Behind the ballgowns: Golda Rosheuvel on Bridgerton ‘anxiety’ — ‘just bizarre’

If you're one of the millions glued to Bridgerton, you probably know Golda Rosheuvel as the indomitable Queen Charlotte. What you might not know is just how much a Netflix megahit can properly upend your life—and not always in the ways people imagine. This week, Rosheuvel opened up on the 'Dinner's on Me' podcast with Jesse Tyler Ferguson about what losing your anonymity feels like when suddenly everyone, everywhere, knows your face.

Speaking on the podcast, Rosheuvel recalled: 'We were chased in Barcelona by a few girls. And that was really weird and scary and, you know, we were on holiday. It was just bizarre.'

From unknown to everywhere

Rosheuvel didn't mince words about the adjustment that comes after your show goes properly global. The shift, she says, is about more than simply being talked about online. It bleeds into the everyday, immediate stuff—like going on holiday and getting cornered by overexcited fans. She describes the experience of being widely recognised in public as 'just bizarre'.

And it's not only about dealing with awkward encounters, either. She admitted that constant attention from strangers has ramped up her travel anxiety and forced some practical changes. Holidays, once normal and unremarkable, now come with more stress. For example, where she and her wife Shireen Mula could once hop to Europe on a cheap ticket, that's basically out the window.

As she explained on the show: 'I don't want to sound like a wanker, but it's things like having to travel in a different seat than we used to. Do you know what I mean? And flying to Europe for £400 now rather than £50.'

It's not really about living it up—her point is the privacy costs money. 'It is helpful that we were together before it all went crazy,' she reflected, admitting it's also tricky at times as her partner remembers a very different 'old days' life.

Senses on high alert

Since Bridgerton lifted her profile, Rosheuvel says she's become hyper-aware whenever people recognise her—she clocks it immediately, even at a distance. She hinted at multiple unpleasant incidents (though never going into all the details), and said the whole scenario still feels strange, even now, years after the show caught fire.

Still, she acknowledges a silver lining: higher income does at least allow her to implement some basic security and privacy measures when the world gets a bit much. But judging by her stories, fame isn't all red carpets and champagne—it can just as easily mean being chased across Barcelona by a group of fans while you're trying to switch off with your partner.