Bridgeton – Nicola Coughlan
She can’t keep a secret
Nicola Coughlan’s character, Penelope Featherington, lives a double life in Bridgerton.
© Netflix / Liam Daniel
Nicola Coughlan reprises her role as Mrs. Wesleydon in Bridgerton. With the actress, no private secret is safe either.
“Cheerful readers…” It’s time for a new ball season of gossip, magic and mystery in the Regency London era. The second season of the Bridgeton series (since March 25 on Netflix) focuses on Bridgerton’s eldest son, Lord Anthony (Jonathan Bailey). While his search for the right wife leads to a love triangle with two sisters, Penelope Fethington (Nicola Coughlan) continues to live her double life among wallflowers and gossip columnist Lady Wesleydon.
Actress Nicola Coughlan, 35, revealed in an interview with the Spot News Agency why it is difficult to keep secrets in private, and what she learned from the second season of the series “Bridgerton”.
As “Lady Whistledown”, no secret is safe with you. How does that work in real life? Did you find it difficult not to reveal all the secrets of the series?
Nicola Coughlan: When it comes to my private secrets, I can’t keep anything to myself because I’m so excited. I told my family as soon as I got the part that I was Mrs. Wesleydon. Then when they watched the first season on Netflix, they really got mad at me because they couldn’t enjoy the mystery. That’s why I tried to keep the season 2 puzzles to myself as much as possible. I have a lot in common with Penelope when it comes to work ethic, but I can never keep a big secret like her! (He laughs)
Did it make a difference to you shooting Season 2 that fans now know you’re behind “Lady Whistledown”?
Coughlan: Yeah, that was a big difference. In season one, she sometimes subtly brings up that Penelope is Lady Wesleydon. The creators of the series ultimately only decided to reveal their identities or not. So I wanted to hide a few unobservable clues from viewers. Now that Whistledown’s identity has been revealed, she has been able to bring the audience into her world so much more, and it has been so much fun.
What can viewers expect from Penelope’s story in season two?
Coughlan: Season 2 shows in different ways that true love isn’t always a straight line. It comes as it comes. For Penelope, this season is all about finding love in friendships, and trust and honesty are the most important things.
The main theme of the second season is the struggle between heart and head. How does this evolve with Penelope?
Coughlan: Penelope is someone who always dances at a lot of weddings at once. This gets in the way sometimes. When in alarm mode, Penelope is so confident in herself, she knows what she’s doing. On the other hand, she is very emotional, and she often gets into situations where she can get hurt.
Which traits of Penelope do you like the most?
Coughlan: I love how much she loves others, like Eloise and Colin. She is very beautiful and incredibly smart. But it is still working on itself. I will say she is smart but she is not wise yet.
Many viewers love the friendship between Penelope and Eloise. Do you and actress Claudia Jesse get along well in real life?
Coughlan: Sure, we get along great! She is amazing and I love working with her. When I first met her, it was before Bridgeton, I immediately liked her. Claudia is real sunshine. We were the first cast members on the show and when I found out, I was thrilled. She is very talented, very funny and a pleasure to work with.
