Bridgerton Star Nicola Coughlan Rejects Body Comments

Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan addresses criticism of her body, saying she prioritises passions beyond weight and rejects body positivity pressure

Irish actress Nicola Coughlan, renowned for her role as Penelope in Netflix’s Bridgerton, has spoken out against public commentary on her body following recent weight loss.

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In an interview with Elle published on Thursday, the 39-year-old actress said she does not subscribe to promoting body positivity and is uninterested in discussions about her weight.

“The thing I say sometimes that pisses people off is, ‘I have no interest in body positivity.’ When I was a kid, I never thought about actors’ bodies. I actually don’t care,” Coughlan explained. “There’s a lot of things I’m passionate about; it’s not one of them.”

Coughlan also described her experience filming Bridgerton, noting that she exercised to meet costume requirements, losing weight in the process. She expressed frustration at the focus on her size rather than her performance.

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“Then people talked about how I was plus-size and I was like, ‘How f–ked are we that I am the biggest woman you want to see on screen?’” she said.

The actress’s comments highlight her stance on prioritising professional growth and personal passions over public scrutiny of appearance.