Coughlan Hits Back

Irish actress Nicola Coughlan has become one of television’s most recognizable breakout stars thanks to her role as Lady Whistledown — secretly Penelope Featherington — in Bridgerton. But as the Netflix drama’s global popularity has grown, so too has the scrutiny surrounding her appearance.

In a recent interview with Elle, the 38-year-old reflected on the intense commentary about her body during the release of Bridgerton’s third season, where her character’s romance with Colin Bridgerton — played by Luke Newton — takes center stage. The storyline marked a shift for the series, created by Chris Van Dusen and produced by Shonda Rhimes, placing Coughlan firmly at the heart of the season’s narrative.

Recalling one uncomfortable fan interaction, she said:

“I remember this really drunk girl once talking to me in a bathroom being like, ‘I loved Bridgerton because of your body’ and started talking about my body, and I was like, ‘I want to die. I hate this so much.’”

Coughlan said comments about her appearance have followed her throughout her career. Despite being between a UK size 8 and 10 during filming — after exercising regularly and wearing tightly fitted corsets — she has still often been described as a “plus-size” actress in media coverage.

According to the star, such labels can overshadow the months of work required to make a series like Bridgerton, which is adapted from novels by Julia Quinn and involves long production schedules and extensive preparation.

Before her period-drama fame, Coughlan rose to prominence playing Clare Devlin in Derry Girls, the comedy created by Lisa McGee.

Next, she will appear in The Magic Faraway Tree, based on books by Enid Blyton, alongside Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy, where she plays the fairy Silky.