Jeffrey Epstein
Googled By Guard Mere Minutes Before Death

Published
March 7, 2026
1:20 PM PST

Although some movies proved popular at the 2025 box office, many more struggled to earn financial success. The likes of Captain America: Brave New World and the live-action Snow White were notable failures in the first half of the year, with the Jared Leto-led Tron: Ares, Edgar Wright‘s The Running Man, and more fading into box office obscurity in the second half. However, few films were as unpopular with theatergoers as James L. Brooks‘ latest directorial effort, Ella McCay.

So poor was Ella McCay‘s initial U.S. run that it reportedly was pulled from the French theatrical lineup ahead of its scheduled January 7 release. This is all despite having an eye-catching central cast, with the likes of Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson, Spike Fearn, Jack Lowden, Kumail Nanjiani, Ayo Edebiri, and more, supporting star Emma Mackey of Sex Education fame. Alas, the movie bombed, earning just $4.5 million worldwide against a reported $35 million budget and becoming one of Disney’s most disappointing commercial efforts of the year.

Since its release on streaming, Ella McCay has found redemption and been a mainstay in the charts. Having made its debut on February 5, the film rose up the ranks and managed to fight off popular rivals in a way its theatrical run never could. However, all good things come to an end, and Ella McCay has found itself clinging to the bottom place on the Hulu charts in the U.S., at the time of writing. A synopsis for the movie reads:

“Ella McCay follows an idealistic young woman juggling her less-than-perfect family with her passion for her work. From writer-director James L. Brooks, this fresh and heartwarming comedy is about the people you love and how to survive them.”

Related

The People’s Choice Awards-iversary — The Collider TV Quiz!

On this date in 1975, the first-ever People’s Choice Awards ceremony was held. Here are some notable PCA television winners from the last 51 years.

Critics Were Not Fond of ‘Ella McCay’

Image via 20th Century Studios

Part of Ella McCay‘s box office misfortune was certainly the initial critical response, with the film earning just 24% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Jeff Ewing of Collider awarded the movie just 3/10 in his review, saying, “It’s actually a little difficult to say if there’s a better version of Ella McCay buried somewhere inside this movie, given that it’s hard to pin down what the intended target of this movie is at the end of the day.”

Ella McCay is streaming on Hulu. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

December 11, 2025

Runtime

Advertisement

115 minutes

Director

James L. Brooks

Advertisement

Writers

James L. Brooks

Advertisement

Producers

Julie Ansell, Richard Sakai, James L. Brooks, Jennifer Brooks, Francine Maisler

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Sometimes, an actor’s career just falters. Whether it’s because of a scandal, a series of box office bombs, or simply poor choices of roles, these actors start to slip into oblivion. There are many ways to make a big comeback, however, and perhaps the most effective (certainly the flashiest) is to act their way to an Oscar nomination, pretty much the highest honor that a thespian of the cinema can aspire to.

It could be Matthew McConaughey putting the cherry on top of the McConaissance with his Oscar win for Dallas Buyers Club. Or it could be Katharine Hepburn slapping the critics who had labeled her “box office poison” with the Oscar nod she got for The Philadelphia Story. No matter the case, an Oscar nomination is certainly guaranteed to help the recipient make a big splash in an industry that was starting to forget them.

Matthew McConaughey — ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ (2013)

Image via Focus Features

At some point around the early 2010s, Matthew McConaughey decided that he no longer wanted to just be known as the rom-com heartthrob that his name had come to be associated with. In 2011, The Lincoln Lawyer launched the start of the McConaissance, a period during which the actor starred in far more serious, dramatic, and prestigious roles than anyone could have predicted during the 2000s.

There’s no question about when the McConaissance reached its pinnacle: It was surely when McConaughey beat Leonardo Di Caprio‘s tour-de-force performance in The Wolf of Wall Street for the 2014 Best Actor Oscar, thanks to his powerhouse turn in Dallas Buyers Club. It’s one of the most essential movies of 2013, and that’s in no small part thanks to how complex and physically transformational its lead actor’s performance is.

John Travolta — ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994)

Image via Miramax Films

Throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s, John Travolta was the man. Thanks to projects like Saturday Night Fever and Grease, the actor was on fire. His career started careening off a cliff during the mid-’80s, however, and by the time the ’90s rolled in, Travolta had been mostly written off by Hollywood. The helicopter meant to take him back out of that cliff? Quentin Tarantino‘s Palme d’Or-winning sophomore feature, the legendary Pulp Fiction.

