Nicola Coughlan asked to be ‘very naked’ in Bridgerton season 3 to show body shamers

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Nicola Coughlan requested to appear "completely exposed" in a particular scene of Bridgerton's third season as a rebuttal to online bullies who made derogatory comments about her physique.

At 37 years old, the Irish performer is taking on the prominent role of Penelope Featherington in the most recent edition of the Netflix series set in the time of the regency, sharing the screen with Luke Newton who plays Colin Bridgerton.

In the previous month, Coughlan expressed her surprise that she was chosen as the main female character in a romantic TV series.

The former star of Derry Girls clarified that her decision to not appear in the photoshoot was not due to her feeling unappealing, as some people have assumed. In the show, her character Pen was a minor role, often viewed as an eccentric outsider. However, in her current work, Pen takes on a much more prominent and essential position as the central figure.

During a recent conversation with Stylist, Coughlan discussed her collaboration with intimacy coordinator Lizzy Talbot for the sex scenes in the current season of Bridgerton.

"You think to yourself, 'What is it that I intend to present? What is it that I prefer not to showcase? Which parts are predetermined and what aspects do I want to include?'"

Coughlan stated that she requested specific lines and scenes to be featured in the show. One of the scenes involved her being fully exposed on camera, which she personally suggested and wanted. She felt like it was a great opportunity to challenge the negative opinions that have been expressed about her body. It was a very empowering experience for her, and she felt beautiful during that moment. She also claimed that she wants to be able to look back on that scene when she's older and remember how stunning she was at that time.

Coughlan took to Instagram in 2022 to address her followers. She made a request for them to halt the practice of sharing their views about her physique. Although many of them were well-meaning and not looking to offend, Coughlan stressed that she is only an individual with real emotions. Having to deal with thousands of opinions each day about her physical appearance has become an arduous task for her.

It's alright if you have thoughts about me because I'm a public figure and people are entitled to their own perspectives. Nonetheless, I kindly request that you do not send your opinions to me personally.

Afterwards, she spoke to the Irish Times and said that her priority is the work. She believes that physical appearance is not relevant and it shouldn't be a concern of others if she loses or gains weight. Her only focus is to act well and to be evaluated based on her performance.

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According to an official summary, in the most recent season of Bridgerton, Penelope has "ultimately decided to let go of her long-term infatuation with Colin Bridgerton, following his critical comments about her from last season."

Penelope has made a decision to find herself a husband who can give her the freedom she needs to maintain her secret life as Lady Whistledown. She wants to distance herself from her family, but she worries that she lacks the self-esteem necessary to succeed in finding the right partner. Unfortunately, her attempts to search for a suitable match have not been fruitful.

Talking about her unique relationship with her co-star Newton, Coughlan mentioned that their exceptional connection results from their shared experience of being in the limelight of Bridgerton fame.

She expressed that it is an uncommon occurrence and emphasized that they perceive the exceptional nature of the situation.

Bridgerton, a popular TV series, is created by Shondaland, owned by the renowned producer of Grey's Anatomy, Shonda Rhimes. It's based on Julia Quinn's book series, and after its release in 2020, it became one of the most-watched shows on the streaming platform.

You can now watch the entire third season of Bridgerton on Netflix.