Nicola Coughlan Condemns Body-Shaming from Fans During Bridgerton Nude Scenes
Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan has publicly addressed disturbing fan comments about her body during nude scenes in the hit Netflix series, labeling the remarks as bizarre and profoundly upsetting. The 39-year-old Irish actress, renowned for her role in Derry Girls and as Penelope Featherington in the period drama's fourth season, expressed her frustration in a candid interview with Elle magazine.
Proud of Her Body Despite Criticism
Coughlan, who is in a relationship with actor Jake Dunn, 52, revealed she takes pride in belonging to what she calls the perfect-breast community. This comes after viewers sparked discussions about her weight and size while watching the show. She recounted a specific instance during filming, stating, You know what was really bizarre was, when I was shooting that series, I was exercising a lot because I knew I had to, so I had lost a bunch of weight – I was probably a size 10, and one of the corsets was a size 8.
She added, And then people talked about how I was plus size, and I was like, ‘How f....d are we that I am the biggest woman you want to see on screen?’ This highlights the absurdity and harmful nature of the body-shaming she endured.
Unwanted Attention in Public Spaces
Even outside of filming, Coughlan found herself subjected to uncomfortable encounters. She shared a distressing story about a drunk fan in a bathroom, saying, 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…’.
This incident underscores the invasive and persistent scrutiny she faces, which detracts from her professional achievements. Coughlan emphasized, It’s really hard when you work on something for months and months of your life, you don’t see your family, you really dedicate yourself and then it comes down to what you look like – it’s so f...ing boring.
Background and Career Highlights
Bridgerton, which explores the romantic adventures of the Bridgerton family in 1800s Regency London, has achieved massive success, with its first season viewed by 82 million households globally in the initial 28 days. Coughlan, who began acting at age nine and hails from Oranmore in County Galway, has built an impressive career.
In 2024, she was recognized as one of Time’s Next Generation Leaders for her philanthropic efforts, including raising millions for causes she supports. Notably, her fundraiser for The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, shared by celebrities like Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter, garnered over $2 million in donations.
Looking ahead, Coughlan's upcoming projects include season two of the Channel 4 comedy Big Mood and a role as fairy Silky in the adaptation of Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree, featuring stars such as Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy.
