Emma Naomi
in Netflix
Series
Bridgerton
Photography | Sylvain Homo
Stylist | Yasmine Sabri
Interview by Stella Hofferman
Emma Naomi sparkles in Netflix and Shondaland’s hit series Bridgerton as Alice Mondrich–a caring wife and mother, but more importantly, a fearless, outspoken character and series standout. The historical romance’s third installment features Alice and her family as they adjust to their new life of fortune following their young child’s unexpected inheritance by a distant relative. Season three of Bridgerton has accumulated an audience watchtime of over 786 million hours, making it currently Netflix’s sixth most-watched television show on the platform. Outside of Bridgerton, Emma Naomi plays a recurring character in ITV’s Professor T, and in 2022 won a National Film Award for her performance. In addition to her on-screen roles, the 31-year-old is also an experienced theater actress, having performed in shows at the National Theater and Bristol Old Vic.
Knit jacket: Missoni, Earrings: Dinosaur Designs
Shirt: Maison Margiela, Trousers: MM6 Maison Margiela available at Layerslondon.com, Bodysuit: Sinéad O’Dwyer, Earrings: Giovanni Raspini, Shoes: Santoni
SH: You star in Bridgerton, the hit Netflix-original series adapted from a series of romance novels by Julia Quinn. If you had the choice to adapt any novel into a series or movie, what would it be?
EN: Giovanni’s Room (James Baldwin) or A Little Life (Hanya Yanagihara).
SH: What has it been like seeing the life of your character, Alice, develop so drastically since her first appearance in Bridgerton several years ago?
EN: Well, it was a total surprise. I hadn’t expected Alice’s trajectory to move in this way. What’s great about the Mondrichs is that they aren’t in the books so we can’t preempt anything.
Denim blouse & chain belt: Chanel, Skirt & shoes: Patrick McDowell, Bangles: Dinosaur Designs, Earrings: Georg Jensen
SH: What do you hope to see from Alice in the next season of Bridgerton?
EN: I would like to know more about Will and Alice’s past. Who were they before they met? How did they fall in love?
SH: As an experienced theater actress as well as a film/television actress, what is the biggest adjustment you have to make when switching in between the stage and the screen?
EN: I’m more comfortable in the theater. The biggest adjustment I’m learning to make is adapting to less rehearsal time, yet being open to whatever comes up. In theater you have 5-6 weeks to figure out, then an additional 4-12 weeks to play in every run.
Suit & scarf: Amiri, Shoes: Chanel, Earrings: Georg Jensen
SH: What are some interests that you have outside of acting that audiences might not know about?
EN: I love to read, visit coffee shops, and travel. I love high intensity workouts to music, like step-aerobics or Zumba.
SH: How do you practice self-care?
EN: I see working out as a very important part of self-care: yoga, pilates, saunas etc. Who doesn’t love a little face or hair mask every now and then?
SH: If you could only bring three skin/hair-care products with you to a deserted island, what would they be?
EN: Cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen!
SH: Do you have any future projects coming up that you can tell us about?
EN: Nothing I can tell you about at the moment, but there’s a project coming up I’m very excited about.
Photography
Sylvain Homo
Creative Director
Deborah Ferguson
Stylist
Yasmine Sabri