Shonda Rhimes’ Kids Make Rare Appearance at the 'Bridgerton' Season 4 Premiere (& I Just Have One Question)

Is it just me or...?

Published Jan 19, 2026

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3:00pm

Laurent Vu/SIPA

Hear ye, hear ye—the Paris premiere of Bridgerton season four took place this week, and a few surprising faces made an appearance. And no, I’m not talking about Love Island star Olandria Carthen (though that was exciting for fans), I’m talking about Shonda Rhimes’ kids.

On January 14, Shonda, 56, hit the purple carpet with her family by her side: 22-year-old daughter Harper, 12-year-old Emerson, and 11-year-old Beckett. The quartet looked absolutely stunning. Rhimes wore a metallic pink dress with a matching cape. Harper, to her right, wore a black dress adorned with golden yellow embellishments, while Beckett, to Shonda’s left, wore a black dress with pink and green flowers. Emerson sported a shimmering purple and silver dress.

Laurent Vu/SIPA

The creative force behind Grey’s Anatomy and Bridgerton became a mom in 2002 when she adopted her daughter, Harper. Ten years later, Emerson joined the family and in 2013, Shonda welcomed Beckett through surrogacy. While Harper has joined her mom on red carpets before, this premiere marked the first official carpet appearance for Emerson and Beckett.

After seeing this photo I only had one question: How did I not know Shonda Rhimes has kids? She’s done an incredible job keeping her personal and professional life separate and clearly, she’s raising some stylish and confident kids along the way.

All that aside, Bridgerton season four is almost here and fans can expect all the romance, intrigue, and drama the show is known for. This season follows the free-spirited second son, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), who has no interest in settling down, until he crosses paths with a mysterious, enchanting woman called the “Lady in Silver” at his mother’s masquerade ball.

But here’s the twist: she’s actually Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), a clever maid with her own ambitions. From there, a Cinderella-style story unfolds, full of forbidden romance, personal growth, and all the swoon-worthy Bridgerton moments we live for.

This season will be split into two parts, with the first dropping January 29 and part two following on February 26.

Let the countdown begin.

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Danielle Long

Assistant Editor, News and Entertainment

Writes breaking news and entertainment content
Covers award show red carpets and movie premieres
Has earned two Edward R. Murrow Awards

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