It’s nothing short of one of the best movies of the last 100 years, an undeniable masterpiece that led Travolta to his second Oscar nomination (which he lost to Forrest Gump‘s Tom Hanks). From there, the actor went on a streak of notable box office hits and cult classics like Face/Off—a streak that, of course, would infamously end in 2000 due to the disastrous Battlefield Earth. But despite that tragic ending, Pulp Fiction was undeniably a comeback for Travolta, allowing him to show off his range with that delightful Tarantino dialogue that just rolls of the tongue.

Jackie Earle Haley — ‘Little Children’ (2006)

Image via New Line Cinema

Todd Field‘s criminally underappreciated dark melodrama Little Children is a multi-story film, following the tales of a tumultuous affair between two lovers married to other people, a disgraced ex-police officer, and a registered sex offender. The incredibly tricky and daunting role of the sex offender was taken on by Jackie Earle Haley, who had quit acting all the way back in 1992.

Taking such an immensely complicated part for his comeback role was definitely a choice, but it was ultimately one that paid off with Haley’s first Oscar nomination, where he lost against Little Miss Sunshine‘s Alan Arkin. The result is one of the best actor comeback movies ever, where Haley shows off incredible emotional depth and range. Projects like Watchmen, Shutter Island, and 2010’s A Nightmare on Elm Street followed, and the rest is history.

Demi Moore — ‘The Substance’ (2024)

Image via Mubi

Coralie Fargeat‘s The Substance took the world by storm. Campy body horror projects aren’t typically the type that people immediately associate with the word “prestige,” but Fargeat’s sophomore feature was such a knockout that it made its way to great renown during the 2024-25 awards race, including five Oscar nominations. One of those was for Demi Moore‘s stunning leading turn.

For a long time, Moore seemed like the frontrunner in the Best Actress race, before she lost to Anora‘s Mikey Madison. Even still, this was a tremendously hard-hitting comeback for Moore, who was once one of the biggest Hollywood stars of the ’80s and ’90s. One of the best psycho-biddy movies ever made, The Substance allows its lead to go big and explosive, but also to display several bits of quiet subtlety that work wonderfully. The movie’s metatextual analysis of the entertainment industry’s tendency to discard female stars as they age only adds further richness to Moore’s timeless performance.

Ke Huy Quan — ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ (2022)

Image via A24

Ke Huy Quan was once of the biggest and most beloved child actors of his generation, elevating movies like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies with his mere presence. As he grew older, however, that hyper-successful career as a child actor didn’t transform into an equally prolific adult career. Finally, after the 2002 Hong Kong film Second Time Around, Quan stepped behind the camera as a stunt choreographer and assistant director.

It took the actor 19 years to step in front of the camera again, for the 2021 Netflix family film Finding ‘Ohana. It wasn’t until 2022, though, that Quan truly burst into the mainstream again. Everything Everywhere All At Once took full advantage of Quan’s stunt work and martial arts experience, but also gave him enough chances to show off his acting range for him to win the 2023 Best Supporting Actor Oscar. His acceptance speech arguably remains the best of the 21st century.

Michael Keaton — ‘Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)’ (2014)

Image via Searchlight Pictures

The protagonist of Alejandro G. Iñárritu‘s Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), the movie that made the Mexican auteur a three-time Academy Award laureate, is Riggan Thomson. He’s a formerly popular actor who used to play a superhero, but whose career hasn’t been nearly as big since. The fact that said character is played by former Batman star Michael Keaton, who hadn’t had any noteworthy roles in years, is probably no coincidence.

Those meta layers are among the many reasons why this is one of the best comedies to ever win Best Picture. Keaton ended up losing against The Theory of Everything‘s Eddie Redmayne in a remarkably close race, but his performance remains one of the best Oscar-nominated performances of the 2010s nonetheless. His performance brings a raw vulnerability to the character of Riggan, but also a dark sense of humor that the film simply wouldn’t work without.

Joan Crawford — ‘Mildred Pierce’ (1945)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Advertisement

Of course, nowadays, all cinephiles fondly remember Joan Crawford as one of the greatest stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Throughout the ’20s and ’30s, she built up one of the most glamorous star personas in Hollywood, having once said “if you want to see the girl next door, go next door.” But during the late ’30s and early ’40s, her career started declining. She was starting to age, which only contributed to MGM handing her increasingly weak material, eventually leading critics to call her box office poison.

