Bridgerton Star Insists Queen Charlotte Really Was Black

Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte and Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury. (Netflix)
Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte and Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury. (Netflix)
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Bridgerton Star Insists Queen Charlotte Really Was Black

Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte and Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury. (Netflix)
Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte and Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury. (Netflix)

A Bridgerton star has reignited the controversy over whether George III's wife Queen Charlotte, who is depicted in the Regency-era drama, was black in real life.

Adjoa Andoh said of the royal, played by fellow black actress Golda Rosheuvel, “Queen Charlotte wasn't fictionalized as a woman of color, she was a woman of color. You just have to do your historical research, according to The Daily Mail.

The actress – who in 2023 said the Buckingham Palace line-up after King Charles’ coronation was “terribly white” – said the Netflix series gave viewers “a more realistic version of history.”

The lineage of the German-born Charlotte can be traced and there is one relative of Moorish ancestry, 500 years before she lived.

One fan said: “The chances of me having black ancestry are way bigger than that and I'm not a woman of color.”

“History is full of really interesting actual women of color, so it's time we start making TV shows about them and stop giving credit where there's no credit due,” he added.

Bridgerton is a historical drama and romance series produced by Netflix and set in Regency-era London (1810s).

The series, inspired by Julia Quinn's novels, explores love stories and social intrigue. It has been officially renewed through season 6. The fourth season, focusing on Benedict’s love story, is now streaming on Netflix.



Surprise! Zendaya Wears Something Blue, After the Old, New and Borrowed

 Zendaya attends a special screening of "The Drama" at Regal Union Square on Thursday, April 2, 2026, in New York. (AP)
Zendaya attends a special screening of "The Drama" at Regal Union Square on Thursday, April 2, 2026, in New York. (AP)
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Surprise! Zendaya Wears Something Blue, After the Old, New and Borrowed

 Zendaya attends a special screening of "The Drama" at Regal Union Square on Thursday, April 2, 2026, in New York. (AP)
Zendaya attends a special screening of "The Drama" at Regal Union Square on Thursday, April 2, 2026, in New York. (AP)

Yup, she wore something blue.

Zendaya, surprising precisely nobody on the planet, showed up in dazzling blue at Thursday’s New York premiere of “The Drama,” after teasing the bridal theme for weeks by wearing something old, then something new, then something borrowed.

Her strapless Schiaparelli Haute Couture ball gown, accompanied by sapphire earrings, completed the sartorial series just in time for the opening of her movie — a film that has attracted considerable controversy and mixed reviews. Zendaya and Robert Pattinson play a couple whose wedding plans go seriously awry following a dark revelation.

The high-fashion appearances have also echoed the bridal theme of Zendaya’s own life, with unconfirmed speculation flying — fed in part by rings she’s been wearing — that she’s already married to partner Tom Holland.

The actor and her stylist, Law Roach, saved the most spectacular outfit for last. Schiaparelli posted on its own Instagram that the gown, which took some 8,000 hours of work, was made of blue and black raw silk “feathers” in satin stitch embroidery, and contained 27 shades of blue.

“Something old” came in Los Angeles on March 17, where Zendaya wore the same white, off-the-shoulder Vivienne Westwood Bridal gown that she’d worn to the 2015 Oscars.

She transitioned to “something new” at the March 24 Paris premiere — a white custom Louis Vuitton gown with a huge black bow and train.

“Something borrowed” came two days later in Rome, a black Armani Privé dress previously worn by Cate Blanchett, with a plunging neckline framed with stones.

Finally on Thursday, Zendaya completed the circle. “SomethingBlue,” posted Roach.

In case nobody had noticed.


Travolta Returns to Cannes with Aviation-Inspired Directorial Debut

John Travolta. (AFP)
John Travolta. (AFP)
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Travolta Returns to Cannes with Aviation-Inspired Directorial Debut

John Travolta. (AFP)
John Travolta. (AFP)

US movie legend John Travolta will present his directorial debut "Propeller One-Way Night Coach", about a young boy's journey in the "golden age of aviation", at the Cannes Film Festival in May, organizers said Thursday.

The film, to make its world premiere, is adapted from the 72-year-old star's own 1997 book, inspired by his lifelong passion for aviation, the festival said.

Among the three Travolta films showcased at the Festival de Cannes in the past was "Pulp Fiction" (1994), famed for the actor's two-fingered swipe in its cult dance scene.

"The unforgettable Vince Vega of Pulp Fiction returns to the Croisette for an event as unexpected as it is exciting: his very first film as a director," the festival said.

Travolta wrote the book for his son Jett, who suffered from epileptic seizures and died in 2009 at the age of 16.

The film follows a young airplane enthusiast Jeff and his mother embarking on a one-way journey to Hollywood.

"The story unfolds as a nostalgic journey set in the golden age of aviation," the festival said.

"The journey unfolds in moments both magical and unexpected, charting the course for the boy's future," the statement said, adding that one of the flight attendants is played by the star's only daughter, Ella Bleu, 25.

The actor, who grew up not far from LaGuardia Airport near New York, is a professional pilot and began flying when he was 15.

"Travolta is certified to fly Boeing 707s, 737s, and 747s, Bombardier's Global Express and was the first private pilot to fly an Airbus A380," the festival said.

Travolta has become a pop culture icon, celebrated for his roles in films such as Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease (1978), and Hairspray (2007).

"Propeller One-Way Night Coach" will make its global debut on Apple TV in May.


'Wake-Up Call': Megan Thee Stallion Falls Ill during Broadway Show

FILE - Megan Thee Stallion appears at the 33rd Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood, Calif., on March 2, 2025. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Megan Thee Stallion appears at the 33rd Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood, Calif., on March 2, 2025. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)
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'Wake-Up Call': Megan Thee Stallion Falls Ill during Broadway Show

FILE - Megan Thee Stallion appears at the 33rd Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood, Calif., on March 2, 2025. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Megan Thee Stallion appears at the 33rd Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood, Calif., on March 2, 2025. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)

American rapper Megan Thee Stallion said Wednesday that she had a "wake-up call" after she was taken to hospital in the middle of a Broadway performance of "Moulin Rouge!" in New York City.

"I've been pushing myself past my limits lately, running on empty, and my body finally said enough. It honestly scared me," the 31-year-old wrote on Instagram.

"I thought I was gonna faint on stage, I really tried to push through my performance but I just couldn't."

Megan Thee Stallion, who has been playing club owner Harold Zidler in the musical, was replaced halfway through the show Tuesday night after she fell ill.

She said she would be back on stage Thursday after taking off Wednesday to rest.

A spokesperson for the artist, who has won three Grammy awards, said she was transferred to a hospital after experiencing "concerning symptoms."

"Doctors ultimately identified extreme exhaustion, dehydration, vasoconstriction and low metabolic levels as the cause of her symptoms," the spokesperson told AFP.

"Megan has since been treated, discharged and is now resting."

One of the leading women in American rap alongside the likes of Cardi B and Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion is known for her powerful stage presence, freestyles and aggressive flow.