After Bridgerton season 1, Regé-Jean Page disappeared. Now we know why.

Over the past six months, we've collectively uncovered our unique 'Roman Empires'. For some, it's deliberating over why Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams broke up. For others, it's trying to figure what really happened in the elevator between Jay Z, Solange and Beyoncé that fateful MET Gala evening in 2014.

And then there's a section of humanity that just can't stop thinking about what happened to Regé-Jean Page after he left Bridgerton.

A recent TikTok has reignited interest in the trajectory of Page's career, with many wondering what has become of the Bridgeton star, who looked destined to be a bonafide A-lister before he just sorted of... faded out of the spotlight.

@nicole_kh i know he was in dungeons and dragons but like #bridgerton #regejeanpage #daphneandsimon ♬ Bridgerton - The Harmony Group

The British actor was tipped to be the next big thing but somehow, somewhere along the way, that hasn't exactly materialised. Did we want it (him?) too badly or did he make some career choices that ultimately scuppered his rise?

Hollywood's breakout star.

In December 2020, a new series called Bridgerton hit the steaming platform Netflix and it couldn't have come at a better time. As most of the world was in the dredges of a pandemic lockdown, a colourful show set in Regency Era London in 1813, with a bright young cast and horny storyline, was exactly what we all needed.

At the centre of the love story was Daphne Bridgerton, who had a will-they-won't-they love affair with the dashing but unavailable (*sigh* — avoiding commitment even in the 1800s) Duke of Hastings, Simon Bassett. Played by relative newcomers Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page, we couldn't help but fall in love with the characters and the actors that played them.

Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor in Bridgerton. Image: Netflix.

As the hit first season reached the finale, fans were drooling and the internet was buzzing with discussion about how Page was set to be Hollywood's newest darling — and frankly, we were all wondering how we were going to survive until season two to see where Daphne and Simon's love story would go.

But in tragedy of Shakespearean proportions, we would never see that story play out in the Bridgerton universe.

Watch: Bridgerton Season 3 trailer. Story continues below.

A farewell to Bridgerton.

In the wake of the Bridgerton fanfare, a shocking announcement came in April 2021 that Page would not be returning for season two of the series.

"Dear Readers, while all eyes turn to Lord Anthony Bridgerton's quest to find a Viscountess, we bid adieu to Regé-Jean Page, who so triumphantly played the Duke of Hastings," read a tweet from the show's official account. 

"We'll miss Simon's presence onscreen, but he will always be a part of the Bridgerton family. Daphne will remain a devoted wife and sister, helping her brother navigate the upcoming social season and what it has to offer – more intrigue and romance than my readers may be able to bear. Yours truly, Lady Whistledown."

Cue dramatic Elizabethan fainting around the world.

To the outside world, the decision made no sense and quite frankly people wanted answers. What would drive Page to walk away from a show that had single-handedly placed him on the path heading for an illustrious Hollywood career? 

We totally understand when actors want to spread their wings and leave a TV series behind that launched their careers but Page leaving after just one season felt slightly premature.

At the time, it seemed there was no bad blood between the actor and series creator Shonda Rhimes. He even retweeted the announcement with some kind words of his own. "Pleasure and a privilege! An honour to be a member of the family – on and off screen, cast, crew and incredible fans – the love is real and will just keep growing," he wrote.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Regé-Jean Page (@regejean)

It was all rather polite — but the public weren't buying it.

The Hollywood Reporter ran a story claiming Page even turned down a whopping pay increase of $77,000 per episode to return for season two of Bridgerton — an offer he allegedly declined.

In a February 2023 cover interview with Vanity Fair, the 35-year-old offered a little more insight into his decision to leave the show, alluding to the fact that he believed his character's story arc had done its dash.

"We finished the story," he said. "The temptation would be to roll with the distractions and go, 'Oh, well, the story went really well so we can kind of change this up and make some other stuff up, I guess.' That was never what we'd signed up to do.

"I signed up to do a job and I did the job and then I did some other jobs. That's it. That's the story. I wish it was more glamorous than that."

Hmmm... something tells us Shonda Rhimes could've and would've squeezed at least two more seasons' worth of storylines out of Daphne and the Duke's relationship, but hey, each to their own.

Public response.

