The first episode of Queen Charlotte: Bridgerton’s head is featured at the end of the episode and before the credits, a sober dedication that might have challenged and encouraged viewers to pick up their phones.
Entitled “In Memory of Jacqueline Avant” (French for “In Memory of Jacqueline Avant”), the final card, like Bridgerton’s previous dedication, is not intended for a member of the film or production crew who is known to have died during production. It is an emblematic figure of the African-American cultural world, with close ties to Netflix.
Jacqueline Avant was shot and killed in December 2021 at the age of 81. She was the mother of producer Nicole Avant, wife of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos.
It turns out that Jacqueline Avant had a long-standing interest in Charlotte as a historical figure, which is why Ted Sarandos reached out to creator Shonda Rhimes about a possible spin-off.
“It was Ted Sarandos who called me and said, “My mother-in-law is obsessed with Charlotte. Would you like a story about Queen Charlotte?’says Shonda Rhimes in the production notes.And I immediately said yes.“
Ted Sarandos posted a message on Instagram on the day the series premiered, sharing a photo of one of Charlotte’s letters that Jacqueline Avant bought and explaining his late mother-in-law’s fascination with Charlotte and her connection to the series.
“Not only is Queen Charlotte a real historical figure, she was a favorite historical figure of my late mother-in-law, Jacqueline Avant.“, he wrote in the caption.After the first season of Bridgerton aired, I had the opportunity to be at her house with my wife @Nicoleavantofficial and while Nicole was talking to her dad, Clarence Jacqui pulled me aside and said, “You really need to do something about Queen Charlotte on Netflix.”“.
“When I told him he was in Bridgerton, he rolled his eyes and disappeared down the hall before returning with Queen Charlotte’s manuscript books and handwritten letters that he had bought at auction and collected over the years.“, he continues.
“I politely brought them home and started reading them. I immediately knew he had an extraordinary story and my head was full of possibilities. I called Shonda Rhimes, who was finishing the second season.
I told him about the idea that Jacques had inspired, and that now that he had made Queen Charlotte such a popular character, someone was bound to tell her story in a film or TV series, and that it had to be him. Shonda loved the idea and decided to build what would be Bridgerton’s first expansion beyond the book series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Chapter.“.
Jacqueline Avant also had a lot to do with Shonda Rhimes, herself a major force and philanthropist for disadvantaged communities in Los Angeles. The wife of music producer Clarence Avant, nicknamed “The Godfather of Black Music,” Jacqueline had a long history of philanthropy in Los Angeles and the black community.
The Avant family is deeply involved in politics and entertainment, as evidenced by their involvement in the campaigns of Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley (the city’s first African-American mayor from 1973 to 1993), President Barack Obama, and many others. As an activist, Shonda Rhimes supported women’s rights, suffrage campaigns and more, bringing her closer to the Avanti family circle.
In addition, Shonda Rhimes is linked to Ted Sarando and his wife Nicole Avant because of her contract with Netflix, which is several years old.
“Jacqueline didn’t live to see what you’re about to see tonight, but in the final moments of the first episode, Shonda dedicated the series to the memory of Jacqueline Avant.– concludes Sarandos in his Instagram post.I love that Jacqui and I shared this special moment and it led to something truly magical. Thanks Shonda. Thanks Jacques.“
A nice tribute to this 81-year-old woman who was fatally injured during a burglary at her home in the posh Los Angeles suburb of Beverly Hills.
Source: Allocine
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
