Who is Marc Pilcher from 'Bridgerton'? The story behind the show's tribute

The first episode of Bridgerton's season 2 ends with a tribute to Marc Pilcher—but who is he and why is the show paying tribute to him?

If you loved Bridgerton for its beautiful aesthetics (as well as the drama and romance, of course), then you have Marc to thank. The flawless hair and makeup looks were one of the many things that made us all fall in love with the show, and they were brought to us by the designer. 

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Who is Marc Pilcher from 'Bridgerton'?

Marc Pilcher was the designer on Bridgerton who sadly passed away on October 3, 2021. Marc worked on many films and series including Mary Queen of Scots, Downton Abbey, and of course, Bridgerton. He was awarded the Emmy for ‘Outstanding Period And/Or Character Hairstyling' in 2021 for his work on Bridgerton and was no doubt the mastermind behind the dreamy 'Bridgerton brow'.

Heartbreakingly, he passed away of Covid just weeks after receiving his award. His agency, Curtis Brown, confirmed to Variety that he was double-vaccinated and had no underlying health conditions.

“Glamorous and extravagant, he brought his flair and style to every design. Never limited in his thought process for his creations, he pushed boundaries and created work never realised before", the agency's statement read.

'Bridgerton' stars' tributes to Marc Pilcher

Stars of the series have shared touching tributes to the designer, including Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope and Lady Whistledown herself. She shared a picture of Marc and a series of examples of his hair and makeup designs on the set of Bridgerton.

“So heartbroken by the loss of Marc Pilcher, the brilliant and visionary Hair and Makeup designer for Bridgerton Season One. Marc was so passionate about his work and so tremendously talented", Nicole wrote.

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She continued saying: “It’s a tragedy that he’s been taken so young when he had so much yet to do. Please also use this as a reminder that Covid is still a very real and present danger, please get vaccinated and mask up to protect yourself and others.” 

Nicola ended her post with: ”Rest in Peace Marc ❤️” and sent her thoughts to the rest of his design team.

Her fellow castmates commented on her post, with Phoebe Dyvenor writing: “❤️❤️❤️❤️”,

This isn't the first loss the Bridgerton cast has had to face. The show's fans will be familiar with the name Brian Nickels, a stunt coordinator who died in January 2020 due to a cardiac arrest and to whom the final episode of season one is dedicated to.