One of the best surprises in Bridgerton Season 3 Part 1 was the reveal that the mystery man so silently smitten with Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) was none other than John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin (Victor Alli)! Ardent fans of Julia Quinn’s original eight Bridgerton romance novels would have immediately realized the character’s massive significance to Francesca’s book, When He Was Wicked, aka Book 6. However, the impact of this reveal might have well gone over casual fans of the Netflix show’s heads.
**Spoilers for Bridgerton Season 3 Part 1 and MASSIVE SPOILERS for Julia Quinn’s book, When He Was Wicked, Ahead**
Okay, so the biggest John Stirling spoilers in the world here, but in the books, the Earl of Kilmartin is Francesca’s first husband. He dies tragically early in their marriage of what appears to be only a headache, but modern neurological experts would recognize as a stroke or brain aneurysm. The loss is horrific for both Francesca and John’s best friend, cousin, and heir, Michael Stirling. Further fueling the drama is the fact that Michael, known throughout London society as the “Merry Rake” for his scandalous sex life is secretly, madly, devotedly in love with Francesca!!!
So when Victor Alli’s version of John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin first catches Francesca’s eye at a ball and later woos her with a gallant gift of sheet music, Bridgerton book fans realized they were potentially getting to see how Francesca’s story began. (Quinn’s book opens two years into the couple’s happy marriage, on the literal day it all shatters.)
Of course, Bridgerton showrunner Jess Brownell and her writers have been playing fast and loose with the source material. Bridgerton Season 3 is actually an adaptation of Quinn’s fourth novel. Not only that, but characters like Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen), Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), and Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) have been given super different storylines this season than you’ll find in the books.
So it’s totally possible that John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin won’t die. Heck, he might not even get to marry Francesca! It’s all up in the air! ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN!
“I don’t know what’s gonna happen,” Bridgerton star Victor Alli confessed to Decider during a Zoom conversation this week. “I actually have no idea what they’re planning on doing with my cousin. So, yeah, we’ll see.”
We’ll have to tune into Bridgerton Season 3 Part 2 on June 13 to find out! That said, Alli stumped hard for John and Francesca’s love story while also admitting he was clued in early on by production that his character dies in the books. (Something he’s yet to tell his friends or family, however.) Alli also shared his thoughts on the fan theory that Francesca has autism and teased the charming reason why John was able to so perfectly get Frannie’s dream musical composition down on paper…
DECIDER: I’m a huge fan of Bridgerton and I’ve read all the books. So when your character revealed his name, I literally screamed because it made me so excited. At what point did you find out you were playing John Stirling? And at what point did they clue you in on his role in the larger Bridgerton saga?
VICTOR ALLI: So when I first auditioned, I didn’t [know]. I went up for a character — I think they changed the names in the script — and so they wrote this name, like “James.” And so when I then did the chemistry read, it was then revealed to me that I’m playing this character called John. John Stirling. And I’m going to be meeting Francesca, played by Hannah Dodd.
I just googled John. I was like, “Okay, he’s a book character. Who is he? And he’s got a cousin and, you know, he’s the Earl of Kilmartin and whatever.” And yeah, it was quite early on, actually. And I came across sort of stories about him and I then got a hold of the book and sort of read parts of some of the other books, but then, When He Was Wicked was obviously the book he’s in.
“I’m excited for my cousin to come. I’m so excited. Yeah, there’s been a lot of talk about my cousin.”
But yeah, it was pretty interesting sort of being part of a project and being part of a story where the characters are real in these books. He’s not, like, made up, he’s not written about in the season. He’s actually an existing character in the book. So that was quite scary as well because people have read the books. They know what’s gonna happen. What’s amazing about reading a book is that you start to learn more about the characters, you know, you get attached to them. You sort of make your own connections with them.
And so yeah, John. Yeah. Long story short, but I found out about John really, really early on in the audition process.
Speaking of your chemistry with Hannah Dodd, it’s so cute to watch. Your characters’ meet cute is literally so cute. It’s just like two shy people finding each other. How were you guys able to capture that initial spark without a lot of dialogue or even looking at each other?
I really loved it. I loved those scenes so much because, I think like you said, as actors, we think that we have to speak to sort of communicate. Obviously, it is a way of communicating, but also I found so much joy in just not saying anything, but still saying so much. You know, through body language? And I think that’s how we were able to communicate, through our body language. We knew what we were communicating. And also, the audience get to sort of fill in the blanks as well. So everyone is involved in that dynamic, which is quite nice. And I didn’t have to learn lines.
To me, Francesca and John just read as two introverts who find each other. Some fans have been wondering if Francesca’s on the spectrum. Did you talk about that? How did you see the characters and their connection?
I didn’t know that. No, I’ve never read that. I’ve never come across that. No, we’ve never actually considered [that]. I haven’t been anyway.
But what I love about their relationship is that it’s so real. There are people out there who are just really shy. And there are people who are so front-footed and really, really extroverted and really on it and really forward. You know, some people meet for the first time and there are fireworks and there’s clothes being ripped off. But actually, John and Fran, they’re just really, really sort of tender and precious. When I read it, anyway, it just really drew me in because I thought, “Wow, like they’ve got something special.” The more I’m reading the script and how it evolves, it’s like of course it’s one of those relationships. There’s two people who are really, really shy. They really, really like each other. There is no pressure for them to sort of do what the other couples have done. They’ve taken their time and they’re not afraid to sort of continue in that stead, which is nice.
