With Bridgerton season 4, the online discourse has quickly moved past romance to a broader conversation about inclusivity. Gracie McGonigal’s arrival this season represented a landmark moment for representation within the series. As the lead Sophie Baek’s quick-witted confidante, Hazel, McGonigal broke new ground as the first actress with a congenital limb difference in the franchise.

Before Bridgerton Season 4 Part Two arrives in a matter of hours, McGonigal sat down with Netflix Junkie for a lively conversation about her journey.

From the West End to landing a juggernaut like Bridgerton, she reflected on her dedication to acting and her vision for meaningful change in the industry. 

Hriddhi Maitra: You trained at both BRIT School and Mountview Academy. What was the first moment when you realized that acting isn't just a passion for you, but also it can be a professional path—something that you are willing to fight for? What was that moment?

Gracie McGonigal: I sort of started in a Saturday school acting class when I was about five or six years old because I didn't have much confidence. My parents were like, "look, maybe it will teach you some public speaking skills," or something to help me along. I ended up just really loving it. I ended up going to BRIT School because my secondary school wasn’t going to run drama. So it was sort of like a "hey, I have to choose now to try and give it my all or have to give up and try and do something else." I was like, "look, I'm going to take a leap and see if acting is something that is a viable option for me." It ended up going well, which is good because I love it. As long as I can keep doing it, I will be happy to.

Hriddhi Maitra: Your early career coincided with the period when theatre was still recovering from the post-pandemic era. Did entering the industry at that moment force you to rethink what career stability means for an actor today?

Gracie McGonigal: Definitely. If it wasn't for the pandemic, I think I probably would have stayed at drama school for longer. Essentially, I did my year at Mountview on Zoom and it was so demotivating. Having to try and sing, dance, and act from my screen at home just felt so far away from what I actually wanted to do. As soon as the lockdown broke, I was like, "look, I'm just going to go for it."

I figured I could always go back to school or beg a college to let me in if things were hard. It definitely made me think, "hey, we have to live for today." You have to try and do the thing you want to do because you never know when you might be in your house for another year. It taught me to be brave, but I don't know if it's necessarily taught me how to keep job stability!

Hriddhi Maitra: How did Bridgerton come into the picture? Can you walk us through how that opportunity first came your way?

Gracie McGonigal: I've been a huge fan of Bridgerton. In the pandemic, I was on my sofa watching like everybody else and manifesting it for myself. At the time, I was doing a theatre show called The Little Big Things, which is a mostly disabled-led show. The casting team for Bridgerton came to see it. I reached out and was like, "hey, would you fancy casting me in the future?" and they said they'd keep me in mind. Then an audition came through for the character of "Hazel." It wasn't called Hazel then—it was under an alias—but reading it, I had a feeling it was Bridgerton. I did my self-tape at home, sent it off, tried to forget about it, and miraculously, I got the job.

Hriddhi Maitra: What was your experience on set with the Bridgerton cast?

Gracie McGonigal: It was so good. They really are a fabulous, kind bunch. I had my own little gang with the "downstairs" maid and footman crew. We are proper friends; I'm actually going to see Ollie (who plays Footman John) at a gig next week. It’s nice because, on a personal level, I’ve made some really wonderful friendships.

Hriddhi Maitra: You have spoken about your dream to be a part of a show with the disabled experience at its heart. How did playing Hazel align with that dream?

Gracie McGonigal: I am always a disabled person, no matter what job I get. I bring what I look like and my past experiences to any role because I don't get a choice in the matter. Bringing myself to a show like Bridgerton was amazing because I didn't see that for myself when watching the first three seasons. Being able to bring that in Season 4 was a "bucket list" moment.

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The fan reaction to the inclusivity has been so heartwarming. I’m hoping that in Part Two, they see there is a lot more to the character than just the representation she brings.

Hriddhi Maitra: Part Two is about to arrive. Without giving too much away, what new sides of Hazel do we get to see? And can you tell us something about Footman John? There seems to be a romantic angle there.

Gracie McGonigal: Yes, there’s a lot of exciting stuff. We left the gang off to the tavern in Episode 4. We’re going to get a lot more of that friendship. Sophie is having a bit of a hard time and she needs to rely on her loved ones like Hazel and Alfie. I’m hoping to see her open up, and for Hazel to just have a load of fun and cause some mayhem in the house!

Hriddhi Maitra: You have built a strong theatre resume with shows like The Little Big Things and The Crucible. How has that discipline shaped the way you approach a set like Bridgerton or Father Brown?

Gracie McGonigal: It’s a very different discipline. It took me a moment to understand how a set works and who does what. You feel very well looked after in TV compared to theatre sometimes! Theatre is every day, and I get to learn and change bits of my performance every night—I’m doing Into the Woods at the Bridge Theatre right now and I love that process. In film, you just get one go at it and hope your instinct is enough. It’s a pressurized environment, but I loved the opportunity to learn that on Bridgerton.

Hriddhi Maitra: Are we going to see you on the screen again soon? Is there any upcoming project in the pipeline?

Gracie McGonigal: Nothing I can reveal, but I would really like to do more screen work. I love film and TV; I’m a super-fan at heart. I've got my fingers crossed to work with more directors and actors I admire.

Hriddhi Maitra: Last but not least, do you feel the industry is really changing in real time, or are we still just scratching the surface of inclusive casting?

Gracie McGonigal: That’s a big question. Having me on Bridgerton is a big deal for visibility, but we are in a difficult world where even with momentum, there is a long way to go. There are still many "dream roles" that aren't an option for me yet; I still can't even get auditions for some shows despite my CV. Proportional representation is the goal. The stat is that one in four people have a disability, but I don't feel like I see one in four people on screen or stage with one. It's the same for all aspects of diversity. It’s nice to applaud the places moving in the right direction, like Bridgerton, but we have a long way to go.

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Are you counting down the hours to Hazel’s return in Bridgerton Season 4 Part 2? Let us know in the comments!