Summary
- Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story features an ensemble cast and draws parallels between the struggles of Queen Charlotte and characters in the main Bridgerton series, making the story more accessible.
- Cyril Nri, who plays Lord Danbury, brings a theatrical energy and a hardened edge to the role, making him a perfect peripheral character who shines with limited screen time.
- Nri is best known for his role as Superintendent Okaro in The Bill and has also appeared in other notable projects, including Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker and The Witches. His performance in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is a strong first impression in the United States.
Like the rest of the cast of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story the performer who played Lord Danbury is an actor with plenty of recognizable credits. Debuting in 2023, Queen Charlotte is a prequel to the popular Netflix series Bridgerton and followed the titular queen during her younger years and marriage to King George of England. Praised for its subtle wit and anachronistic storytelling, Queen Charlotte has all the style of its parent series but also includes a much more dramatic storyline drawn directly from history. Also like its predecessor, the series employed a large ensemble of characters to flesh out the story.
Though the Shonda Rhimes-created series mostly focused on Queen Charlotte and her romance, the modern period piece series also employed a large array of figures in the main character's life which made things more interesting. Along with contemporizing ancient history, the series also made the story more accessible by drawing parallels between the struggles of a young Queen Charlotte with the problems encountered by characters in the main Bridgerton series. Characters like Lord Danbury weren't given a lot of time to shine, but the actor tapped to play the part offered a veteran presence that the role needed.
Cyril Nri Is The Lord Danbury Actor In Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
The role of Lord Herman Danbury required a harder edge than many of the characters seen in Bridgerton, and Cyril Nri was the perfect choice to bring the self-centered aristocrat to life. The Nigerian-born British actor has made a multi-decade career on both stage and screen, and is quite accomplished as a theatrical thespian. Going as far back as the early 1980s, Nri appeared in various staged productions of the plays of William Shakespeare, cut his teeth in shows like Julius Caesar, and even acted alongside Max Von Sydow in a production of The Tempest in 1988.
With years of experience under his belt by the time he arrived at the Lord Danbury part, the actor is well-equipped to play pseudo-villainous roles and is just grizzled enough to make a convincing heel. Often dismissing his young wife Agatha, Lord Danbury was never afraid to push her aside to improve his standing in King George's eyes. Much like a classic Shakespearean villain, Nri brings a certain theatrical energy to the part that makes him a perfect peripheral character who could shine with limited screen time.
Cyril Nri Is Best Known For Playing Superintendent Adam Okaro In The Bill
Among Cyril Nri's many screen credits, the Lord Danbury actor is perhaps best known for his turn as Superintendent Okaro in the long-running British series The Bill. Playing the role from 2002 to 2006, Nri had the opportunity to sink his teeth in the role, and brought the conflicted nature of Okaro to life brilliantly. Unlike the self-sure Danbury, Okaro was constantly conflicted about his life in the police force which made him all the more compelling. Cyril Nri's time on Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story wasn't the actor's only exposure in the States, and Nri appeared in big-budget American projects as well.
While his trip to Shondaland was perhaps his most notable appearance for American audiences, Nri also appeared in Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker as a background First Order officer. In 2020, Nri appeared as the Chief Doorman in the remake of The Witches, and he followed that up with a one-episode stint as Ojo on Amazon Prime Video's The Power in 2023. While he has yet to become a big star in the United States, Nri's turn on Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is certainly a strong first impression.