You mentioned they don’t have to make big gestures, but the sheet music gift is a big gesture.
That was a big gesture, wasn’t it?
Where do you think he got the idea for that? And, like, I was dazzled that he was able to catch all the details she was saying about the music and get it transcribed so quickly!
Yeah, but that’s the thing and I think that that’s what’s so special about them. John, I think he’s able to — he’s so awkward, as well. Like, in that scene when they meet outside, she’s really sort of like, “You know, it was nice to see you!!” And he’s like, “Yeah. [Shrugs] I don’t really care about those events. It’s not really my thing, but, hey, I’ll turn up.” But also, he’s really, really thoughtful. He’s got a weird way of expressing it.
You know, he hears everything she’s saying, and he’s thinking, “Okay, I’ve got to make it right.” He goes off. But he doesn’t realize that he’s left her there without saying anything. [Chuckles] Which I think is really, really sweet and so awkward and so funny. But again, it’s so forgivable. She’s so swept away when he does that gesture.
And how he’s able to do that? I think he’s a musician. I think we’re going to see John playing some music at some point. Who knows? I think he can’t not, like, rearrange music and not be a musician. I mean, come on. I think John plays at least like five different instruments, if I do say so myself.
Well, he seems to make no bones about pursuing Francesca. Do you think that he came to London with marriage in mind, or it just kind of swept him off his feet, too?
Yeah, I think it did sweep him off his feet, I do. You know, it’s been quite hard answering this question, because I say that, and as soon as I say that, I feel like, “No, actually, maybe he did have, at the back of his mind, the idea of marriage.” But he just sort of tucked it away and thought, “I’m not going to think about it. If it happens, it happens.” And I think that when he finally met Francesca for the first time outside the ball, I think the thought of marriage came. It sort of flashed in his mind. And he thought, “Oh, yes, marriage. I do need to get married, but I don’t know. This young woman seems quite pleasant. We’re not speaking, but we seem to be connecting.”
“I think we’re going to see John playing some music at some point… I think John plays at least like five different instruments, if I do say so myself.”
So I think he is thinking about it, but it’s not at the forefront. When he does meet Francesca, I think he starts to think about it a lot more. Hence why the following day, he just goes to her house without announcing it. He just sort of goes. And he goes against the grain, which is what I love. He goes against the tradition of the town and how things are meant to happen, He just goes against the expectations and the norms of society.
This is getting into spoiler territory, but I’m sure everyone is asking you about Michael Stirling. Can you tease anything? Are we going to see him this season? Are you excited to build that relationship with an actor? Because that’s also kind of a platonic love story between two brother-like cousins.
I’m excited for my cousin to come. I’m so excited. Yeah, there’s been a lot of talk about my cousin, and yeah, I’m just really excited for them to come.
I don’t know what’s gonna happen. I actually have no idea what they’re planning on doing with my cousin. So, yeah, we’ll see. We’ll see. I can’t even, I don’t even know, but yeah, I’m really excited. Yeah, that’d be fun. That’d be a nice sort of dynamic, the three of us. We’ll see how that works. How that pans out. You know, there might be fists or there might be arms of joy and hugs and love, but we’ll see.
This might be a silly question, but, you know, “John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin” is a very Scottish name. Was there ever a discussion about you having a Scottish accent versus the standard Queen’s English accent?
Yeah, I went into the audition with a Scottish accent. No, I’m playing! No. I thought, “Okay, I’m not Scottish.” And I thought a lot of people would have an opinion about that, and I didn’t obviously want to offend anyone. But the team and the guys — the writers and everyone and Jess [Brownell] and the whole team — they were really supportive. They thought, “No, we’re going somewhere different with John.” Yeah, his background is Scottish, but that’s as far as it goes. It doesn’t have to have a Scottish accent. It doesn’t have to look like a Scotsman, whatever that looks like. They were really supportive. And what I love about them — and Netflix and Shonda and Bridgerton as a whole — they’re always sort of challenging a perception of these characters that we’re playing. They’re sort of saying, “Okay, we have this character. But what if we did this? What if, Kate Sharma, take her away from the books and she’s from an Indian background? What if you made John a Black man?” Which is really, really cool. I like the fact that they’re sort of always challenging themselves and challenging the audience and getting people to see things from different perspectives, which I’m all for.
I’ve already seen some pretty amazing fan edits of John and Francesca on social media. Many set to very sad Taylor Swift songs. Have your friends and family shared any of these with you? Are you kept abreast of what the fans think?
Listen, my family and friends — yes, they’re my family and friends — but I don’t think they’re as, I think they’re just going with the flow. They’re just watching the episodes. I don’t think they’ve seen any of the art. I think some of them have seen things on TikTok, but I don’t know if anyone of them know that at some point I don’t even exist anymore. [laughing] I don’t think they know the fate of my character. They’re just sort of like reveling in the moment.
I think I might tell them at some point that my character does pass away. But, hey, they might laugh at me and say, “What did he die of?” [sighs] “A headache.”
Bridgerton Season 3 Part 1 is now streaming on Netflix. Bridgerton Season 3 Part 2 will premiere on Thursday, June 13.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