That all changed in 1945, once Crawford had already moved to Warner Bros. Not only did Mildred Pierce, one of the year’s biggest classics, prove that Crawford still had the sauce: It won her an Oscar and breathed new life into her career, proving to youth-obsessed Hollywood that older actresses were not to be underestimated. It’s one of the most memorable performances of the ’40s, and certainly deserving of its Academy Award.

Katharine Hepburn — ‘The Philadelphia Story’ (1940)

Image via Loew’s, Inc.

Advertisement

Katharine Hepburn was another actress who had been labeled box office poison by the late ’30s. She was starring in rather unpopular films, she was notoriously difficult with the press, and she had a demeanor and sense of style that the public deemed “too boyish.” Hepburn wasn’t the kind to wait around for opportunities to fall down from the sky, however. She manufactured her own comeback by starring in the stage play The Philadelphia Story in 1939, and its film adaptation one year later.

Everything went according to Hepburn’s plans. The movie, a massive success, was her ticket back to the Hollywood stardom she had once enjoyed. Funny, vulnerable, and imposing, it’s perhaps the best performance of Hepburn’s career. Though she lost the Oscar to Kitty Foyle‘s Ginger Rogers, the notoriety of the movie and her work in it nevertheless ensured that she’d never fall back into the pit she had managed to fall back on. Today, she remains the thespian with the most Oscar wins ever, the only one to ever earn four.

Brendan Fraser — ‘The Whale’ (2022)

Image via A24

Advertisement

During the ’90s and early 2000s, Brendan Fraser was one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, starring in cult classics like Encino Man and huge blockbusters like the Mummy franchise. Due to a tragic range of issues in his personal life, however, Fraser both distanced himself from and was blacklisted by Hollywood. He didn’t stop acting, but he took a significant step back from the spotlight.

That was until the 2022-23 awards race, when Fraser’s knockout performance in Darren Aronofsky‘s The Whale made him a clear frontrunner for the Best Actor Academy Award, which he did end up taking home. Since then, Fraser has kept acting in popular projects both big and small, and the fans who have been loyal supporters of his movies for years couldn’t be happier.

Marlon Brando — ‘The Godfather’ (1972)

Image via Paramount

Advertisement

Saying that Francis Ford Coppola‘s The Godfather is one of the greatest must-watch crime movie masterpieces of all time would be an understatement. Many would consider it the single greatest film ever made, with one of the most impressive ensemble casts of any movie of the ’70s. This cast includes a man who, though definitely controversial, could very well be considered the best and most important actor in the history of Hollywood, Marlon Brando.

However, it’s easy to forget that by the time the early ’70s rolled in, Brando was considered a has-been. Paramount executives were very much against the decision to cast him as Vito Corleone, despite him being screenwriter (and author of the book the film is based on) Mario Puzo‘s preferred choice for the role. Of course, Brando did end up being cast as Vito, and the rest is history. The performance, easily the most iconic of his career, very deservedly ended up winning him his second and last Oscar victory. It was a turning point for his career, and it allowed him to keep getting big roles throughout the rest of his career, even if his problematic behavior never went away.

Advertisement

The Godfather

Advertisement

Release Date

March 24, 1972

Runtime

175 minutes

Advertisement

Director

Francis Ford Coppola

Advertisement

Writers

Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

This week, Netflix added a fantastic but highly underrated movie from 2013 that is just as relevant as ever.

Sofia Coppola‘s The Bling Ring is a darkly comic crime film based on a real-life criminal group known as the “Bling Ring.”

The movie features Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, Leslie Mann and Paris Hilton.

Misunderstood and overlooked at the time, The Bling Ring is a sharper satire on celebrity culture than critics at the time would give it credit for.

Watch With Us breaks down why it’s well worth your time, and why you need to stream it this week.

Related: The Bling Ring: Where Are Alexis Neiers, Rachel Lee and the Rest Now?

