Nicola Coughlan Defies Body Critics: "There's Nothing Brave About Showing My Body"

Nicola Coughlan, widely recognized for her role in the popular Netflix series Bridgerton, has voiced her frustration regarding body-shaming remarks following her scenes in the show's third season.

In a recent interview, Coughlan expressed her disappointment with being labeled a “plus-size heroine” and described as “brave” for displaying her body. She emphasized that reducing her performance to her appearance is “reductive and boring.”

At 37, Coughlan clarified that she is actually “a few sizes below the average size of a woman in the UK,” and she feels uncomfortable with the emphasis placed on her looks. “Don’t call me brave. I have a cracking pair of b–bs. There’s nothing brave about that; that’s actually just me showing them off,” she said.

The actress highlighted the dedication she put into her role, mentioning that she hardly saw her family and friends while preparing for it. Instead of receiving praise for her hard work, she faced comments focused on her body, which she found disheartening.

Coughlan questioned the implications of these discussions on her future roles, asking, “What if I was suddenly going to play a ballerina and lose a s— ton of weight, are you not going to like me anymore?” She described the overall conversation surrounding her body as “insane and so insulting.”

Prior to the season's release, Coughlan anticipated that her explicit scenes would draw attention. She mentioned that she wanted to include moments that showcased her vulnerability. “There’s one scene where I’m very naked on camera, and that was my idea, my choice. It just felt like the biggest ‘f— you’ to all the conversation surrounding my body; it was amazingly empowering,” she explained.

Reflecting on her experience, Coughlan expressed pride in her decision to embrace nudity on the show. “I felt beautiful in the moment, and I thought: ‘When I’m 80, I want to look back on this and remember how f**ing hot I looked!’”

Coughlan concluded that she feels “great” about her choices in Bridgerton because “not only did I consent to it, but I drove it.” All three seasons of Bridgerton, along with the prequel spinoff Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, are currently available for streaming on Netflix.

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