She's best known for making us laugh (and sometimes cringe) as Prudence Featherington in Bridgerton, but now Bessie Carter is back on our screens in another period drama – and this time, she's the leading lady.
Speaking exclusively to HELLO!, Bessie opened up about portraying the infamous Nancy Mitford in the new historical drama Outrageous and how she prepared with her famous mum, Dame Imelda Staunton…
Outrageous is an adaptation of Mary Lovell’s biography The Mitford Girls, which tells the captivating true story of six notorious sisters: Nancy, Pamela, Diana, Unity, Jessica and Deborah.
Set in 1930s British high society, the new BritBox original series will bring the sisters' lives to the screen, showcasing how they defied convention and attracted scandal and notoriety at every turn.
An 'outrageous' story
When asked what made the Mitford sisters' story so "outrageous", Bessie answered: "Oh, my God, where they all ended up! They were all born under one roof and yet, they all ended up being so unique and so driven and headstrong.
© Nicky Hamilton/ UKTV / BritBox / BBC Studios"They all had a 'Why can't I' attitude – which of course, there was sort of terrible consequences, but there is something to be said for young girls growing up and going, 'I want to be able to do that.'"
Bessie stars as Nancy Mitford, the eldest daughter of parents Muv (Anna Chancellor) and Farve (James Purefoy), and who narrates the six-part series from a post-World War Two perspective.
Despite being a period drama, Bessie explains how far Outrageous is from the bows and ballrooms of Bridgerton. "Prudence [Featherington] was like the comic relief in Bridgerton. But Nancy is very different from Prudence.
© Nicky Hamilton/UKTV"Period dramas nowadays have such different flavors. I think Bridgerton was the explosion of the wedding cake of joy and fairytale endings. And what we're doing with Outrageous is we're not just telling an outrageous story, but we're telling it through a very authentic lens.
"We've got moth-eaten holes in their cardigans that they wear when they go home. Funky music that's kind of like jazz, 30s-inspired, but that has some crashing drum solos, so it's an explosion of heart and energy which, I think, is also true to their lives and their story."
With so many exciting projects on the go – including starring in Mrs Warren's Profession on the West End opposite her mum, Dame Imelda Staunton (The Crown, Harry Potter), Bessie opened up about how her mum played an important part in the preparation for the role.
© Getty"When I auditioned for this, I was staying over at my parents', so I got my mum to test me on my lines – which I rarely do. And then, as we went through the scenes, she was like, 'Yeah, I think you could get that.' And I was like, 'Yeah, I think I could get that.' And then I got it!"
Reflecting on what she hoped viewers would take away from the show, Bessie said: "Let's make more shows that have six female leads. And if you have family members who have differing opinions, views, world outlooks, come together and try and talk about it, rather than running away."
What is Outrageous about?
The official synopsis reads: As the storm clouds of the 1930s gather, the Mitfords face a society in flux, and set out to be part of the change – with sometimes devastating consequences.
"Amid the crumbling world of the British aristocracy, eldest Nancy navigates love and heartache while her siblings are drawn down unexpected and increasingly divergent paths.
© KEVIN BAKER"Attracted to ungovernable men, drawn to radical ideas, the Mitfords can’t stay out of the headlines – while their bewildered parents try to make sense of their daughters’ behaviour and keep a grip on their failing finances.
"A family saga like no other, this is a tale of bonds and betrayals, public scandal, political extremism, jealousy, romance – and coming of age in the most extraordinary circumstances. Can the fractured sisterhood survive?"
All six episodes of Outrageous will be available on U and U&DRAMA from 19 June.