The Bling Ring — consisting of Rachel Lee, Nick Prugo, Alexis Neiers, Courtney Ames and Diana Tamayo — became infamous for stealing roughly $3 million in cash and belongings from Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, Audrina Patridge and many more from 2008 to 2009. The teens and 20-somethings became household names themselves following their […]

Advertisement

‘The Bling Ring’ Is Based on a Crazy True Story

The Bling Ring follows a group of privileged, fame-obsessed LA teens, including Marc (Israel Broussard), Rebecca (Katie Chang), Nicki (Emma Watson) and Sam (Taissa Farmiga), who begin burglarizing the homes of celebrities together, stealing their jewelry, clothes, cash and other valuables. Using the internet, the group is able to track celebrities’ whereabouts and approximate when they won’t be home, allowing them to slip in and out with arms full of stolen possessions, which they then frequently resell.

The film is inspired by the real-life Bling Ring as chronicled in a 2010 Vanity Fair article titled “The Suspects Wore Louboutins” by Nancy Jo Sales. Each character is based on a real person: Nick Prugo, Rachel Lee, Tess Taylor, Alexis Neiers and others. The real Bling Ring robbed the homes of several celebrities over the span of one year, between 2008 and 2009, and their victims included Paris Hilton, Audrina Patridge, Orlando Bloom, Megan Fox and Lindsay Lohan. In the end, the thieves had made away with assets totaling roughly $3 million, though they were ultimately caught and all received various sentences.

It’s a Prescient Satire of Internet Celebrity Culture

At the time, critics felt that Sofia Coppola took too morally ambiguous a route in her depiction of the Bling Ring, not doing enough to outwardly condemn the actions of the characters in her film. Years later, however, more astute and media-literate viewers keenly understand the sharp satire of the movie. It even ends on a note that couldn’t be more of a condemnation if it tried: on a talk show, 30 days after her release from jail, Nicki recounts being in the same correctional facility that housed Lohan at the same time, then faces the camera and cheerily promotes her own website.

But even before this moment, the movie does an excellent job at depicting the increasingly flimsy barrier between fans and celebrities during a time when social media was still in its infancy. The mythos of celebrity has now been destroyed by apps like TikTok, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram, with fans having an unprecedented level of access to the inner lives of famous people. Thus, Coppola does something subversive in her film — she sympathizes with the perpetrators of the crimes depicted and places subtle blame on the encroaching systems in place, which foster a perceived right to cross boundaries.

Emma Watson Gives the Best Performance of Her Career

Emma Watson has had some difficulty trying to establish a confident acting career separate from her childhood fame in the Harry Potter franchise, and has seen mixed results in movies like Little Women, Beauty and the Beast and Noah. However, she delivers the clear high-point of her filmography as Nicki Moore (AKA Neiers) in The Bling Ring, and critics were right to single her out as the best performance in the movie.

Related: New on Netflix in March 2026 — The Full List of Movies and TV Shows

Advertisement

Is it March already? Yes, it is, and Netflix is celebrating as if it were Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, all rolled into one month. How else can you explain the packed slate the world’s most popular streamer has set for its millions of subscribers? On the TV side, the hit series Virgin River returns for […]

Watson’s performance transcends any perceptions at the time that hers was only stunt casting, playing against the goody-two-shoes type she had cultivated for years playing Hermione Granger. Indeed, Watson goes from brainy to brainless in embodying Nicki, but she thoroughly proves her range playing the party girl and celebrity wannabe, evoking dead-eyed, LA-girl narcissism as if she were born into it. Watson turns lines like “Your butt looks awesome” and “I wanna rob” into comedic, meme-worthy gold, delivering them with a canny earnestness that is both cringey and delightful.

Stream The Bling Ring on Netflix.

There have been many television shows about love, but none have captured our hearts quite like Bridgerton. Created by Chris Van Dusen and based on Julia Quinn‘s book series, Bridgerton has given us four seasons of romance that never gets old. In each season, one of the Bridgerton siblings navigates the highly competitive social season in which young marriageable nobility and gentry are introduced into society. Set in the Regency era, Bridgerton explores alternative history in a delightful manner.

For four seasons, we’ve witnessed some of the most brilliant romantic gestures, confessions of love, and acts of admiration that have set the bar high for our prospective lovers. Across 32 episodes, there have been countless romantic scenes, but these are easily the most romantic scenes of all time. Depending on your favorite Bridgerton couples, you might rearrange the order, but you simply can’t discount how passionate these scenes were. Some even changed our view of love forever.

10

“I’m the tea that you are having.”

