Nicola Coughlanfrom Netflix’s hitBridgertonseries recently talked about her liberating experience of filming intimate scenes alongside co-star Luke Newton in the show’s third season. According to theLA Times, Coughlan had a sense of ease and camaraderie after shooting the scenes, saying:
By the end of the day, we were both lying under a blanket, not clothed, just chillin’. We were like, ‘This is why nudists do it.’
Her approach to nudity in the latest season took a defiant turn as she revealed in a profile by Stylist, discussed onBuzzfeed, that she specifically requested to be “very naked” in a particular scene. This bold move was Coughlan’s assertive clap-back at online critics who have disparaged her weight. Collaborating closely with the show’s intimacy coordinator, Lizzy Talbot, she took proactive control over how her character’s intimate moments were portrayed, determining what was shown and adding her unique touches.
“There’s one scene where I’m very naked on camera, and that was my idea, my choice. It just felt like the biggest ‘fuck you’ to all the conversation surrounding my body; it was amazingly empowering.”
Bridgerton
From Shondaland and creator Chris Van Dusen, Netflix’sBridgertonis based on the romance novels of the same name by author Julia Quinn. The series follows the eight Bridgerton siblings, Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth, as they search for love during the social season and navigate life in Regency-era England.
Coughlan explained her decision, pointing it as a moment of self-empowerment:
I felt beautiful in the moment, and I thought: ‘When I’m 80, I want to look back on this and remember how fucking hot I looked!’
Her choice stands as a powerful statement against body shaming, transforming what could be a vulnerable experience into one of triumph and self-celebration. The actress has previously addressed the challenges of public scrutiny concerning her appearance. In 2022, she made a plea on Instagram, urging people to keep their opinions about her body to themselves, stating the difficulty of facing a barrage of unsolicited judgments daily.
Coughlan recently voiced her stance on body image and professional judgment in an interview with the Irish Times.
All I care about is the work. Bodies change, if I lose weight or gain weight or I do anything it’s no one’s business, all I care about is doing good acting and being judged on that.
Bridgerton Season 3 Explores New Ground with Penelope and Colin
BridgertonSeason 3 will transform London’s high society with a freshstory centered around Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton, who step into leading roles. As teased in the newly released trailer, this season, which debuts in two parts on May 16 and June 13, ventures into the cherished ‘friends-to-lovers’ trope, a first for the series.
Bridgerton Season 3 Review: The Show is Hotter Than Ever, Dearest Reader
Nicola Coughlan (Penelope) shines in a Pygmalion-laced season that titillates yet warrants an opportunity for the show to expand.
The finale of the previous season left fans eager as it revealed Penelope as the elusive Lady Whistledown, causing a rift with her best friend, Eloise, Colin’s sister. Season 3 explores the fallout and shifts in Penelope’s romantic feelings. Initially sidelined as an unnoticed wallflower, her unrequited love for Colin seemed doomed after overhearing his dismissive remarks about courting her. However, as Colin begins to aid Penelope in her quest for a husband, he gradually confronts his own growing feelings.
With a backdrop of elite gatherings and turbulent friendships,Bridgertoncontinues to mix societal intrigue with personal evolution, ensuring that the road from friendship to love is anything but straightforward.
