Jonathan Bailey confirms starring role in Jurassic World 4: ‘My nightmare has come true’
Out gay Bridgerton actor Jonathan Bailey has launched a new queer charity. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey has confirmed that he will play the lead role in dinosaur thriller Jurassic World 4.
The out gay British actor, 36, revealed the news on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Monday (13 May), joking that he’s “freaking out” about the role, and that it’s “mind-blowing”.
Bailey has been rumoured to be joining the Jurassic World franchise since April, after breakthrough roles in hit Netflix drama Bridgerton and the upcoming Wicked adaptation.
He said he’d posted an Instagram photo of himself on the Jurassic Park ride at Universal Studios, in Los Angeles, in April after he found out he’d bagged the role, but he’d had to “sit with the secret” until now.
“That’s me trying to contain it there,” he said, pointing at the photo.
“I remember going to see Jurassic Park with my family,” he added. “I had nightmares for 30 years, so now my nightmare has come true.”
According to Deadline, Bailey will join Scarlett Johansson and Murder on the Orient Express star Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in the dino romp. Stars of the earlier films, including Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeff Goldblum and Laura Dern, are not expected to return.
Bailey has also recently been cast in the third season of Heartstopper, where he will be play academic Jack Maddox.
“Like so many people, I watched the first [season] and thought it was one of the biggest, most beautiful gifts to so many people, and I wish I had that growing up,” the actor told Variety.
Heartstopper has “really has changed the way people could grow and communicate around who they are”, he added.
“It’s not just for our community, it’s for every person who is a member of a family who has a member of the LGBT+ community. It helps all of us.”
Jurassic World 4 is set to open on 2 July 2025.
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