Bridgerton heartthrob Jonathan Bailey has sent fans into a frenzy after hinting he’s back on the dating scene. In a recent appearance on Chicken Shop Date with Amelia Dimoldenberg, the actor casually revealed he’s “available,” despite her assumption that he was taken.
“I’m available. It’s just, I think there’s a genetic predisposition,” he quipped, keeping the mood light and mysterious.
When asked whether starring in the steamy Netflix hit Bridgerton made him better at romance, Jonathan was quick to shut it down:
“No! It’s a fantasy, isn’t it? Romance is grounded and real.”
From Almost Quitting to Global Stardom
Bailey, who came out as gay in 2018, also opened up about nearly skipping the audition that changed his life. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he revealed he was burnt out and on the verge of taking a break from acting.
“I got sent it and I nearly didn’t audition. At that time, I was really done. I just needed to go and experience the world.”
But the moment he read the Bridgerton script, everything shifted.
“I remember just being like, ‘Wow, this is going to be massive.’”
Breaking Barriers in Hollywood
Since landing the role of Lord Anthony Bridgerton, Bailey has soared, with major roles in Wicked and the upcoming Jurassic World: Rebirth. Alongside his career success, he’s become a voice for LGBTQ+ representation in film.
“You have to unlearn a lot of narratives about yourself that an industry tells you. Being an out gay actor, historically, meant that you wouldn’t be able to play straight — and there weren’t any gay parts to play, anyway. That’s obviously changed, massively.”
Now, Bailey is committed to smashing stereotypes and broadening the scope of what gay actors can do in Hollywood.
“Any sort of sense of prejudice against sexuality is something to fight against, and what better way to do that than to go and play any kind of character?”
From romantic Regency duke to action star, Jonathan Bailey is proving there’s no limit to what he can do — both on screen and in real life. And yes, he’s very much single.
