Could Chappell Roan be set for Bridgerton? Francesca star Hannah Dodd makes demand

Dearest gentle reader, Hannah Dodd really wants Francesca to get down to an instrumental cover of Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck Babe!” – and girl, so do we.

Netflix’s hit regency era series Bridgerton, based on Julia Quinn’s romance novels, has returned for a fourth season and is centred on the Cinderella-inspired love story of Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha).

The previous season saw Benedict explore his pansexuality when his entered into a polyamorous ménage à trois with Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New) and Paul Suarez (Lucas Aurelio).

Despite Thompson’s Benedict being the main Bridgerton lead for this series, fans – LGBTQ+ ones in particular – are keen to see how his younger sister Francesca’s story unfolds.

Season three saw the quiet Francesca – played by Dodd – tie the knot with Sir John Stirling (Victor Alli), a fellow introvert who appears to understand Francesca in ways others did not. Their romance was described in the show as “the slow approach” by Bridgerton matriarch Violet, with some speculating that Francesca is asexual due to her apprehension to physical touch.

@britishvogue

Will #HannahDodd finally get ChappellRoan’s ‘Good Luck Babe’ for her #Bridgerton character this season?

♬ original sound – British Vogue

However, at the end of the series she meets John’s cousin Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), a gender swapped version of the character Michael from the book When He Was Wicked. In that book, after John dies, Francesca falls in love with Michael.

In the scene in which the two women meet, a newlywed Francesca appears flustered and starstruck by Michaela, causing her to stumble over her words and struggle to maintain eye contact with the new character. 

Sapphic romance in Bridgerton confirmed to be coming (maybe), so watch this space!

Dodd has spoken openly about what music she would like to see in the show, which is well-known for adapting modern pop tracks into instrumental covers.

“I want “Good Luck Babe!” by Chappell Roan. I’ve said it a million times and I’m going to keep saying it until it happens!” Dodd told British Vogue.

“It makes sense for Francesca,” she added.

Chappell Roan’s 2024 smash hit sapphic track is awash with feelings of yearning and guilt, within the theme of compulsory heterosexuality as it focuses on a female lover who cannot accept herself.

It is “about wishing good luck to someone who is denying fate”, the artist told Rolling Stone.

“I knew exactly what I wanted… I felt so much anger. I was so upset. It all came out and I didn’t add anything when I wrote it all done. It was a perfect storm,” she said.

Unsurprisingly, some people were unhappy that a show which features 99.9 per cent heterosexual couples would gender-swap a character so queer fans could get a crumb of representation.

In response, Quinn defended the change and highlighted her commitment to the world of Bridgerton becoming “more diverse and inclusive as the stories move from book to screen”.

“I trust Shondaland’s vision for Bridgerton, but I wanted to be sure that we could remain true to the spirit of the book and of the characters,” she continued, adding Francesca’s sapphic storyline will be “the most emotional and heart-wrenching story of the show”.