's Ruby Barker details her tormenting filming experience, citing Netflix and Shondaland for their lack of support. season 1, reprising her role as a guest star for season 2. Barker's character was introduced as a newcomer to high society who was disparaged by her wealthy cousins for an affair that resulted in a pregnancy.
In a recent interview on Oxford University's podcast, Barker opened up about her negative experiences while filming .
The actor shared that she had her first psychotic break while filming season 1 in 2022 and the second took place in 2022. Barker says she received no support from Netflix during that time and no support from Shondaland, the production company behind the show from creator Shonda Rhimes.
When I went into hospital a week after shooting Bridgerton season 1, it was really covered up and kept on the down-low because the show was going to be coming out. During filming I was deteriorating. It was a really tormenting place for me to be because my character was very alienated, very ostracized, on her own under these horrible circumstances. Not a single person from Netflix, not a single person from Shondaland since I have had two psychotic breaks from that show have even contacted me or even emailed me to ask if I’m okay or if I would benefit from any sort of aftercare or support.
My life was changing drastically overnight and yet there was still no support and there still hasn’t been any support all that time. So I was trying really, really hard to act like it was okay and that I could work and that it wasn’t a problem. It’s almost like I had this metaphorical invisible gun to my head to sell this show because this show is bubbly and fun. I don’t wanna come out and poo-poo on that because then I might never work again!
Barker discusses the lack of support she received from Netflix and Shondaland during her psychotic breaks.
Barker adds that no one from Netflix or Shondaland contacted her with any support. The actor explained that a lot of things were changing in her life around the time of 's debut, sharing that she was trying very hard to pretend to be okay and continue working as though there was nothing wrong. She added: “I.” She has not been contacted since the .
Barker has spoken out about her time on in the past. In May 2022, Barker spoke about some of her experiences in an Instagram post. She wrote at the time that she had been unwell since the start of the show, mentioning that she was in the hospital at the moment and was looking forward to continuing with her life. At the time of this writing, Netflix and Shondaland have not responded to Barker's remarks.