Phoebe Dynevor Appreciates A Slow Burn

The early 2020s promised Phoebe Dynevor the kind of breakthrough that young actors dream of. But think back to Christmas Day 2020, when Bridgerton premiered to a socially distanced world. There were neither red carpets nor worldwide press tours. Three years later, her next major project, the lauded erotic thriller Fair Play, arrived in the middle of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, so actors weren’t promoting their work. Which is all to say it’s been an unconventional breakout by Hollywood standards.

“It’s been almost like a slow burn in that way, learning how to be in the public eye and promote things,” Dynevor, 29, tells Bustle. “But I think that’s healthy, being able to adapt and learn so much and not be kind of thrust straight into the public eye. I’m grateful for it in many ways.”

Next up is the spy thriller Inheritance (Jan. 24), which follows Dynevor’s character, Maya, after her estranged father enlists her help on a dangerous international rescue. The scrappy mission might seem a far cry from the romance of the ton, but Dynevor says her two favorite genres have something in common.

“Sexual tension is very similar to building tension in a thriller or a spy genre,” says the actor, who made her debut at age 14 in the British school drama Waterloo Road. “It’s [part of] acting and keeping the scene alive. To have chemistry with someone on screen, there is a certain tension that has to happen.”

Below, Dynevor — who’s finally doing the press she’s long deserved — opens up about filming on an iPhone, the Bridgerton fandom, and a dream role.

What drew you to Inheritance?

I grew up loving thrillers and spy movies and always hoped to do one. When Neil [Burger, director and co-writer] pitched me this movie and talked about how it would be filmed on iPhones, it felt like such an immersive experience. I was looking for a challenge. [Editor’s note: The director filmed the entire movie on his iPhone 13.]

What is something you’re particularly proud of from filming?

We started in New York, then Cairo, then India, and then we ended in Seoul. There were so many times when we’d only have one take, whether it was walking through airport security, which was real airport security, or being in the streets of India on the back of a motorbike weaving through real Delhi traffic. There are so many moments that I look back on, like, Wow, we were really doing that.

Maya makes a bold choice at the end of Inheritance. Is there a similar time in your career when you stood up for yourself?

Unfortunately, the industry I’m in is quite selfish. If you’re an actor, you’re leaving your loved ones for months at a time to film. There’s a lot of putting yourself first. I try to find ways to avoid doing that.

But saying no is a really powerful tool. For so much of my career, I was fighting for work, doing many auditions, and just hoping someone would hire me. And then the tables turned, and I started getting offered things, and I realized I had the ability to say no. That was a learning curve. I’m turning 30 this year, and I feel, for the first time, very much like a woman. I’m trying to let go of people-pleasing.

You’re probably used to questions about the next season of Bridgerton. What’s your relationship to that aspect of the fandom like?

I had the best experience on that show. I truly love to talk about it. I love the fandom, and I love the people I worked with. We had the best time. I’d love to have been there the whole time, but I had to pass on the baton. That’s how the show works. If they give me a call and want me to do something, I’m ready for that. I’m waiting for it. I’m not sure how Daphne would appear now, but I loved playing her.

You reunited with a few Bridgerton co-stars at the Met Gala last year. Have you had a chance to see Jonathan Bailey in Wicked?

Oh my God, of course I did! I went as soon as it came out. He’s such a special person. I could talk about Johnny Bailey for literally this whole interview. He’s so great in that role because in real life, he truly does light up a room, and Fiyero is like that.

What else are you watching these days?

I don’t watch much reality TV, which I probably should. I hear that it’s really good for switching off. But I watched The Penguin recently, and I loved that. I loved the fact that Colin Farrell had that transformation. I would love to play a character who looks completely different from what I look like in real life.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.