People assume that I think I’m hideous, says Bridgerton star
‘I never sought to be the ingénue, purely because they never seemed to get the best lines’
NICOLA COUGHLAN, the Bridgerton star, has said that people assume that she believes herself to be “hideous”.
The actress, also known for her part in the comedy Derry Girls, has said that people tend to think that she finds herself “hideous”, and unsuitable as a choice to play a leading lady in Netflix’s period drama Bridgerton.
The actress, 37, has clarified that she is pleased with her appearance but remains shocked that she has been cast in the series.
She told Harper’s Bazaar: “I’m in disbelief that I’m the leading lady in a romance show.
“And it’s not because I find myself hideous, as some people have assumed when I say that.”
She added that “in the right lighting I’m a solid seven” but said that playing the lead was “not something I ever dreamed of ”.
She said: “When I was a little girl, I wanted to be one of the Gay Icons. ‘Bette Midler as CC Bloom? God, that’s so me,’ thought six-year-old Nicola.
“I never sought to be the ingénue, purely because they never seemed to get the best lines or looked as if they were having the most fun.”
Coughlan has played the oddball character of Penelope Featherington in
Bridgerton since the series began in 2020.
In the upcoming third series, the supporting character of Penelope will take centre stage as the main character, cementing Coughlan’s status as a star.
She said: “When I look back at my life over the last few years, it’s hard to fathom how much it’s changed.
“In 2017, I was working part time in an optician’s, about to turn 30, living at home with my parents, unsure whether the whole ‘acting thing’ was ever going to happen or whether I was completely kidding myself.
“Now, in 2024, I’m about to begin a global press tour for one of Netflix’s biggest ever shows. It’s hard for me to comprehend it. The funny thing is, I don’t feel any different to the girl who used to ring people up and tell them they’re overdue for their eye test.”