The highly anticipated Bridgerton's season three, part one has been released on Netflix and many of the show's fans have already tuned in to watch the episodes released on the platform.
Although the series is an adaptation of the novels by Julia Quinn, it is not the exact copy, there are a few tweaks made by the show’s creators. Let's discover changes in Cressida Cowper’s character played by Jessica Madsen.
How is Cressida Cowper’s story different in the series?
According to Business Insider, the creators have made a major change to Cressida’s character in season three.
Cressida plays a negative role in the show. She is responsible for bullying the main characters including Daphne Bridgerton, played by Phoebe Dynevor, and Penelope Featherington, played by Nicola Coughlan.
In its latest season, Cressida changes as she befriends Eloise Bridgerton played by Claudia Jessie, Daphne’s younger sister, and Penelope’s ex-best friend. Cressida still remains under pressure from her parents to marry.
But in the book, the friendship between the two does not take place and she succeeds in finding a husband. She marries a noble, Lord Twombley.
As per the outlet, the series has omitted the major thread of finding Lady Whistledown in season three.
In the novel Cressida claims to be Lady Whistledown and later blackmails Penelope. She does this in hopes of collecting the money (1000 pounds) offered by Lady Danbury to anyone who can find the gossip writer’s identity. However, her claim is not believed by Lady Danbury and Penelope.
Penelope being the actual Lady Whistledown, writes the last gossip paper exposing Cressida being a fraud. This eventually leads to Cressida finding out that Penelope is the Lady Whistledown. She blackmails Penelope for money. Upon finding out about the blackmail, Colin makes a plan to reveal Peneolpe’s identity before Cressida can get to her.
In season two, the Lady Whistledown's arc takes place, but it's Queen Charlotte who is pursuing the gossip writer.
Jessica Madsen on not reading the novel based on season 3
The actress told the outlet that she was asked not to read, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Jess Brownell, the showrunner. It was due to Cressida’s character’s trajectory being changed in its latest season.
The actress said that she always read the novels before the shoot began but Brownell told her that they would take this character in a little different direction. She added, “We get a look into her life. We see how she's grown up, we see her house, and the house does an awful lot of speaking for itself.”
Madsen also said that further into the season, we will get to see the “weight of her situation” and about her limited options.
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