“The chemistry that people see on-screen was dependent on two people stepping up to what their characters had to portray in their storyline.
“I enjoyed my scene when Lord Anderson forgets his hat and meets Lady Violet – that was the first time they were in private together. They were both nervous and although they are mature people, it was as if they were floating into the unknown and curious of what their love would grow into.”
Francis was born and raised in Battersea, southwest London, to Jamaican parents.
He also highlighted the importance of showcasing and documenting black history on-screen.
“Storytelling has and will continue to shape our society. From the youngest age, we were told stories that helped form our identities, sense of self, and community. Storytelling is an important tool and when we see ourselves reflected in a certain light or manner, it impacts how we feel and see ourselves,” he said.
“For instance, when we see highly educated successful black people who hold a higher position in society, our psych tends to shift into the positive. It shows us, the black community, that it is possible to reach heights we never imagined.”
Daniel Francis delves into representing diverse love stories onscreen
'Marcus is such a multilayered character who made me push myself to emotions people see on the screen'
For Bridgerton heart-throb Daniel Francis, who is heating up the third season by romancing matriarchy Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell), age ain’t nothing but a number.
The 41-year-old British actor portrays Marcus Anderson on the Netflix show, the younger brother of Agatha Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) and love interest to Violet Bridgerton. Their romance has been seen as refreshing for Bridgerton viewers as the show is premised on the love story of the younger cast.
Francis began his career in theatre and over the years has slipped into character on TV shows such as Small Axe and Once Upon a Time.
The hopeless romantic, in an exclusive interview with SMag, opened up about the importance of representing and reflecting diverse love stories in modern storytelling regardless of age.
“It’s been an absolute joy to embody such a character. As an actor you always look out for the complexities of a character as it gives more of an interesting way to play it,” he said.
“Marcus is such a multilayered character who made me push myself to emotions people see on the screen.
“One of the wonderful things to discover about that era was how important it was to be [a] gentleman, a trait we don’t really see today which I think we [men] should bring back.”
Having been raised by his mother with his seven sisters, Francis prides himself on his chivalrous acts.
“I mean, I still open the door for a woman. I’m also conscious of making sure that whether I’m with a lady or a child, I’d be the one walking on the outside close to the road where cars pass by. To me, these are the things we need to bring back into practice,” he says,
Lord Anderson and Lady Violet's love story is one filled with complexities that are often imposed by the strict era they both lived in. Francis praised Gemmell for being a wonderful acting partner.
“As an actor, there is a limit you can reach. You fly as high as the person you are playing opposite. The joy I had acting alongside Ruth, who is a wonderful human with a beautiful heart,” he said.
“The chemistry that people see on-screen was dependent on two people stepping up to what their characters had to portray in their storyline.
“I enjoyed my scene when Lord Anderson forgets his hat and meets Lady Violet – that was the first time they were in private together. They were both nervous and although they are mature people, it was as if they were floating into the unknown and curious of what their love would grow into.”
Francis was born and raised in Battersea, southwest London, to Jamaican parents.
He also highlighted the importance of showcasing and documenting black history on-screen.
“Storytelling has and will continue to shape our society. From the youngest age, we were told stories that helped form our identities, sense of self, and community. Storytelling is an important tool and when we see ourselves reflected in a certain light or manner, it impacts how we feel and see ourselves,” he said.
“For instance, when we see highly educated successful black people who hold a higher position in society, our psych tends to shift into the positive. It shows us, the black community, that it is possible to reach heights we never imagined.”