Mzansi’s Masali Baduza Leads ‘Bridgerton’ Season 5’s First Queer Love Story

Masali Baduza is stepping into global spotlight territory as Netflix’s top drama Bridgerton prepares for season 5. The series will center on the show’s first queer love story, with Baduza leading alongside Hannah Dodd in a new chapter for the franchise.

Photo: Instagram

Baduza is Michaela Stirling, the romantic partner of Francesca Bridgerton, played by Hannah Dodd. Netflix confirmed that the upcoming season places their relationship at the heart of the story. The themes in previous seasons are identity and sexuality, but Season 5 is about queer relationships.The storyline adapts Julia Quinn’s novel When He Was Wicked. In the original book,

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Season 5 picks up after the emotional events of Season 4, where Francesca loses her husband, John Stirling. She struggles with widowhood and  her bond with Michaela deepens.

Masali Baduza: Instagram

Jess Brownell said the new season aims to present queer love with the same sweeping romance and emotional depth in previous series.

“More than ever, Season 5 is going to be about yearning,” she told Netflix’s Tudum in an interview published March 24. “It feels groundbreaking. Obviously, there are a lot of great shows that have depicted queer love. We’re not the first by any means. But to make an entire Bridgerton season about a sapphic relationship feels huge.”

Baduza was born in East London, South Africa, and gained international attention through the BBC drama Noughts + Crosses. before joining Bridgerton.Production on the season began in 2026, though no confirmed release date yet.

Photo: Instagram

Masali Baduza’s  role in the movie is a defining moment for both the actress and the franchise. This is its first queer-centered season, and Bridgerton will redefine its romantic legacy.