Bridgerton’s third season has made a big change to former villain Cressida Cowper. In the Netflix show, she spent the first two seasons bullying and gossiping about beloved characters, but season 3 saw a change in her character.

In the recent third season of the popular romantic drama, Cressida (played by Jessica Madsen) turned a new leaf. She befriended Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie), Daphne’s younger sister, which brought a whole new side of herself out. This is a strong departure from the novels, where Cressida never changes her ways and becomes more and more cruel.

Changes from the Julia Quinn source novels are not uncommon for the Netflix show. The first two seasons had already made significant changes, adding Queen Charlotte to the series, as well as creating Lord Marcus Anderson, Lady Tilley Arnold and the Mondrichs.

How Cressida Is The Biggest Villain In Bridgerton Book 4

Cressida Cowper is rude and mean-spirited in the Bridgerton TV show, but she is truly villainous in the Julia Quinn books series.

The character’s antagonism was established early in the Bridgerton books, with her hostility towards Penelope Featherington very obvious. One of her most vicious moments came in The Viscount Who Loved Me, where Kate witnessed Cressida highlight how Penelope wasn’t “in demand,” making her appearance at that event “surprising.”

In the fourth book, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, set years later, Cressida is married, while Penelope is a spinster. When Lord Twimbley dies and leaves Cressida widowed and poor, she becomes desperate. This desperation leads her to try to ruin Colin and Penelope’s status in society. 

Cressida Cowper Knows Penelope Is Lady Whistledown In Bridgerton Books

In the Bridgerton novel Romancing Mister Bridgerton, which tells Colin (Luke Newton and Penelope’s (Nicola Coughlan) love story, Penelope tries to hide her secret identity as Lady Whistledown. Although no one initially suspects Penelope of being Lady Whistledown, Cressida uncovers the truth.

When Cressida learns Lady Whistledown’s true identity, she tries to blackmail her for a large sum of money. It comes after Lady Danbury offers a thousand-pound prize to the person who discovers Whistledown’s true identity. In the Netflix show, Queen Charlotte purses the identity of the gossiper instead.

Going against Colin’s wishes, she uncovers that Penelope is the writer. Colin hatches a plan to reveal Penelope’s identity before Cressida can expose her. Despite the truth being revealed, the Bridgerton’s and Penelope are still welcomed in society whilst Cressida is forced into exile.

Why Netflix’s Bridgerton Humanized Cressida

Season 3 of Netflix’s Bridgerton has humanized Cressida by helping her form a friendship with Eloise (Claudia Jessie). Her change in personality comes after she bonds with the girl in the countryside. This friendship helps the previously isolated Cressida as the pair continue their relationship in London’s world of balls and promenades.

“You have to be confident and in a safe place to be open,” Jessie Madsen explained to Vulture, “and it’s not safe around her apart from when she’s with Eloise.”

This humanization was a “wonderful surprise” to the actress. In the earlier seasons, the Cowpwers are seen out and about wearing lavish, bright costumes. Season 3 showed a different, heavier side of their life. “I felt the seriousness of the situation. Both women in the house are controlled by a man.”

“It reflects the time. These women were limited in what they could do and who they could be in life, and we see that in the family. I feel very sorry that she’s gone through this. I’m grateful there’s less of that in today’s world.”

“I do think that we’re still seeing a very soft side to her at this point,” Madsen said of Cressida’s journey in the first part of season 3 of Bridgerton. However, Madsen teased that Cressida’s personality may change in part two, which will be released in June 2024.

“We will see her shrink a little bit because she’s really left to fend for herself.”

Other Cressida Cowper Details That Were Changed From The Bridgerton Books

Cressida appears in two books in the Bridgerton series: “The Viscount Who Loved Me,” which was the source material for the second season of the TV show, and “Romancing Mister Bridgerton,” which season three was greatly influenced by.

In “Romancing Mister Bridgerton,” Cressida is depicted as the vain bully of London society, often targeting Penelope Featherington for being unmarried. Cressida marries in the third Bridgerton book, An Offer From a Gentleman, which is Benedict’s story. In the story, Cressida marries a character named Lord Twombley, who has not yet been introduced to the Netflix series. Sadly, her husband dies, and she becomes a struggling widow.

The reason Cressida doesn’t marry Lord Debling (Sam Phillips) after Penelope rejects him is because he is a character specifically made for the TV series. It’s not clear who Cressida will end up romancing, but some fans believe her suitor could be Eloise. Jessica Madsen is keen on that storyline. “Yeah, I mean, that would be cool. I like to think it would make sense because, like, she hasn’t bagged a guy. So, like, why not a gal? But yeah, I have really no idea.”

Jessica Madsen, who plays Cressida, says she didn’t read “Romancing Mister Bridgerton” before filming season three of Bridgerton because showrunner Jess Brownell told her that her character’s story would differ greatly.

“I always read the book before we started shooting, but I talked to Jess, and she said they’re taking her in this slightly different direction. We get a look into her life. We see how she’s grown up, we see her house, and the house does an awful lot of speaking for itself. As the season progresses, we really see the weight of her situation and what her options are, which are incredibly limited.”