Bridgerton star reveals her mom’s hilarious reaction to the show’s racy scenes and how she felt empowered by her character’s transformation.
Bridgerton has turned out to be a widely popular period drama, full of scandal, drama, high-society intrigue, and steamy intimate scenes. Thriving on gossip and controversy, the storyline depends as much on these passionate moments as it does on the former, making sure fans remain entertained throughout the episode.
From giving us the iconic Duke and Daphne romance in the first season to the enemies-to-lovers Kate and Anthony romance in the second, Bridgerton has used these schemy plot devices to further the tale, as and when required.
Well, unfortunately for the star of Bridgerton season 3, Nicola Coughlan, these intimate moments ended up making her mother angry.
Nicola Coughlan’s breakout Bridgerton season had some ‘parental consequences’
Nicola Coughlan stars as Penelope Featherington, aka Lady Whistledown, in Bridgerton. After two seasons of being in the shadows, observing from the sidelines, Coughlan’s character finally overcame being a wallflower in season three.
Transforming into a powerful woman who challenged social dynamics and gender roles with her sharp mind and intelligence, Penelope finally got what she deserved: a chance to be seen, valued, and loved. Having had a crush on Colin Bridgerton for years and years, she finally secured the match with a slow-burn love story.
While fans were happy to see this bold and new side of Penelope, even loving the steamy #polin moments, it turns out one viewer wasn’t quite happy about it: Coughlan’s mother.
My mother was so mad at me about those scenes — as if they were my fault, so I didn’t go to the screening with her.
The actress revealed during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show that her mother got mad when she learned there were several intimate scenes in Bridgerton season 3.
While it is a relatable moment for actors who have taken on similar daring roles, Coughlan was not deterred by her Irish mother’s disapproval but instead enjoyed Penelope’s transformation from an overlooked background character into a romantic lead.
Nicola Coughlan felt empowered shooting the intimate scenes in Bridgerton season 3
Ever since Nicola Coughlan was cast as Penelope Featherington, there have been questions about the actress and her weight. Described as ‘plump’ and ’round’ in the books, many have found it destructive the way the character was featured in the books, with her weight often being the centre of attention.
While Bridgerton abandoned this aspect of the books, including Penelope’s weight loss, fans continued to criticize the actress. Well, the actress wasn’t bothered by such conversations at all; instead described one of the s*x scenes in season three as being very empowering.
In an interview with Stylist, the Derry Girls star noted:
There’s one scene where I’m very n-ked on camera, and that was my idea, my choice. It just felt like the biggest ‘f–k you’ to all the conversation surrounding my body. It was amazingly empowering. 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!’
Well, while for Penelope it was a very powerful moment being seen and loved after years of being sidelined, for Coughlan, it was equally empowering to embrace herself without caring about what the rest of the world thought of her. While her mother needed more time to adjust, Coughlan stole hearts with her boldness in Bridgerton’s sizzling season three.