Regé-Jean Page opened up about the moment in his life he knew Bridgerton had changed things for him when he was dubbed the “most beautiful man alive” and had “the best ass of my life” while playing Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among turned thieves.
The actor stopped by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert for the first time on Tuesday, where he was greeted with prolonged applause and cheers, leading him to jokingly wonder if the host had engaged the audience.
Colbert pointed out that people still remember him “rather fondly” from Bridgerton season one – “several bits of you from the season” – before asking when he would know his career was about to change as a result of the Netflix series changed.
Page explained that there were a few moments when it hit him, but there was one in particular that he remembered arriving in Belfast to film Dungeons & Dragons a few months after the release of the torrid drama.
“I remember landing in Northern Ireland,” he said. “I got in the car, the drive from the airport, and the driver turned on the radio, and they ran a competition to find me. They said, ‘Regé-Jean Page is in town, give us a call if you know where he is.’ So I just hid in the hotel for two to three months. I just didn’t leave my room. So it’s a bit of a mixed blessing, like ‘You’re all nice and give me lots and lots of attention’ and ‘You’re all nice and give me lots and lots of attention’.”
The Bridgerton graduate said some people found him but the Belfast people are very nice and accommodating so they didn’t smuggle any pictures. Instead, they ran up to him and excitedly welcomed him to the area.
“It was a very strange reversal,” he told the host. “Set used to be like an extraordinary place. Like I go on set and that’s where dreams like that happen and everything was weird and I had to play Hollywood and then you go home and you sit in the cafes and life is normal.
He continued, “After Bridgerton, people on set treated me like normal, and I just went to work, and I kind of had interactions with my co-workers, and the public became the venue because that’s where I’m watched all day. So it was a very, very strange turnaround and I’m still learning how to navigate with grace because you want to meet people and share in the joy that you bring people. That’s why you’re doing the job.”
The Dungeons & Dragons star said he likes to pause for a moment before leaving his seat to catch his breath and mentally prepare to step out into the world. That way, he’ll be more willing to meet people and share the projects he’s created with his fans.
“On TV, there’s a common aspect to what you do,” he explained. “The reason Bridgerton was such a sensation is because there was something that gave us a sense of community, a shared escapism when we’re all kind of trapped in our own little bubbles. I think this is very special and something that should be treated with care and gratitude.”
Colbert went on to ask Page for his thoughts on a January New York Post headline that proclaimed him the “most beautiful man alive,” according to science. The actor said it was new to him and that he doesn’t look in the mirror every morning and say those things to himself. He also explained that he felt it was some kind of “ambush headline” because he wasn’t on the news at the moment and was taking some time to relax ahead of the Dungeons & Dragons press tour when suddenly people talked about him again.
The guest and host chatted about their colognes and how they both smell delicious before returning to Bridgerton, as Page shared that “what people don’t know” about the show is that he and co-star Phoebe Dynevor “both share one.” had terrible coffee breath all the way through.”
Colbert ended the first segment of his interview with Page by asking him for a quote he gave to Entertainment Weekly in which he proclaimed that he “had the best ass of my life” while filming Dungeons & Dragons.
“You were already admired for your buttocks and your generosity in sharing it with us at Bridgerton, but why did it get any better? Why have you improved?” asked the innkeeper. “How did Dungeons & Dragons get better?”
Page cheekily replied, “Very occasionally I just give people what they want.”
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves hits theaters on March 31st.