Bridgerton S3 Was Unexpectedly Hard to Film – For a Personal Reason, Nicola Coughlan Says

Summary

• Season 3 will see Penelope Featherington in a torment of events.
• Nicola Coughlan revealed that she can relate to her character on a certain level.
• The actress' personal experiences somehow mirror Penelope's.

Since the release of Bridgerton's second season in 2022, the Netflix period drama has become even more popular, as millions of fans around the world have been anticipating Season 3 for over two years. Filmed from July 2022 to March 2023, the upcoming third installment will follow Colin Bridgerton, the third brother of the titular family, whose story is told before Benedict's, unlike in Julia Quinn's books from which Bridgerton is adapted.

Colin's season will explore his complicated relationship with Penelope Featherington, his sister Eloise's former best friend and his own good friend, as he realizes that his feelings for her run much deeper than he previously thought. Penelope, portrayed by Nicola Coughlan, will have a tumultuous season of her own, as she not only has to find a suitor, but also deal with her falling out with Eloise and continue her secret Lady Whistledown business.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Pen's arc will be exciting. But it seems that it was very demanding for the actress to film it – mainly for a personal reason.

Nicola Coughlan on Filming Bridgerton Season 3

'It was such a challenging experience, but one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,' Nicola Coughlan recently commented on the eight months of filming Season 3 of Bridgerton. 'It's fun. It's a show that's very light and full of joy, and full of drama. But I didn't expect it to be a profound experience, and it was.'

What really struck a chord with the actress in Season 3 is the development of Penelope's story. According to Coughlan, Pen is a person who has been on the bench and on the sidelines for most of her life, waiting for her moment to shine, and the actress can kind of relate to that.

'I think a lot of Penelope's story is about her stepping out of the shadows and into the light and taking up her space,' she said. 'I felt like I had to do that as well. It's funny.'

Nicola Coughlan's Journey

Nicola, who plays the nineteen-year-old Penelope, turned thirty-seven this year. This is partly due to her late start, as few producers wanted to work with her in her twenties.

Although Nicola Coughlan's acting portfolio began in the early 2000s, she mostly did voice-over work, appearing briefly in a few TV shows and movies. Coughlan's first breakthrough role as an Irish teenager on Derry Girls came in her late twenties, when she was finally noticed and duly appreciated. Bridgerton and Barbie followed. This year, the actress stars in Channel 4's dark comedy-drama Big Mood.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how Penelope's story unfolds in the third series of Bridgerton when it premieres on May 16.

Source: Teen Vogue.