Luke Newton on “Bridgerton.” Photo: Liam Daniel/Netflix
From the bustling ballrooms of Regency London to the avant-garde world of haute couture, Luke Newton, widely recognized as Colin Bridgerton in Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton, is set to make a dramatic pivot to the Off-Broadway stage.
Newton has been tapped for the plum lead role in House of McQueen, a new play exploring the life and work of the prolific and influential gay British fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen.
The casting, announced today, July 9, 2025, has sent a ripple of excitement through both the theatre and “Polin” fandoms. Newton will take on the complex persona of McQueen, whose designs revolutionized the fashion world with their raw emotion, theatricality, and often dark beauty.
McQueen was a groundbreaking figure in fashion, not only for his artistry but also for his openness about his sexuality, having once famously stated, “I went straight from my mother’s womb onto the gay parade.”
Previews for House of McQueen are scheduled to begin on August 19, with an official opening night set for September 9 at The Mansion at Hudson Yards in New York City, coinciding with New York Fashion Week.
While Newton has captivated audiences globally with his portrayal of the charming, if sometimes naive, third Bridgerton son, he is no stranger to the stage. His theatre credits include West End productions of The Book of Mormon and Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things, demonstrating his versatile acting chops beyond the period drama.
House of McQueen, written by Darrah Cloud and directed by Sam Helfrich, promises an immersive journey into the designer’s life. The play will delve into McQueen’s formative years, his meteoric rise to establishing one of the world’s most significant fashion houses, and the personal struggles that ultimately led to his tragic passing in 2010.
The production is set to feature a “highly produced landscape” with floor-to-ceiling LED panels to create dynamic and shifting environments on stage. Lee Alexander McQueen’s nephew, Gary James McQueen, serves as creative director for the production.
This role marks a significant departure for Newton, allowing him to explore a character with a darker, more complex inner world than his Bridgerton counterpart, while also portraying a pivotal figure in LGBTQ+ history and fashion.
