All 5 ‘Bridgerton’ Leading Men, Ranked By Their Yearning Power
Bridgerton knows the power of a good yearn. Romance aficionados likely don’t need to be reminded of what yearning is in the context of the genre, but we’ll remind you anyway: It’s a deep, intense longing for someone that, for some reason or another, is unattainable. Maybe the object of a yearner’s affection doesn’t feel the same way, or they’re forbidden from being together, or they’re separated by forces beyond their control. Sometimes, it’s the yearner’s own fault that they push their beloved away, and yet, they still pine.
Bridgerton has offered different flavors of yearning over the past five seasons — including the Queen Charlotte spinoff — but it’s an indisputable fact that every single male and female lead is well-acquainted with the art of the yearn. For now, though, we’re focusing on the men. Season 1’s Duke Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page) kicks things off as a stellar tortured yearner. Season 2’s Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) brings the intensity, and Colin (Luke Newton) brings the obsessiveness (once he comes to his senses about his feelings). Luke Thompson‘s Benedict has the most forbidden romance so far, while King George (Corey Mylchreest) has the most tragic yearning of all.
They all bring something unique to the table, and they all know what they’re doing, but we’re still going to attempt to rank the Bridgerton men by the power of their yearn. There are many factors to consider: the power of their longing gaze, how drawn out their yearning is, how resistant their love interest is to their affections, and more. Let us know who your favorite Bridgerton yearner is in the comments at the end of the page.
Bridgerton, Seasons 1-4, Streaming Now, Netflix
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, Streaming Now, Netflix
5. Colin Bridgerton
Sorry to Colin and his stellar puppy dog eyes. When he does realize he loves Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) — let’s be real, Penelope is the real top-tier yearner in this scenario — Colin has the angsty yearning down. The fact of the matter is, he simply doesn’t yearn for very long. He doesn’t realize that he has more than friendly feelings until Season 3’s Episode 4 — and that same episode, he goes after what he wants. (Props to Colin for not wasting any more time.) Penelope, down bad as she is for Colin, immediately reciprocates his interest, so there’s no hurdle there either. All of that is reflected in Colin’s placement on our list. (We still love him!)
4. King George
George, as mentioned, has the most painful yearning of all the men. It takes a second for it to ramp up, with his marriage to Charlotte (India Amarteifio) being arranged. As they get to know each other and he falls for his new wife, who supports him through his mental health struggles, George pushes Charlotte away. When Charlotte asks him to fight for her, he refuses, thinking he isn’t good enough for her. But when Charlotte realizes what’s going on, she refuses to let George keep his walls up. She returns his love with no hesitation, regardless of his condition. Since George’s love is returned quickly, he’s a bit lower on the list, but he ranks highly on the yearning scale overall.
3. Simon Basset
Like George, Simon desperately tries to mask his yearning. He’s great at it, fooling Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) into thinking he’s uninterested. (Hence, Daphne being responsible for most of the progress made in their relationship, particularly with the “I burn for you” confession.) But we all know that yearning is all in the eyes, and even as Simon fights his feelings, his longing gaze doesn’t lie. The forbidden factor also contributes to his yearning, though he’s mostly responsible for the forbiddenness. Daphne is obviously interested him, but he can’t let himself fall for her. Simon’s pining is rooted in his emotional trauma with his father and his vow to never marry and continue his family line. Peak yearnalism.
2. Anthony Bridgerton
Anthony, you were firmly in our top spot until your younger brother dethroned you. (They’re very nearly tied.) Anthony’s brand of yearning for Kate (Simone Ashley) stands apart from all the others in that he’s almost feral with it, when it does occasionally slip out from behind his stoic facade. Enemies-to-lovers always produces stellar angst, and when Anthony does finally stop running from his feelings for Kate, she still keeps him at arm’s length. In this case, the forbiddenness comes from the Edwina (Charithra Chandran) of it all. Not only does Anthony yearn for Kate while he’s intent on marrying her sister, but even when Edwina calls off their wedding, Kate doesn’t allow herself to feel anything for Anthony. Even after they hook up. Her rejection sets Anthony up for some unbelievable longing. I mean, that sniffing moment? Come on.
1. Benedict Bridgerton
Trust the artist in the family to deliver the best yearning in all of Bridgerton. In Season 4, Benedict yearns not once, but twice for Sophie (Yerin Ha) — first as the mysterious Lady in Silver, and eventually as her true self. As much as Benedict pines for the Lady in Silver, as proven by the sheer number of times he draws her portrait, it’s his yearning for maid Sophie that really hits. Especially because, aside from Kate, Sophie is the most reluctant female Bridgerton character to return her love interest’s affections. She turns down his mistress offer, and even when Benedict offers to give up everything for their love and marry her, she nearly skips town. The premise produces a seriously down bad Benedict, who doesn’t once stop his pursuit. He’s the most in touch with his emotions out of all the leading men, creating the best, most obvious, and most romantic yearning.
