'Bridgerton' star Hannah Dodd reflects on Francesca's relatable 'innocence'

Hannah Dodd has opened up about how Bridgerton continues to reflect real emotional truths despite being set in a fictionalized Regency-era world.

In a new chat with E! News, Dodd spoke candidly about filming the NSFW moments in season four, where she plays the innocent Francesca Bridgerton opposite Victor Alli's John Stirling.

Recalling the table reads for some of their intimate scenes in the first part of the season, Dodd admitted she felt a wave of secondhand embarrassment.

“The table read for some of those scenes, I was red in the cheeks — like, so embarrassed,” she said.

However, the actress explained that the awkwardness is part of what makes Francesca's journey feel authentic.

“I definitely had secondhand embarrassment, but I think they’re written in a way that’s so clever as well, that they were so much fun to do, and her innocence is so fun to play with,” Dodd added.

She went on to explain how Francesca's confusion serves a larger purpose within the show's storytelling.

“It’s really important that Bridgerton shows that it’s not perfect on the first time, every single time,” she said.

“These women are sent into marriages so unprepared and so innocent, and that men are allowed to have this experience — and it’s not something that’s, in that time, spoken about,” Dodd concluded.