Bridgerton is one of those series that pulls you in with colour, corsets, and chaos. But every now and then, a character shows up and steadies the room. You might not clock it at first. He’s calm. He listens. He doesn’t rush his words. Then, halfway through an episode, you realise you trust him. That’s Will Mondrich. And behind him stands Martins Isoken Imhangbe.
Martins doesn’t play loud characters. He plays people who feel real. The kind you’d actually meet. Men who think before they speak. Men who carry themselves as if they’ve worked for everything they have. Which raises a fair question. How did a British-Nigerian actor with deep theatre roots become one of the most believable presences in one of Netflix’s biggest shows?
This isn’t another story about sudden fame. It’s about movement, patience, and learning the craft properly can take you to the top. Let’s start at the beginning.
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From Edo State to Europe: A Childhood Shaped by Movement and Culture
Martins was born in Edo State, Nigeria, and his early years involved a lot of movement. His family moved to Greece before later settling in London. That kind of childhood changes you. You learn fast, listen more than you talk, and pick up patterns in people because you have to.
He speaks Greek fluently, which sounds impressive on paper. In real life, it says something simpler. He has learned to adapt and to pay attention. He understands that language isn’t just words. It’s tone, timing, and knowing when to hold back.
At home, he grew up Nigerian. Family was key. Respect mattered. Responsibility came early. Those values stay with you, even when your accent shifts and your address changes. You can see it in how he carries himself on screen. Just a steady presence.
That mix of movement and grounding shaped how he sees the world. And later, how he approached acting.
The Long Road to Acting Was Not Smooth or Linear
Martins didn’t walk straight into acting school and get clapped in. He applied. He got rejected. That part gets skipped a lot, but it matters.
Instead of giving up, he studied Technical Theatre: lighting, sound, and set design. The parts of the job most people never see. That choice changed everything. Working backstage teaches you respect. You learn how much effort sits behind a single moment on stage. You stop chasing attention and start chasing precision.
Later, he trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. By then, he understood the whole machine. He wasn’t guessing how things worked. He already knew.
That preparation shows. When Martins steps into a role, he looks comfortable there. Like someone who earned the space rather than stumbled into it.
From there, the theatre became home.
Theatre Built the Actor Long Before Television Found Him
If you want to know how solid an actor is, check their theatre work. Martins’ stage credits say plenty.
He performed in Richard II, Death of a Salesman, and Barber Shop Chronicles, a play that felt familiar to many Africans in the room because it sounded like real conversations. Theatre demands stamina. You can’t pause or reset. You show up and carry the story, night after night.
That discipline sharpened him. Timing. Control. Stillness. Knowing when silence speaks louder than dialogue.
His work earned him an Ian Charleson Award nomination, which placed him on the industry’s radar. Casting directors notice actors who can hold a stage. That kind of trust travels.
Eventually, television came knocking. And Bridgerton followed.
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Martins Imhangbe as Will Mondrich in Bridgerton
Will Mondrich starts as a boxer. He becomes a businessman. Then he steps into high society, carrying his past with him. The role needs strength, restraint, and emotional balance. Martins fits it naturally.
He trained physically for the role, including boxing work, but the real work sits in the pauses. Will doesn’t overshare. He weighs his choices. He moves with purpose. That mirrors Martins’ own background. Family first. Dignity intact. Progress earned.
Across seasons, Will grows. He faces pressure, opportunity, and expectation. Martins lets that growth breathe. He doesn’t push it. He trusts the audience to catch up.
It’s the kind of performance that feels honest. And honesty travels far.
Staying Grounded While the Spotlight Grows
Off the screen, Martins stays close to home in the ways that matter. Nigerian food. Music. Community in London. Afrobeats plays because it connects him back, not because it trends.
He speaks openly about representation as a responsibility, rather than a slang. Younger actors watch him. He knows that, and he doesn’t posture about it; he just does the work properly.
That mindset keeps him steady. Fame comes and goes. Craft stays.
A Career Built Slowly, and Why That Matters
Martins Imhangbe’s journey makes sense when you look closely. Movement shaped him. Rejection refined him. Theatre trained him. Culture grounded him.
He didn’t rush the process. He respected it.
As more Nigerian and African talents step into global spaces, his story reminds us of something simple. You don’t have to shrink to fit. You don’t have to rush to be seen. Preparation carries weight. And when opportunity shows up, it recognises those who are ready.
Some actors command the room by being loud. Others do it by being solid. Martins belongs to the second group. And honestly, that kind lasts longer.
If stories like this matter to you, stories about craft, culture, and Africans showing up fully on global stages, RefinedNG is where we keep telling them.