Exclusive Interview
‘Bridgerton’s Michelle Mao Talks Dream Book Adaptations Roles: ‘Twisted Love’ & More
What To Know
- Michelle Mao recently starred as Rosamund Li in Bridgerton Season 4.
- She revealed to Swooon that she would love to play Ava in Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of Ana Huang’s Twisted Love.
- Mao became a fan of the Twisted Love series after Swooon featured her in our dream cast.
“Netflix, if you guys are holding auditions, you know where to find me,” Bridgerton actress Michelle Mao told Swooon. “You already have my email.”
Now that Bridgerton Season 4 has come to an end, certified romance reader Michelle Mao sat down with Swooon to reveal her dream roles in potential book-to-screen adaptations. From Ana Huang‘s Twisted Love to Sarah J. Maas‘ A Court of Thorns and Roses, the Rosamund Li actress did not disappoint with her bookish bucket list. The only question is: What beloved romance character will Michelle Mao take on next?
Well, if you ask us here at Swooon, there’s one role we think is perfect for Mao. That, of course, is Ava Chen in Huang’s upcoming Twisted Love adaptation. During an October 2025 interview with Huang, she revealed to Swooon that they’re currently working on the script for Season 1 of the Netflix series, which means that auditions could roll around any day now.
In February 2025, when the adaptation was announced, Swooon published a dream cast for Twisted Love, with Mao leading our cast as the heroine from the first book, Ava Chen. According to Mao, that’s actually how she found out about Huang’s series. “I have to say thank you, personally,” she told Swooon. “Because when I was sent that article, a year ago, I was completely fascinated, like, what is this Twisted Love adaptation? Who is Ava Chen?”
After she read our dream cast, Mao picked up a full copy of the billionaire romance series, and the rest was history. “Being so gripped by these characters, in a way, I wish that I had not [read the books] because now I want it so badly,” she confessed. “There are many similarities that I see between me and Ava Chen. And I’m so honored that, when literally nobody knew who I was, you had so much faith in me to bring that character to life. After reading the book, she’s so complex, and she goes through so much that I’m like, wow, that’s a lot of faith in my acting abilities, and so I really appreciate that.”
View this post on Instagram
So, will Mao put her hat in the ring for the role? Here’s what she said: “If there were rumblings of movement on that end with the Twisted Love adaptation on Netflix, I would, for sure, be like, ‘Hey, I’m here. Sign me up. I’m sending in a tape.’ I would love to [audition], you know? Hit me up! Netflix, if you guys are holding auditions, you know where to find me. You already have my email.” That being said, as a major fan of the series, Mao explained, “I’m sure that whoever ends up playing Ava is going to do amazing.”
Of course, Twisted Love isn’t the only book-to-screen adaptation on Mao’s radar. After Netflix swept viewers off their feet with People We Meet on Vacation, Mao revealed, “I would love to be in something by Emily Henry. They would definitely have to take some liberties with the outward description of the character. But I think that, you know, if Bridgerton is able to do that, I think more romance adaptations should do that, and it would be awesome.”
“I don’t know if they’re still doing that anymore, but maybe ACOTAR,” she continued, bringing up the Sarah J. Maas romantasy. “I just think that would be such an insane world to step into. And literally, I’ll be like a side character. I’ll be like a tiny character on the side. I don’t care. I think it would just be so amazing to be a part of that vast world.”
Whether we see Mao on our screens again in Twisted Love, the EmHen Universe, or a different role altogether, it’s clear that the Bridgerton breakout star is just getting started!
Bridgerton, Season 4, Streaming Now, Netflix
