Her Majesty, she unexpectedly encounters John at the Innovations ball.
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In part two, John continues to court Francesca and spends more time at Bridgerton House with her family. After getting to know each other, the couple announces their engagement. The Bridgertons react excitedly, but Lady Bridgerton has reservations about their unconventional path to marriage, which differs from her other children’s passionate romances.
Francesca and John ask Violet to speak with the Queen to obtain permission for them to marry. However, Lady Bridgerton, still unsure about their match, avoids speaking with Her Majesty. Francesca grows frustrated with her mother. “I think as mother, of course, she’s going to be quite protective. So protective that I thought she didn’t like me,” Alli explains.
Ultimately, Francesca is the one to tell Queen Charlotte about her and John’s secret engagement. (This happens after Her Majesty suspects that one of the Bridgerton siblings is Lady Whistledown.) Violet and Francesca’s relationship improves after the mother and daughter have a heart-to-heart conversation toward the end of Season 3, in which Francesca expresses her love for the Earl.
“There was a moment of conversation between her [Violet] and Francesca before the wedding,” Alli credits as the turning point in her mother’s acceptance. “I think when Violet saw they were being serious and really wanted to be with each other, she backed off and said, ‘Okay, who am I to stop my daughter from finding love.’
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One of the couple’s most memorable scenes from Season 3 occurred at Colin and Penelope’s wedding breakfast. Before the event, John was advised by the Bridgerton men to "be bold" in showing his affection for Francesca. Taking their advice to heart, he asks her to dance in front of her family and the members of the ton.
“It was something we’d never done before and something that we wouldn’t usually do. It was a big moment for us,” Alli explains about their impromptu dance. “I think that when Violet saw that, it was half of the reason she decided to back off.”
The couple eventually marries in an intimate ceremony surrounded by family. Francesca and John also share their plans to move to Scotland after their nuptials, and they will be joined by Francesca’s sister, Eloise. Alli expresses his excitement about the couple's move to Scotland and their new life together.
“What’s exciting is John has always been someone who didn’t like drama or tension. Moving to Scotland is a significant change, and Francesca’s on board as well,” he adds.
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But before their travels, Lord Kilmartin introduces Francesca and Eloise to his cousin, Michaela Stirling (portrayed by Masali Baduza). In Julia Quinn’s book, When He Was Wicked, Michaela Stirling is not a woman, but a man named Michael Stirling whom Francesca marries after John unexpectedly dies.
This major change from the books suggests that Francesca will have a relationship with Michaela in a future season of Bridgerton, marking the first time a queer romance will at the forefront in the Netflix series. Showrunner Jess Brownell previously told Pride that she wanted to incorporate more queer storylines in the show.
“I want to see more queer joy on my screens and that was definitely a priority for me when I stepped into the showrunner role,” Brownell explained. “How exactly that plays out over this season and the next couple seasons, I can’t say specifically, but I will say I’m excited for fans to see that.”
Michaela’s introduction “will take a lot of people by surprise,” Alli tells us. He recalls the moment he found out about Masali Baduza’s casting on a Zoom call with Brownell. 444444
“I remember Jess Brownell on a Zoom call and she was telling me and I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh!’” Alli adds that the showrunner and the Bridgerton team have made “some really strong decisions” from season one until now, and he’s excited for Michaela to come “into this world.”
“I had an amazing welcome into the ton and the cast, and absolutely she will get that as well. I’m really excited for her to come on board and show everyone how incredible she is,” he continues.
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Looking ahead, Alli says Francesca and John’s next steps are to move to Scotland and hopefully start a family. The British star admits that he hasn’t “prepared himself” for his character’s unfortunate fate as told in When He Was Wicked, but he has an optimistic outlook.
“I’m just gonna take it as it comes. You don’t know when our time is going to be, even now,” he explains. “John’s gonna go to the balls, walk down with Francesca hand-in-hand, smell the flowers, drink coffee, and go to the bar with the guys. He’s just gonna live his life. And when it happens, it happens.”
All episodes of Bridgerton Season 3 are streaming on Netflix.
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