Season 4, Episode 4 “An Offer from a Gentleman”

Image via Netflix

Even the adults need some loving! For four seasons, we’ve watched as Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) played a mother. With each of her children making their way into society, she served as the person to help usher in their new chapters. But perhaps seeing love bloom gave her an itch that she needed to scratch. Enter Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), the brother of her dear friend, Lady Agatha Danbury (Adjoa Andoh). The pair had been flirting, but it was time to take it to the next level. Violet was finally willing to give herself permission to love again. With the residence free of kids, Violet, in a robe, awaited Marcus’s arrival with anticipation. Though he may not have been prepared for the evening Violet had ready for him, he was certainly not unwilling to engage.

“Mrs. Wilson told me you were serving tea somewhere new,” he said. Violet, in a moment of beautiful seduction, responded, “I am the tea that you are having.” We’ve seen many of her children be quite forward with their feelings and desires, but for Lady Bridgerton to be so confident and deliver fervently what she wanted was a powerful moment. She reclaimed herself, ready to give herself over. Even with a complete gentleman by her side, willing to take things slowly, she was raring to go! Intimacy is important in any relationship, and this moment proved that they could, should they want to, be a complete pair. As showrunner Jess Brownell told Tudum, “This scene is Violet choosing herself. She’s spent so much of her life being the emotional anchor for her family. This is her finally allowing herself to ask [for] what she wants.” As she continued, “We wanted people to understand that the mamas are just as horny. They’re human.”

9

Francesca and John Meet in Silence

Season 3, Episode 3 “Forces of Nature”

Image via Netflix

When words fail, sometimes silence is equally romantic. Though not the primary focus of Season 3’s storyline, Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) makes her debut in society. Though she may not have wanted to live the life of a diamond, desiring a quiet life on her own, there were some very eligible suitors in front of her. But there was one quiet man who seemed to be the best option to court her: John Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin (Victor Alli). Though Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) had her mind set on pairing her with Lord Samadani (David Mumeni), it was her chance encounter with John that changed everything.

After departing the Innovation Ball, an overwhelmed Francesca is joined by John, who is very interested in her. But he’s also keenly aware of her desire for quiet, so he utters some beautiful words, “Perhaps we can enjoy the silence together.” At that moment, Francesca feels acknowledged. The two simply stand, looking outward, as a smile comes onto her face. She’s hooked. He’s taken. And it was the start of a beautiful relationship. Sadly, Season 4 took it away from us as John’s shocking death brought an end to her joy.

8

Benedict’s Love Confession to Sophie

Season 4, Episode 5 “Yes or No”

Image via Netflix

Season 4 brought us the story of Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), the fluid playboy of the family. In a Cinderella-inspired plot, Benedict initially falls for a mysterious young woman in a mask, only to discover that it is Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), the illegitimate daughter of the previous Lord Penwood and now a maid to her evil stepmother, Lady Araminta Gun (Katie Leung). During the first part of the season, we watched the spark between them, but their social classes prevented anything from happening. But when we returned for the second half of the season, Benedict no longer could live without her. He knew the stakes of being with a maid, but it no longer mattered to him. “How else am I to be with a woman society has made it impossible for me to be with?”

The scene played out like a class-discrepancy scene should. He, decked out in his formal wear, and she, dressed as his servant. But all that melted away when he uttered, “I love you, Sophie. You’re the person I have been searching for all my life.” No matter what would happen, this gesture was what they both desired. So much so, they officially consummated their forbidden love. “That little arm gesture just did me in. That’s saying, ‘I’m here. I’m surrendering. But now it’s up to you.’ Seeing her then make the full walk back to him, I had full-body chills on the day. And I have chills when I watch it, because it’s a chemistry and an understanding of character that you can’t direct. You just have to stay out of the way of it,” episode director Gia-Rayne B. Harris revealed to Gold Derby. The scene became an integral part of their journey together. One that has made them a beloved couple.

7

Daphne’s Rain Confession

Season 1, Episode 8 “After the Rain”

Fret not, we’ll get to the most iconic scenes in Bridgerton history soon, but first, we must discuss the culmination of the series’ first primary romantic plot line. Bridgerton initially quenched our thirst thanks to the slow-burn romance of Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page). For the most part, the grand declarations of love within this duo had come from Simon, but in the season finale, Daphne goes all in. And in the rain! Could it be more romantic? Though Simon is stuck honoring his father’s self-imposed wish, Daphne professes her love for the drenched man standing right in front of her.

