How Regé-Jean Page Really Feels About Leaving Bridgerton

Regé-Jean Page arguably created chaos globally in April by announcing he would not return for "Bridgerton" Season 2. Page, who played Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, was a big reason the Regency-era series was a hit. Page is now revealing how we really feels about leaving Netflix's "Bridgerton" ... and what's next for him (hint: a lot).

The British-Zimbabwean actor explained to Variety in a May cover story that his gig on Netflix's Regency romance drama was only planned for one season. Page said, "Simon was this bomb of a one-season antagonist, to be reformed and to find his true self through Daphne. I think one of the bravest things about the romance genre is allowing people a happy ending."

Meanwhile, Shonda Rhimes, who is responsible for making Page a global star, has continued to sing his praises. On TIME's 100 Next List, Rhimes wrote, "Regé-Jean Page is finer than fiction and better than any dream. He is that rare actor, one who brings an intensity, an intelligence, and a precision to his work, providing endless depth to any scene...Regé is a singular talent whose prospects are limitless." 

All that may be, but keep reading to learn more about how Page feels about leaving "Bridgerton."

In his interview with Variety, Regé-Jean Page made it clear leaving "Bridgerton" wasn't exactly easy. He compared it to graduating from high school. Page told the outlet, "You're afraid of the unknown, thinking, 'Oh, my God, I'm never going to make friends as good as the ones I have,' and then you do."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Page just finished work on "The Gray Man," starring Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling. Marvel wizards Anthony and Joe Russo Brothers are the directors of the action film, which has a budget of $200 million. "The freakiest thing about working on a Russo set is that the standards are so insanely high for everyone in every department that they don't police you through stuff," Page told Variety. "They're like, 'Here's this insanely difficult thing; do it.' And then they just expect you to be able to do it, because they don't hire folks who can't."

Page also revealed to Variety that he was shooting "Dungeons and Dragons" with Chris Pine, Hugh Grant, and other stars. "It's a brilliant job. I'm literally paying my mortgage by fighting imaginary dragons." Page is living his best life, telling the outlet, "I want everything I do to be as sexy as 'Bridgerton,' just in different ways." 

Clearly, he's saying goodbye to one project, and hello to some huge opportunities.