Bridgerton actor Nicola Coughlan reveals how she discovered that twist of her character
She stole fans’ hearts like Penelope Featherington at Bridgerton.
But Nicola Coughlan revealed that she was completely unaware of the biggest twist to her character until after she was appointed.
The 33-year-old, who hails from Galway, told Variety that she discovered the great secret of Penelope by reading an online fan thread.
In fact: Nicola Coughlan has revealed that she was completely unaware of the biggest twist to her character until after she was appointed.
At the end of the first season, which appeared on Netflix on Christmas Day, Penelope is revealed to be none other than Lady Whistledown.
Lady Whistledown is the name of the author of a gossip newsletter that regularly moves through the high society of Regency England.
Nicola, who was also a favorite as a gay Northern Irish schoolgirl during the Troubles in Derry Girls, was candid about her Bridgerton audition for Variety.
‘When I went for the first audition, I only had a few days to prepare; I did not have time to read the books or do anything like that. I just thought, ‘I’ll try it and if I get a second call, I’ll read everything,’ she confessed.
As seen in costume: the 33-year-old, who hails from Galway, revealed to Variety that she discovered Penelope’s big secret by reading an online fan thread.
‘But it did not happen, I just got the job. So it was like this: “I better read these books and find out who this character is.”
With ‘the books’, Nicola refers to the Bridgerton series of novel novels by Julia Quinn, who specializes in periods.
Nicola says: ‘I also visited a lot of the fan forums online, because these books have been around for 20 years. People love them and have such a connection with them. Penelope is very close to their hearts. On a forum, I realize she’s Lady Whistledown. When I saw it, I thought, “No, no, no, no, that can not be right.”
She said: ‘I read it again because it did not make sense: [I’m] this amazing role in a Shondaland Netflix show, and it’s that role. This is quite surprising. ‘
Pamper Alarm: At the end of the first season, which appeared on Netflix on Christmas Day, Penelope is revealed to be none other than Lady Whistledown
Bridgerton the series was produced by Shonda Rhimes and created by Chris Van Dusen who worked for her on Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and Scandal.
While talking to Variety, Nicola also said, ‘It was so much fun,’ and the recording of Penelope as Lady Whistledown.
‘We had to film it in the middle of COVID. I had to be super, super secret. I had to be flown out of Ireland, tested and tested and tested. ‘
She recalls: ‘It was hyper secret; I could not let anyone know I was there or what was going on. But it was so much fun to film it. ‘
To put it bluntly: Nicola, who was also a favorite as a gay Northern Irish schoolgirl during the Troubles in Derry Girls, became candid about her Bridgerton audition for Variety