What Shonda Rhimes Thinks About Working With Rege-Jean Page
Showrunner Shonda Rhimes sure knows how to craft a hit series. From Grey's Anatomy to Scandal to How to Get Away With Murder, Rhimes dominated ABC's Thursday night programming for years. In 2017, Rhimes shockingly left network TV to sign an exclusive, multi-million dollar deal with Netflix.
Rhimes discussed her shift to the streaming platform with The Hollywood Reporter in 2020, reflecting on the moment when she told Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos that she was seeking more creative freedom outside of the confines of traditional television. "I just want to be in a place where I can make stuff and no one's going to bother me or make me feel like I'm beholden," Rhimes recalled saying to Sarandos. "The reason I came to Netflix is because I wanted to be able to make television without anybody bothering me," she explained. "And as long as I get to keep making television without anybody bothering me, I'm happy."
Of course, Rhimes' juggernaut series Bridgerton broke records. Based on a novel series of the same name, Bridgerton follows the lives of an elite English family in the 1800s. As fans wait for a Season 2, the actor who plays Bridgerton's Duke of Hastings, Regé-Jean Page, has snagged the spotlight as the hit show's breakout star. So what does Rhimes think of working with Page? Keep scrolling to find out!
Shonda Rhimes called Rege-Jean Page a 'rare actor'
As if Regé-Jean Page's good looks weren't enough, he's a damn fine actor too! His on-screen romance with costar Phoebe Dynevor ignited rumors of a real-life tryst, but both Page and Dynevor credit Rhimes' masterful direction as executive producer of the series for their chemistry.
Rhimes couldn't agree more, and she has sung the praises of working with Page. In a 2021 TIME100 Next List feature, Rhimes wrote a tribute to Page. "In reality, Regé-Jean Page is finer than fiction and better than any dream," she stated, as reported by E!. "He is that rare actor, one who brings an intensity, an intelligence and a precision to his work, providing endless depth to any scenes... Few actors craft their moments so beautifully — or steal our attention so quickly."
Rhimes looks to a bright future for newcomer Page. "Today, he may be our duke. By tomorrow... not even I can dream big enough to imagine," she concluded. The SAG-nominated Page just signed on for a lead role in Paramount's Dungeons & Dragons feature and is slated to host Saturday Night Live at the end of February 2021. Some fans are even calling on Page to be the next James Bond! Seems that Rhimes is right in saying the sky's the limit for this rising star.