Yerin Ha on Her Character’s Surname Change from Beckett to Baek in Bridgerton Season 4
The main characters leading the fourth season of Bridgerton will be Luke Thompson’s Benedict and Yerin Ha’s Sophie Baek. Sophie’s casting as the love interest of the second Bridgerton son brought new dimensions to the original character from Julia Quinn’s novel An Offer from a Gentleman. The story follows Benedict’s romance with a servant, Sophie Beckett.
The decision to change the character’s surname to honor Yerin Ha’s Korean heritage was a creative one. Ha, known for her role in Dune: Prophecy, discussed this departure from the source material with Netflix’s Tudum. “A name is a significant part of identity, and changing it can be empowering,” she said. Ha praised showrunner Jess Brownell for shaping Sophie into a character that felt authentic to her. “It allows me to truly make the role my own rather than fitting into a predetermined mold,” she added.
Sophie is portrayed as a clever woman who has worked as a maid her whole life. When she attends Violet Bridgerton’s masquerade disguised and meets Benedict, her life takes a dramatic turn, setting the stage for a grand love story.
“What intrigued me about Sophie was her ability to overcome obstacles and challenges, whether related to her social status or hiding her feelings from Benedict,” Ha explained. She delved into Sophie’s emotional journey and the symbolic significance of the mask in her life.
Exploring questions like “When does Sophie wear a mask to conceal her emotions? And when does she remove it to show vulnerability?” has been “really enjoyable” for her. Benedict, in previous seasons, has been on a journey of self-exploration, pursuing artistic and other pleasures. However, his disinterest in marriage was a constant. With Sophie’s entry into his life, Benedict’s beliefs will undergo a complete transformation as he falls in love with a mysterious woman he meets at his mother’s ball.
Bridgerton is available for streaming on Netflix.