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1 year ago
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Corey Mylchreest suggested that India Amarteifio watch The Crown, in particular Claire Foy's season, to prepare for Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
If you've been on Netflix in the last few weeks, then you've probably noticed that the No. 1 show in the US is Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. The show reportedly drew in nearly 150 million hours of viewing worldwide in its first four days, making it one of the biggest shows for the streamer in 2023.
Liam Daniel / Netflix
Created and written by Shonda Rhimes and directed by Tom Verica, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story follows a young Queen Charlotte (India Amarteifio) as she meets and marries King George III (Corey Mylchreest).
Liam Daniel / Netflix
The show really marks the first big roles for India and Corey, who absolutely nail it. Like, I haven't stopped thinking about their scenes together, especially in Episode 6.
Netflix
So, because I just KNOW Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story will just be the beginning of their incredible careers, here are 21 facts about India and Corey:
1. India was born on Sept. 17, 2001, and she's a Virgo.
Taylor Miller / BuzzFeed
2. Corey's exact birthday isn't known right now, but he was born in 1998, and he's a Taurus.
Taylor Miller / BuzzFeed
3. India was born in London and has Ghanaian ancestry. She said that she related to Queen Charlotte's feeling of being an outsider. India explained that being mixed race, she's also had the feeling of "not really knowing where you fit in."
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4. India was a child actor, and her first onscreen role was in a Vodafone ad with her mom when she was only 8 months old. After that, she starred in The Lion King as young Nala on the West End when she was around 9 years old.
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She was also in the original company of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on the West End.
5. Corey attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and graduated in 2020. His first audition after school was for the TV series adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons.
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6. As a teenager, India's notable acting credits included Doctor Who, Line of Duty, and Sex Education.
BBC / BBC One / Netflix
In Doctor Who, she appeared in the Season 9 premiere as a student in Clara's class. In Line of Duty, she played Thandiwe Newton's daughter. And, in Sex Education she appeared as Lizzie, a student at Moordale.
7. And before starring as George, Corey appeared in an episode of Netflix's The Sandman as Adonis in Episode 1.
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Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is Corey's first major acting credit. When the show dropped, Corey posted his mom's review of his small appearance in The Sandman where she said, "Best two lines ever delivered on screen."
8. For Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, India did "about five different auditions," as well as chemistry reads with Corey and Arsema Thomas, who plays young Lady Danbury.
Taylor Miller / BuzzFeed
India equated joining the Bridgerton universe like joining Marvel. She explained that it felt "unreachable," and for a while, it didn't feel real that she was joining this world.
9. India found out that she was cast in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story when she was in the shower. She got a call from her agent, and immediately ran downstairs in a towel to tell her family.
Liam Daniel / Netflix
10. To prepare for their roles in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, India and Corey visited Kew Gardens, where Charlotte lived with her children, alongside Shonda Rhimes and director Tom Verica.
Liam Daniel / Netflix
She told BuzzFeed, "I found that really helpful to ground myself, her presence, take in what she would have seen, where she would have walked, and to get a general understanding of who I was playing."
11. Before filming began, Corey read personal diaries, journals, and letters from King George, as well as The Last King of America: The Misunderstood Reign of George III by Andrew Roberts.
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12. Part of India's prep for playing Queen Charlotte involved binge-watching The Crown, and Corey was the one who recommended it. Watching The Crown Season 1 helped India and Corey prepare for the coronation scene in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story because they saw how the tradition was portrayed in The Crown as well.
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13. Corey drew inspiration from Jeremy Strong's portrayal of Kendall Roy in Succession when preparing to play early George in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. In fact, he even listened to a piece of music from Succession before filming certain scenes.
Netflix / HBO
“I remember watching Succession, and there’s a moment where Jeremy Strong looks down, and there was this music, and I went, 'That’s him. That’s George,'" Corey explained. "It was an acceptance and a resignation to a life that is awaiting, and one that you desperately don’t want, that you are desperately trying to break free from, but that you know you tried everything and that it’s just going to happen."
14. India didn't try to copy Golda Rosheuvel's performance as Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton. In fact, Shonda Rhimes and Tom Verica insisted that they didn't want her to "emulate" Golda's performance, but to make it her own.
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"It was all my own character building, and I think the writing just aids performance, in the sense that Golda is just portraying the same character," India explained. "I think it's great that people can kind of draw similarities, but it's nice for me as well, because I did this by myself."
15. India and Corey worked with an intimacy coordinator on Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story to map out Charlotte and George's sex scenes like a "stunt or a dance." India explained to BuzzFeed, "We know exactly where each hand is going, or a leg. In that way, it's very much choreographed."
Netflix
She added, "But then, it's about having that trust in your scene partner, knowing your boundaries, where is comfortable for you to be touched or not touched."
16. India loved being able to embrace her natural hair in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. The wig she wore was based off of her own hair, and she loved that it represented being "loved unconditionally for who you are exactly."
Netflix
“[We’re] reestablishing the fact that our hair is beautiful in whatever texture it is, you don't need to straighten it for it to be classy, for it to be sophisticated, for it to be elegant. Whatever your hair texture is, it's beautiful in whatever state," India told Teen Vogue. "To use my natural texture and still be able to emulate these styles was everything. It gave me so much joy.”
17. Corey's first visit to the US happened while on the Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story press tour.
Lia Toby / Getty Images
Corey has hilariously made fun of his hair in this TikTok for the New York Knicks he took part in alongside Arsema and India while in the States.
18. On top of their natural chemistry, India and Corey did a lot of "script work," according to India. She explained they both would look through scenes and were able to determine which "words in certain scenes were significant" for Charlotte and George.
Taylor Miller / BuzzFeed
19. Corey is a self-proclaimed "big Harry Potter fan." In fact, he thinks George would be sorted into Hufflepuff because he's "loyal and caring."
Taylor Miller / BuzzFeed
20. So far, India has been most starstruck meeting Alicia Keys. "She's very lovely, and she's gorgeous," India said. Alicia contributed an orchestra version of "If I Ain't Got You" for the Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story soundtrack.
21. And finally, the first scene India and Corey filmed together as Queen Charlotte and King George was at Blenheim Palace, and it was the scene after the wedding.
Netflix
Corey recalled, "It was a huge scene. I was so nervous." With India adding, "I remember texting you, 'Make sure you bring snacks,' and you were like, 'India! I can’t eat. That’s not what I’m thinking about!'"
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