“I love all of you, even the parts you believe are too dark and too shameful,” she begins. “Every scar. Every flaw. Every imperfection. I love you.” There it is. Out in the open. Simon could easily run away, or he could toss aside what his father taught him and choose to love him the way that she feels for him. Of course, he’s going to pick the latter! Between the rain-soaked confession and the sweeping cinematography, it’s a perfect climax.

6

“You are the bane of my existence and the object of all my desires.”

Season 2, Episode 5 “An Unthinkable Fate”

Image via Netflix

Advertisement

After setting the bar quite high in Season 1, the follow-up romance needed to be something extraordinary. What we got was a dazzling will-they, won’t-they chase between the eldest Bridgerton child, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley). The enemies-to-lovers pipeline was on full display as the determined aristocrat was destined to win the heart of the headstrong sister of his original intended, Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran). The sexual tension between them was steamy. But when Anthony utters the following, “You are the bane of my existence and the object of all my desires”? Oh, how could you not swoon!

The two get closer and closer as their intimacy reaches a boiling point. Kate can no longer contain her complicated feelings for the viscount. She knows she has a duty to her sister, so all she can think of doing is heading back to India. And that clearly won’t work for Anthony. As he’ll tell her, “India isn’t far enough away” to escape his feelings for her. The scene becomes a pivotal moment in their romance, and their emotional turmoil is literally boiling over. They’re forced to confront their mutual attraction, admitting that distance will simply not stop their connection. Filled with intensity, the scene is how all steamy love stories should play out.

5

Benedict and Sophie’s Dance in the Gazebo

Season 4, Episode 1 “The Waltz”

It’s safe to say that Season 4 played out like a magical fairytale. The first ball of the season is a masquerade ball, and mother dearest is adamant that Benedict start to get serious. The freewheeling second son loves to play fast and free, but he knows that the love he seeks is not in the ladies of the ton. It would take someone miraculous to woo him. And wouldn’t you have it, a mysterious Lady in Silver. Ultimately, a party crasher, it doesn’t matter; Benedict is taken by her. Like the scene straight out of Romeo and Juliet, we know that this is a forbidden love of two individuals from two worlds, but they don’t. Not yet, at least. Instead, they’re going to make the most out of their evening with a waltz in the gazebo.

Dancing under the moonlight inside the flower-covered gazebo, our social season kicks off in an unexpected manner. The entire ball is quite ravishing, but their intimate moment within the gazebo sets the tone for the entire romance. We know how much he wants to give her a peck, but his tenderness prevents him. Instead, he removes her glove and kisses the inside of her wrist. And we all know that glove is the unsung hero of the season. A departure from the other romances on Bridgerton, the change of pace, especially for the family flirt, is the start of something extraordinarily special.

4

The Garden Confession

Season 1, Episode 4 “An Affair of Honor”

Image via Netflix

On the verge of becoming a princess, leave it to Daphne to go mess it up. Prince Friedrich (Freddie Stroma), the prince of Prussia and nephew of Queen Charlotte, seemed like the perfect match for the eldest Bridgerton daughter, but while he was perfect, he lacked the passion that Simon had. Deep down, Daphne knew it. So, she ran out for some fresh air, only to be intercepted by Simon, intending to say goodbye. But Simon is going to be kept around a bit longer.

Following her into the garden, Simon kisses her. Sweetly, passionately. You decide. Nevertheless, it’s a stunning moment between the two. He does apologize for being so bold in his wooing of Daphne, but she’s not the one he has to answer to. It’s her brother. Anthony catches them embracing and accuses Simon of defiling his sister. So, as any man would do, he challenges him to a duel if he will not marry Daphne. And a duel it will be. To make matters even worse, Daphne’s prime rival, Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen), may have witnessed it all. The scene showcases the dangers of this romance and the lengths they’ll go to keep it a secret. The action between Simon and Daphne may be comparatively mild, but the aftermath leads to something quite strikingly romantic.

3

Benedict and Sophie in the Bath

Season 4, Episode 8 “Dance in the Country”

Image via Netflix

Season 4 was a rollercoaster journey for Sophie. We must respect her for trying not to mess with the status quo, but let that heart run free! Nevertheless, her evil stepmother accused her of stealing, and so Sophie was arrested. After Benedict and Violet raced to the court to rescue Sophie, they whisked her back to Bridgerton Manor. Benedict was tempted by his love, but he opted to give her the space she needed to decompress. That was until the bath. Never has there ever been a more romantic moment in the tub than this regency soak.

