Many anticipated "Bridgerton" becoming a big hit on Netflix ahead of its 2021 Season 1 premiere, but no one would have guessed that it would immediately become one of the most successful streaming series of all time. Alongside shows like "Stranger Things," "Cobra Kai," and "Orange is the New Black," the Shonda Rhimes Regency romance saga has entered the all-time Netflix pantheon. And while that kind of success can make it appealing for actors to stick around for more time in the spotlight, Season 1 star Regé-Jean Page opted not to return.

Page's performance as Simon Bassett was an undeniably large reason why so many fans flocked to "Bridgerton" in its rookie year. So, why did the actor choose to move on to other projects? The answer is neither dramatic nor terribly surprising. In a 2023 interview with Vanity Fair, Page denied the theory that he left intentionally to avoid being typecast. "It's much simpler than that,...