It's safe to say that when Page announced he would be leaving 'The Ton' people had some...feelings. Didn't we mention everyone was obsessed with the Duke and Daphne?

Fans were devastated. But they got it.

it makes perfect sense to me that regé-jean page is leaving bridgerton...to become one of the biggest stars on the planet in the next five years

— rachel syme (@rachsyme) April 2, 2021

Kim Kardashian was forlorn:

Kim Kardashian’s reaction to Bridgerton announcing that Regé-Jean Page isn’t returning to Bridgerton is, well, all of us. pic.twitter.com/SsUJrX0M3t

— Gibson Johns (@gibsonoma) April 2, 2021

And some people wanted the US government to step in and rectify the situation:

what does the biden administration plan to do about regé-jean page leaving bridgerton

— justine rafael 🔮 (@rustinejafael) April 5, 2021

But overwhelmingly, the one thing fans wanted to know was summed up in a Reddit thread:

"Was leaving worth it?"

The internet was in yet another collective meltdown and everyone was wondering how to move forward with Bridgerton missing its favourite Duke.

Back in March, Page was also spotted having a reunion with his former Bridgerton cast mate Jonathan Bailey at the CAA pre-Oscars party. We're sure they had much to catch up on but while they were hobnobbing the internet collectively drew comparisons to the different in their respective career trajectories. 

Jonathan Bailey and Regé-Jean Page. Image: Getty.

While Page's CV has been lacing in blockbusters, Bailey (who remains on the show playing Anthony Bridgerton) has gone absolutely gangbusters in Showbiz circles. Not only will he play Fiyero in the hotly anticipated theatric release of Wicked in November alongside Ariana Grande but he has just been announced in the new Jurassic World 4 project. 

Those are some rather big prehistoric shoes to step into and fans are going wild watching him rise. We never like to pit people against people but fans are noticing how the one Bridgerton loyalist is enjoying worldwide success after sticking with the show. 

"Jonathan is booked and busy tho," wrote one user on TikTok.

Look, they're....not wrong.

Whispers of stepping into James Bond's shoes.

As the dust settled on Page's shock decision, we all began to read between the lines and came to the realisation that Page wasn't interested in being typecast as one character. Rather, he was quite ready to go big in Hollywood.

However, since leaving the hit Netflix show he hasn't added a whole lot to his CV. While he's had steady work on films including Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves and The Gray Man, as well as voiceover credits on Surviving Paradise: A Family Tale, nothing has really taken off quite like Bridgerton.

Which begs the question: did he skip out on The Ton too soon, before fully earning his stripes?

In 2023, it was rumoured that Page was in contention for the coveted role of James Bond, which would see him take over from Daniel Craig. While this would be a huge coup for the actor, and a guaranteed ticket to the top of Hollywood A-lists, it's still a big 'what if'. 

Currently, there are a number of other actors vying for the role, including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Tom Hardy, Nicholas Hoult, Idris Elba and Tom Hiddleston. It's a stacked race and, at this point, the job could be anyone's.

While Bond rumours simmer away it has just been announced that Page will star in an upcoming thriller called Black Bag alongside Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender. Not a bad way to beef up the old CV in the meantime.

Where doth he go now?

Look, we may never know what really happened behind closed doors on the set of Bridgerton. Perhaps Page made a personal decision that had nothing to do with ideas about making it big in Hollywood.

While his career hasn't quite hit the same highs he saw with his breakout success on Bridgerton, maybe it's just not that important to him. Success looks different to everyone so what might be a feather in the cap to you and me could mean something else to Page.

And from previous interviews, it's clear Page is all too aware that fame can be fleeting — he's just here for the ride and is grateful to be working in whatever capacity.

"I enjoy the striving," he told Vanity Fair. "I enjoy the discovery of how high this thing goes, of how far this thing goes, of how wide this thing goes, because it doesn't just go up. It goes up, down, sideways, and in every other direction. I don't think I'll ever stop thinking about the next job.

"A good 90 per cent of my industry is out of work at any given time. You know what I mean? We're living a charmed life and I don’t think we get to take the charm for granted at any point."

The public's idea of success might not align with Page's and honestly? He seems entirely unbothered by it.

Whether he lands the James Bond gig, continues to take on smaller parts or finds his Duke 2.0 role, Page is doing Hollywood his way.

Feature Image: Getty/Netflix.

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