PROFILE
Not many actors can say their first TV role was watched by 82 million people, but Bridgerton’s breakout star Martins Imhangbe is set on keeping up the momentum
Many actors spend years waiting for their big break, resigned to the fact that, realistically, that one life-changing, career-making opportunity could be years – and many smaller opportunities – down the line. But then there are also the envied few. Martins Imhangbe, whose first-ever television role was in Netflix’s record-breaking period drama Bridgerton – its release propelling the newcomer’s face into an astounding 82m households within its first 28 days alone – is still in disbelief.
‘It just came in this huge way,’ he laughs. ‘I never saw it coming. I thought I would work my way up a little bit and do the guest appearances here and there, but it just happened this way.’
This month, the 32-year-old British-Nigerian actor returns to our screens in the show’s highly anticipated third season. First released during the depths of the second 2020 lockdown, Shonda Rhimes’ high society drama series had the biggest-ever debut for an original series on any streaming service. Imhangbe’s character, Will Mondrich, a boxer-turned-gentleman’s club owner, has a much bigger storyline this season, which explores his family inheriting noble titles and the challenges that come with that.
‘It feels like it’s the gift that keeps on giving, if I’m honest,’ he says as we talk over Zoom, a warm smile stretching from ear to ear as he reclines back in his chair. ‘My character isn’t in the books, so from season one, I was only meant to be in a couple of episodes and then it kind of just grew into multiple seasons. My character keeps evolving, so the fact that we’ve made so much space for him is beautiful to me.’
Gracious and soft-spoken, Imhangbe smiles easily and often. You get the sense that he’s not just going along for the ride, but that every single one of his choices – whether it’s his responses in our conversation or the roles he’s stepped into – are intentional and carefully considered. Take Bridgerton, which has been celebrated for its striking race-conscious casting, when many other period dramas have eschewed any sort of diversity. ‘I was very much in awe of how they’ve managed to weave all these storylines together,’ says Imhangbe proudly. ‘We also have British Sign Language in the show. It’s nice to know you’re part of something that appreciates life and the world. There’s something in it for ever yone, so whoever’s watching – it could be my mum, it could be my nieces – they find themselves within the series.’
This season, Will Mondrich and his family find themselves