While the scene in the book was pure intimacy, the filmed version was a poetic balance of physical and emotional chemistry. Benedict is there for her to care for her. As Ha told Tudum, “It’s really poetic, isn’t it, for someone to take care of her? It’s like Benedict is washing all her troubles away.” The moment allows her to realize that he is the man she needs. It’s a brilliant evolution of their love. We know where they will ultimately head, but this moment of pure bliss and honesty may have been the official moment of commitment. Let’s just say none of us will ever see a bathtub quite the same way again.

2

Colin and Penelope in the Carriage

Season 3, Episode 4 “Old Friends”

Image via Netflix

Calling all Polin faithful! This one is for you! For the better part of three seasons, we watched as Penelope (Nicola Coughlan), our watchful Lady Whistledown, had a seemingly unrequited love for Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). She’s felt for him for years, but their friendship has overridden any attempts to become something more. Penelope’s potential engagement with Lord Alfred Debling (Sam Phillips) shatters when he discovers the chemistry between her and Colin. She flees to the carriage, in which Colin follows her. So, now alone, what do they do? Confess their love for one another!

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Especially Penelope. After he tells her how wrong Lord Debling is for her, he makes his case as to why he’s the one as he has had feelings for her. She can finally express how she’s always felt. And now that it’s all out in the open, they spend the rest of their open-air carriage ride finally giving everything to one another. As Pitbull‘s “Give Me Everything” pulsates, Penelope says, “I would very much like to be more than friends. So much more.” And that’s the invitation to get it on! It’s perfectly steamy, but it doesn’t end at third base. Colin proposes! Though they missed the entirety of a natural romantic relationship, who cares! They were the pair we wanted all along!

1

“I burn for you.”

Season 1, Episode 5 “The Duke and I”

Image via Netflix

It’s the scene that started a revolution. Let’s journey back to Season 1’s sensational moment between Daphne and Simon. Picture it, Daphne and Simon are at the inn on their wedding night. They begin their intimate night alone doesn’t begin as a honeymoon. Instead, they begin by arguing about their marriage, which they both believe does not hold the same weight for each other. But Daphne is mistaken. Simon finally confesses his agony about his situation, but she’s taken off guard when he reveals that he cannot stop thinking of her. “I’m yours, Daphne. I’ve always been yours,” he says as she becomes speechless. Their anger leads to a deep, passionate confession: “I burn for you.”

They both couldn’t have been more wrong about one another, so when they found that commonality of their feelings, it was everything they were missing. Their entire back-and-forth is filled with so much fire that you know it’s going to culminate into something wonderfully passionate. This scene became a pop culture moment that shook up television, getting us all hot and bothered in the process. It crafted endless memes that even the stars couldn’t escape. This dramatic crescendo of a scene epitomizes the entire series.

Advertisement

Bridgerton

Advertisement

Release Date

December 22, 2020

Network

Netflix

Advertisement

Directors

Tom Verica, Tricia Brock, Alex Pillai, Alrick Riley, Bille Woodruff, Cheryl Dunye, Sheree Folkson, Julie Anne Robinson

Advertisement

Writers

Abby McDonald, Sarah L. Thompson, Daniel Robinson, Oliver Goldstick, Leila Cohan-Miccio, Azia Squire, Sarah Dollard, Eli Wilson Pelton, Janet Lin

Advertisement

• 

  Luke Thompson

  Lady Violet Bridgerton

  Advertisement
• 

  Ruth Gemmell

  Benedict Bridgerton

  Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Britney Spears And The Odds Of A Second Conservatorship

Britney Could Face A Fine, Probation, Or Even Jail Time

Britney Spears’ DUI Described As An ‘Isolated Incident’

Britney Spears’ Rep Said That She Will Comply With The Law

Britney’s Loved Ones Are Rallying Around Her

Adam Driver Needed Extra Support For His ‘Star Wars’ Role As Kylo Ren

Adam Driver Wanted To Return To A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Adam Driver Reveals Lost ‘Star Wars’ Film ‘The Hunt For Ben Solo’

Bob Iger and Alan Bergman Reportedly Axed The Ben Solo ‘Star Wars’ Film