He turned the chorus around with his charismatic lead performance on the hit Netflix romantic series Bridgerton.
And now, Regé-Jean Page is being serenaded by Shonda Rhimes for the 2021 TIME100 Next list.
The 51-year-old writer and producer seemed almost like one of his most delighted fans, while worrying about the 31-year-old actor, who called him “finer than fiction” and “better than any dream.”
Praised: René-Jean Page, 31, was serenaded in the pages of the TIME100 Next list by his 51-year-old Bridgerton producer Shonda Rhimes; Page viewed in 2018 in Los Angeles
“You could dream of him, the one we call Duke of Hastings,” he began. “But really, Regé-Jean Page is finer than fiction and better than any dream.”
The creator of Scandal went on to describe Page as a “rare actor, who brings intensity, intelligence and precision to his work, providing infinite depth to any scene.”
She went on, writing that the actor’s immersive performances built “a vibrant world for us to enter, making it impossible to imagine any other actor playing the role.”
Rhimes concluded the brief tribute by adding that “Regé is a singular talent whose prospects are limitless.”
Effusive praise: “You could dream of him, the one we call Duke of Hastings,” Rhimes began. “But in reality, Regé-Jean Page is finer than fiction and better than any dream”; seen in 2019
Star to see: the creator of Scandal went on to describe Page as a “rare actor, who brings intensity, intelligence and precision to his work, providing infinite depth to any scene”; still of Bridgerton
Today he can be our Duke. For tomorrow … I can’t even dream big enough to imagine it “, he wrote.
Page stars in Bridgerton as Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings.
His chemistry with his music star Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne Bridgerton, has been widely acclaimed and the series overall scored 89% among critics tested by Rotten Tomatoes.
Page and Dynevor were as compelling as fiction lovers that rumors surfaced that the two had dated while filming the Netflix series, although the actress put that conversation to bed earlier this week in a interview with You Magazine.
‘I’d love to say there really was something between us. But no, he’s always been strictly professional, ”he said.
“There was so much pressure on us to do it right that it was work. We have a very professional working relationship,” he continued. “I’m happy about that, actually. It would be very difficult for him to go further.
Perfect matches: page stars in Bridgerton like Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Her chemistry with her costar Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne Bridgerton, has been widely acclaimed; seen together in January in London
Rising Star: Prior to appearing on Brigerton, Page was best known for appearing in the 2016 miniseries version of Roots and the legal drama ABC For The People; illustrated in 2016 in New York
Interestingly, when Page was asked about a possible relationship during a January interview with Access Hollywood, he avoided giving a direct answer.
“I think all you need to know is on camera,” he said, before praising the show’s “beautiful scripts”.
Prior to starring in Brigerton, Page was best known for appearing in Tessa Thompson’s drama Sylvie’s Love, along with the 2016 miniseries version of Roots and the ABC legal drama For The People.
It will be presented to a new audience this weekend, when it will host Saturday Night Live for the first time.
More to come: Bridgerton is the latest hit from Rhimes, who also worked with Page a For The People. His next series is about a scammer of Russian descent known as Anna Delvey; seen in 2018
Bridgerton is the latest hit from Rhimes, who also worked with Page on For The People.
He will then write and produce the Inventing Anna series for Netflix.
The show, which he also created, is based on the article in New York magazine How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People, about a woman of Russian descent posing as a wealthy German heiress to defraud the Socialists of New York.