How Nicola Coughlan defied Bridgerton body shamers with unapologetic nudity

Publish date: 2024-05-26

The cast of Bridgerton brought glittering scenes and gilded glamour to Leicester Square at a special screening for part two of the corset-ripping drama's third season on Wednesday night. 

Shining amongst her co-stars was Nicola Coughlan, 's current leading lady, who exuded diamond of the season sophistication in a blush Rodarte gown and billowing bridal veil. 

You would think that in 2024, conversations about the size of womens' bodies would no longer be the fuel for online vitriol. Yet as Penelope Featherington's unbearably lusty romance with Colin Bridgerton brings increasingly steamy scenes to our screens, Nicola's non-thin body and its attractiveness has viciously been put up for debate. One columnist declared Nicola as "not hot" in response to her size.

After watching the first, palpitation-inducing episode of part two at 's special screening, I witnessed an audience erupt in excited whoops and cheers at Nicola's full-frontal nudity. Unsurprisingly, I found myself squealing along with them.

Having grown up in the rom-com era of the nineties, too often have I seen intimacy portrayed as a squeaky clean polished performance in which female pleasure is ignored and the showing of non-thin nude bodies is out of the question. Nicola's middle finger to the status quo is more than empowering, it's revolutionary for the depiction of female bodies that should never have not been the 'norm'. 

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"I specifically asked for certain lines and moments to be included," the Irish actress confirmed in an interview with . 

"There’s one scene where I’m very naked on camera, and that was my idea, my choice. It just felt like the biggest '[expletive] you' to all the conversation surrounding my body; it was amazingly empowering."

In a time where the prospect of taking Ozempic for weight loss has become as normal as looking up the train timetable, I found it remarkably refreshing to watch a woman proudly display her body exactly as it is; embracing her curves and natural folds that every one of us has. 

The Irish actress added that she felt empowered and beautiful during the intimate scenes alongside her co-star Luke Newton, and wanted to be able to "look back on this and remember how [expletive] hot" she looked.

Nicola's choices were praised by her co-stars as they gushed about the portrayal of intimacy on the red carpet at Wednesday's premiere. Speaking to press in London, Golda Roshuevel, who plays Queen Charlotte, said: "The representation that Nicola has given us is something to be celebrated." 

Luke, who plays Penelope's love interest Colin Bridgerton, described the pair's on screen intimacy as "honest" and "beautiful" when quizzed about the progression of their romance.

"It felt really just true and honest to their love story. Jess Brownell and her team have really honoured that," he said of the inclusion of sex scenes. "It felt like a natural progression to be honest, it never felt like it was a big jump between scenes - they feel so authentic and honest. 

"[The mirror scene] is probably the steamiest scene that we shot, but I just think it's so beautifully done," he added.

Ultimately, there should be no debate on the size or appeal of a woman's body - ever - and Nicola is not "brave" for choosing to do what hundreds of actors have done before her just because of her weight.

In response to a journalist branding the actress just that, Nicola replied just as we would expect a woman of Lady Whistledown's level-of-unbotheredness to reply. 

"You know, it is hard 'cause I think women with my body type, women with perfect breasts - we do not see ourselves onscreen enough. I am very proud as a member of the perfect-breasts community. I hope you enjoy seeing them," she quipped.

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