Who Would the 'Bridgerton' Characters Be In 'Gossip Girl'?
xoxo, Lady Whistledown...
Like the rest of the world, we’ve been obsessing over another anonymously-narrated soapy romantic comedy(-ish) series gain. But not Gossip Girl! This time, it’s Bridgerton, Shonda Rhimes’s new Netflix period series. It’s steamy. It’s got a fake romace, the best rom-com trope of them all. And, of course, Lady Whistledown is introduced as our new gossip columnist. Replace “2007’s Upper East Side” with “1811’s London” and the series are essentially the same! Do NOT think about it too much! While there’s a bit of drama to both of these series, they are comedies at heart and made us both laugh a lot.
Okay, so the series aren’t all that similar when you remove the narrator from the equation. Nevertheless, here we are, tagging our Serenas, Simons, Dans, and Daphnes. Our Van Der Woodsens and our Bridgertons. They should all go to a ball together. Imagine the drama, the opulence. The enemies-to-lovers potential. Would Gossip Girl and Lady Whistledown collab? We can only hope. One thing is for certain: Lily Van Der Woodsen and Violet Bridgerton would make sure everyone was looking fab.
So, who is who in the scandalous crew? I (Fletcher) decided to tag them based on a combo of personality, actions, and relationships, here’s a guide to the Gossip Girl x Bridgerton connection. Spoilers ahead!
Anthony Bridgerton — Rufus Humphrey
Starting with the titular, titillating Bridgertons: their bustling house mirrors that of the Humphrey/Van Der Woodsen/Bass mob. Head of house is Rufus in GG, and it’s Anthony in Bridgerton. They’ve got a rolling list of similarities, like their incessant overprotective nature and noteworthy hair. I’m not fond of either. But we need them for plot development, and I do appreciate their respective relationships with the house matriarch. Though a major difference here — Rufus is married to his, whereas Anthony’s is his mother.
Lady Violet Bridgerton — Lily Van Der Woodsen/Bass/Humphrey
Pretty ladies! I love both of these moms and they’ve similarly aged like fine wine. They deserve a massive, loving family with grandkids and glam galore. I want them to hug me! And then help me get ready for a ball. (Also: Lily Van Der Woodsen/Bass/Humphrey innocent.)
Benedict Bridgerton — Jenny Humphrey
To keep it short? Art kids. Benedict and Jenny get into some wild parties and make some choice decisions. You kind of hope they get back on track, but at the same time, applaud them for veering far from the course. Also, they’re both close with Eloise/Eric.
Eloise Bridgerton — Eric Van Der Woodsen
The two underrated MVPs of these soapy hits, Eloise and Eric are the two gossip obsessives. Neither is keen on the actual drama, though. They’d rather locate the writers behind Gossip Girl and Lady Whistledown. Both stray from the Upper East Side/Ton’s rigid social structure, but they’re stronger for it. Legends!
Colin Bridgerton — Serena Van Der Woodsen
BEAUTIFUL AND DON’T KNOW IT. Initiate the largest scandal in recent family history. Dark history? Many suitors. Charming. Fall for people lying to them. These attributes could be about either Colin Bridgerton or Serena Van Der Woodsen. Also, both are key players in the GG/LW drama.
Daphne Bridgerton — Chuck Bass
Here’s the thing about Daphne and Chuck: both low-key suck. Sure, there’s an element of charm, good looks, and put togetherness. But underneath it all? They’re fairly rotten, especially in comparison to the rest of the cast. The only reason to like either Daphne or Chuck is that they have superb chemistry with the best character in their respective shows. Nice clothes, I guess! Dig the bow ties/dresses. Really, this match comes down to their iffy decisions and drab personalities. Sorry to all Chuck/Daphne fans.
Simon Basset — Blair Waldorf
Best characters in their shows, no questions asked. They share their daddy issues and unmatched charisma. They’re half of the shows’ power couple, and they’re responsible for all of the power. Simon and Blair are both very angry in their own separate ways — one broods, while the other yells — but both turn their pain into art. At heart, they’re leaders: one of a town, and one of a headband-sporting militia. Upon first glance, Daphne may look like the Blair of Bridgerton. But Blair is much better than she is, and Simon much better than Chuck.
Marina Thompson — Nate Archibald
Left out of everything (like Dan’s book, or all of the exquisite balls and drama), we’re always left craving more of these two on-screen. I so wish Serena had ended up with Nate, just as I believe Marina was good for Colin. But someone — I will name names — had to erase them from the narrative for their selfish own desires. More daddy issues here too. Actually, there are bigger family issues at play. Poor kids.
Lady Danbury — Eleanor Waldorf
Moms! They both spark the true romantic sides of the protagonists. Blair and Simon would be nothing without them. And they wear the best clothes in the show, point-blank. The subplots they carry — Waldorf Designs and Danbury’s real housewives — are true feminine masterpieces.
The Featherington Sisters — Vanessa Abrams
Do we care about any of them? No. Nevertheless, they persisted.
Cressida Cowper — Georgina Sparks
Okay, girl. We get it. You live for drama. In shows that are literally about gossip, how is it that these two seem to care way too much? Take a break. Get a hobby. Nobody likes you here.
Queen Charlotte: Bart Bass
Rulers of their land. I don’t know why I equate these two in my silly little brain, but I do and you should too. They have so much power. I predict that Queen Charlotte will “die” in the next season, only to be resurrected a few years later. And promptly die again. So odd.
Penelope Featherington — Dan Humphrey
You guessed it. The faces behind GG and LW, Dan and Penelope are hidden in plain sight. They’re controlling the story — but all for Serena and Colin? Kind of lame, but okay. I cherish Penelope much more than Daniel Humphrey, and I do not think she is spiritually the Dan of Bridgerton (that’d probably be Anthony or quirky Benedict). But logically, Penelope is Dan and Dan is Penelope. All this gossip for marriage? I mean, thank god. But it’s a lot. (Penelope deserves better, TBH.)