Good Omens is returning with plenty of familiar faces in the 2023 TV schedule, even though fans with Amazon Prime Video subscriptions will see some returning stars playing new characters. In a twist, one returning character has been recast. The show's Lord of the Flies – a.k.a. Beelzebub – will be played by Bridgerton alum Shelley Conn this time. It's safe to say that her Beelzebub will be about as shockingly different as can be from the refined Lady Mary, and Conn spoke with CinemaBlend prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike about jumping straight from Bridgerton's Regency-era London to Good Omens' Hell!
Shelley Conn takes over the role of Beelzebub after the original actress, Anna Maxwell Martin, was unable to return for Season 2 due to scheduling. Landing the role of Good Omens' Lord of the Flies meant leaving behind the beautiful gowns and elegance of Bridgerton for insects and grime. When I spoke with Conn during the recent Good Omens press day, I commented on the very different looks for the two characters, and she responded:
Right? I wrapped Bridgerton and I literally got out of costume, hair and makeup, wig off, corset, everything. Bye bye to me old Lady Mary, and then within 12 hours, I had the teeth in, the hair, the flies, the scabby face. And it was like, 'Whoa, okay, that's quite a 180.'
It's hard to imagine the lovely Lady Mary looking anything less than refined, even when her daughters were putting her through the wringer in Bridgerton Season 2. According to Shelley Conn, there wasn't much time to spare between leaving that role behind and joining Good Omens as one of the most senior demons in Hell. As you can see below, viewers certainly won't be confusing Lady Mary and Beelzebub:
As you can also see in the video above from CinemaBlend's interview with Shelley Conn, Beelzebub isn't just a far cry from what Lady Mary looked like on Bridgerton. The actress needed a whole lot of makeup to pass as the Lord of the Flies! Naturally, I had to ask Conn which process took longer: dressing up as Lady Mary or dressing way down as Lord Beelzebub. She shared what "shocked" her about it:
Listen, that's what I was gonna say! I was shocked at how quickly it took me to look that bad. It's so quick. It was like, 'Oh, you're pretty much there! Go.’
While Good Omens doesn't premiere until July 28 to really give a good look at Shelley Conn as Beelzebub, her appearance as the character gives more proof to the idea that Crowley seems to be just about the only demon who can pass for human like an angel can, even despite his snake eyes.
As for Crowley, David Tennant opened up about his character getting everything he wanted after Season 1, with Michael Sheen weighing in about Aziraphale as well! Both of course reprise their lead roles as the demon and angel, in contrast to Neil Gaiman creating totally new characters for certain returning stars.
Shelley Conn isn't the only newcomer to Season 2, as Good Omens added two new angels. Quelin Sepulveda will play Muriel while Liz Carr plays Saraqael. It remains to be seen whether these new angels have a rebellious streak like Aziraphale or stick to the company line like Gabriel does... or Gabriel did, anyway! Jon Hamm's archangel has lost his memory for Season 2, and the mystery is what happened that led up to it.
Find out when all six episodes of Good Omens Season 2 become available streaming on Friday, July 28. For now, you can always revisit the first season for a refresher before the series returns to Prime Video. I know I did, and my Season 1 rewatch left me with several things I want Season 2 to bring back!
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