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Cressida and Eloise in Bridgerton Season 3
Cressida and Eloise in Bridgerton Season 3
@bridgertonnetflix
Culture > Entertainment

So, Um, ‘Bridgerton’s Eloise & Cressida Are Friends Now?!

Eileen Flaherty

Dear reader, the day has finally arrived. Light your favorite Bath & Body Works candle from the Bridgerton collection and pour yourself a cup of tea, as you prepare for Season 3 of Bridgerton. On April 11, Netflix released the official trailer and this new season looks like it’s full of steamy romances, new friendships, and of course, some surprises.

One of the biggest shockers from the trailer was that it looks like Eloise (Claudia Jessie) and Cressida (Jessica Madsen) had squashed their beef and are now besties. WTF?

The trailer shows Eloise and Cressida walking together as Penelope watches from a distance. Looks like there’s bound to be some drama here, and I’m really wondering how this will all play out. 

If you need a refresher, allow me to fill you in, because it’s been a while. ICYMI, Cressida and Eloise previously had beef because Cressida threatened to expose some information about Daphne Bridgerton (Eloise’s sister) and Simon in Season 1. 

This friendship is unique to the Bridgerton Netflix series, as it is not in the Julia Quinn-written novels. However, according to an April 11 interview with Vanity Fair, new series showrunner, Jess Brownell, said this friendship is an “opportunity to get to know Cressida a little bit more.”

 

Brownell also explained that highlighting Cressida’s story more will show why she is the way she is. “I love a mean-girl character, but even more, I love understanding why a mean girl is a mean girl,” she told Vanity Fair. “Because mean girls are not born, they’re made. You have Cressida, who has been this queen bee all along—but three years in without a husband, I think there’s some room for reflection with her. You’re going to see some new sides from her this year, and understand why she is the way she is.” 

Season 3 will also give a glimpse into Cressida’s home life, largely shaped by her success in the marriage market. But things for her get messy this season. Cressida is competing against Penelope for the love of Lord Debling (Sam Phillips), a new character this season. Brownell said, “For the last two seasons, there’s been this rivalry between Penelope and Cressida. It felt like we wanted that to come to a head this season.” 

I’m so ready to learn more about Cressida, and I also can’t wait to see how her friendship with Eloise will play out. 

Eileen is a senior at Fairfield University who is studying Communications with minors in English, Professional Writing, and Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies. She has a passion for magazine writing and hopes to pursue a career in the field. Eileen is the Entertainment & Culture Intern at Her Campus where she covers all things pop culture, entertainment, and internet trends. Eileen was formerly a National Writer for Her Campus from April 2023 - January 2024. Eileen is one of the Campus Correspondents (CCs) at Her Campus' Fairfield University chapter. She oversees the entire chapter and works with her other CC to curate ideas and events for HCFU. She also mentors and trains the editorial team and helps create content and boost engagement alongside the social media team. In her free time, you can find Eileen creating new Spotify playlists, getting a sweet treat with friends, or obsessing over Taylor Swift. If she isn’t doing that, you’ll likely find Eileen with her six best friends from school talking about their “Big Three”: "Normal People," their favorite "Dancing With The Stars" performances, and Greta Gerwig's "Little Women."