Maia Mitchell and Thomas Brodie-Sangster have captured the attention of fans with their memorable Thomas Brodie-Sangster chemistry on the Hulu series The Artful Dodger. However, Mitchell revealed that their connection took time to grow during filming. Before production began, Mitchell, who was working in the United States, had barely met Brodie-Sangster and only had one day of rehearsals before their first scene together.
Mitchell shared,
“I didn’t know Thomas well [before filming]. Before our first day, I had been shooting something in the United States, so I popped over quickly — like, the day after I found out I booked it — had one day of rehearsals and met Thomas,”
expressing the initial lack of familiarity.
Interestingly, their debut scene involved Mitchell’s character Belle taking off a dress in her room, a moment charged with tension between Belle and Brodie-Sangster’s character Jack Dawkins. Mitchell humorously remarked on their beginnings by saying,
“Thomas and Maia [had] zero chemistry,”
and added,
“He’s so beautiful, but I was like, ‘He’s such a gentleman and I’m so loud. I don’t think he likes me very much. Am I talking too much since he’s only speaking when he has something to say?’”
Transformation Into Beloved Characters and Growing Rapport
Despite their initial awkwardness, both actors quickly found their rhythm as Jack and Belle once they embraced their characters fully. Mitchell recalled the transformation, stating,
“Then we did that scene and he became Dodger and it was just palpable. I remember looking at our showrunner James McNamara and being like, ‘We’re good.’ But you really don’t know until you’re both being these characters. The way that he transforms into Jack with all of that edge … Thomas is just such a wonderful actor and such a beautiful person. He is so generous and so great with everyone. He’s the best.”
The evolving relationship between the actors helped establish the magnetic on-screen pairing that has drawn viewers into the story.
The Artful Dodger’s Setting and Plot Development in Season Two
Set in the 1850s as a sequel to Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist, The Artful Dodger follows Jack Dawkins, a former Royal Navy surgeon striving to become a respected young doctor. Jack’s life becomes complicated by his mischievous ways and a romance with Belle, the governor’s daughter, played by Mitchell.
The second season, which launched on February 10, revisits the intense romance between Jack and Belle while introducing a new character, Inspector Henry Boxer, brought to life by Luke Bracey. This addition creates a nuanced love triangle that deepens the storyline.
Mitchell explained the fresh perspective on this dynamic:
“What I love about Boxer and the way that Luke played him is [that] the temptation for a love triangle is to make the new edition an antagonist. I love that, in this season, we have stayed away from tropes and we’re getting a really nuanced perspective of these characters,”
noting,
“There is this really rich character development and character-driven story. Especially with the love triangle between Boxer and Belle and Jack.”
Contrasting Personalities in the New Love Triangle
Mitchell described the differing traits of Jack and Boxer, emphasizing how their contrasts impact Belle’s choices. She said,
“Boxer is sort of the antithesis of Jack. Where Jack is fireworks, passion and a tumultuous star-crossed love, Boxer is calm and sensible. They’re intellectually equals, which is quite stimulating. He also has this really devastating backstory,”
adding,
“He plays it with such beautiful fragility that you can’t help but root for him and think that it would be a much simpler — maybe more comfortable life — for Belle. And Jack is really threatened by that.”
She further reflected on Belle’s evolving role, observing,
“It was fun to walk that line with the love triangle and try to really lean away from anything tropey. We just really get to the crux of who these characters are and for Belle, it is quite empowering because she’s really quite autonomous this season. She’s really looking at her options and prioritizing herself. I love to see a woman doing that.”
Season Two Experience and Hopes for the Future
After a lengthy wait for season two, Mitchell spoke about returning to the series and deepening her portrayal of Belle. She remarked,
“It was a long painstaking wait to hear [about a season 2], so we are very happy to be back,”
acknowledging both the excitement and anxiety involved in resuming the role.
Mitchell described the process of reconnecting with her character:
“In terms of jumping back into character, the break was good. It’s always nerve-wracking going back. But it’s so easy with our sets and in our costumes, you just really do melt right into the world. But the break was good because I would have needed that circuit break to find a different tone in her, to do some different prep. Especially with the dialect coaches, I was vocally dropping her a little lower and there was a slightly different physicality. Hopefully we get a season 3, and hopefully the break isn’t as long.”
Availability and Anticipation for The Artful Dodger’s Next Chapter
The Artful Dodger is currently available for streaming on Hulu, offering fans ongoing access to the unfolding saga of Jack, Belle, and Boxer. With season two closing on a hopeful note, the cast and crew remain optimistic about continuing the story and further exploring the complex relationships and challenges these characters face.
