Who Plays Lord Debling in ‘Bridgerton’? Meet Sam Phillips (2024)

Actor Sam Phillips is one of the most notable cast additions in Bridgerton season 3. The actor plays the wealthy Lord Debling, a botanist with an extraordinary passion for plants and agriculture. Despite being laughed out by members of the Ton, there’s a consensus his family is one of London’s most affluent.

Sam Phillips’ Lord Debling is introduced after the season’s central character, Penelope Featherington, declares her intention to find a husband. Although initially introduced as aloof, he quickly warms his way into the hearts of audiences. There’s nothing wrong with a man being passionate about something he cares about. Here’s more about Sam Phillips, the actor who plays Lord Debling.

Sam Phillips’ Father Is TV Director Nic Phillips

Actor Sam Phillips was born on May 31, 1984. His father is veteran television director and producer Nic Phillips. The English TV filmmaker is known for directing Birds of a Feather (1989), Goodnight Sweetheart (1993), and The Jasper Carrott Trial (1997). Nic Phillips’ most recent and notable project is directing 77 episodes of the award-winning EastEnders (2006–2016) and 12 episodes of Coronation Street from 2018 to 2020.

Sam Phillips Trained and Graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Having a television filmmaker as a father helped influence Sam Phillips’ desire and passion for performing. Phillips performed in several of his High School plays and determined he wanted a career as a professional actor. Sam Phillips enrolled at and graduated from London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The prestigious school has produced several other famous alumni. These include Orlando Bloom, Daniel Craig, Ewan McGregor, Dominic West, Lily James, Hayley Atwell, and Naveen Andrews.

He Has An Extensive Theater Career

Since graduating from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Sam Phillips has appeared in several stage plays. Phillips has performed at the Old Vic Theatre and National Theatre. Sam Phillips performed with American actor Kevin Spacey as an accused schoolteacher, Bertram Cates, in Trevor Nunn’s acclaimed stage production Inherit The Wind. The play was performed at the Old Vic. Phillips also performed at the West End run of Alan Bennett’s The History Boys at the National Theatre, as well as playing Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, performed at the Shakespeare‘s Globe.

Sam Phillips Made His Screen Debut In 2019

Sam Phillips made his screen debut in the TV series Starting Out in 2019. He appeared in 2 episodes of the show, first as a football player and then as a character named Mark. Two years later, he made his film debut as a shelf stacker in the 2001 movie Late Night Shopping. Sam Phillips spent the next decade appearing in several TV shows and a TV movie.

Where You Know Sam Phillips From

For television audiences, especially kids of the late 2000s to early 2010s, Sam Phillips is mostly remembered for his role in the CBBC Channel British children’s sitcom Hotel Trubble. Phillips played Jamie, the bellboy, alongside Dominique Moore (as Sally), Tanya Franks (as Dolly), Gary Damer (as Lenny), and Sheila Bernette (as Mrs. Poshington). The show originally aired for 3 series from 2008 to 2011.

Phillips joined the cast of the BBC One TV drama series The Syndicate in series 3. He was cast as Spencer Cavendish, alongside fellow Bridgerton co-star Polly Walker, who plays Lady Portia Featherington in the Netflix series. Sam Phillips also starred in various capacities in other screen productions such as In The Flesh, Far From The Madding Crowd, EastEnders: E20, My Family, and Micro Men, in which he portrayed British computer scientist, mathematician and hardware engineer Steve Furber.

Although most of his screen acting career has been in British television programs and series, Phillips’ international breakout role was in Netflix’s historical drama series The Crown. With the show centered around the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II, Sam Phillips was cast as the Equerry, joining the show in season 3 in 2019. Phillips replaced James Hillier as the Queen’s Equerry.

Sam Phillips Have Won Two SAG Awards

Interestingly, although he has had a few credits as a screen actor, his first major award nomination came in 2020. Unsurprisingly, it was from the Netflix award-winning TV show The Crown. As a part of the show’s ensemble cast, Sam Phillips was nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 2020 SAG Awards. Not only did they win the category, but they received a similar nomination the next year and also won.

He’s Believed To Be Dating His Bridgerton Co-Star

Eagle-eyed fans and audiences quickly noticed a comment Sam Phillips replied to on his Instagram. For a while, it was speculated that Sam Phillips and Bridgerton co-star Bessie Carter were dating. Bessie Carter plays Prudence Featherington, the eldest Featherington daughter, on the show. Phillips and Carter have been seen together at events and on the red carpet.

Bessie Carter is also the only child of Academy Award-nominated English actress and singer Imelda Staunton and Downton Abbey’s Mr. Carson’s actor Jim Carter. Interestingly, Sam Phillips and Imelda Staunton starred in The Crown, although they never shared screens as Phillips left in season 4. If you enjoyed reading about Sam Phillips, read about Nicola Coughlan, the Star of Bridgerton Season 3.

Watch Bridgerton on Netflix

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Onyinye Izundu (He/Him) is a writer at TVOvermind. With a particular interest in fantasy, including popular shows like House of the Dragon, The Rings of Power, and Games of Thrones, Onyinye enjoys watching movies and TV shows of various genres. Some of his all-time favorite films include Armageddon, Independence Day (starring Will Smith), Gladiator, and the movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 1-4 (still trying to wrap his head around the multiverse of Phase 5).