They’re back for the eagerly anticipated fourth series of Netflix period drama Bridgerton.
But it will all change for Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton when respective characters Lady Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton finally turn friendship into something more intimate.
Penelope’s yearming, unrequited love for the dashing Colin has been one of the show’s key storylines throughout season three, and fans can expect plenty of unrestrained passion when it returns on June 13.
Speaking to the May digital edition of Town & Country, former Derry Girls star Coughlan, 37, admitted they pre-planned the intimate scenes by comparing their favourite sex scenes from film and television.
She said: ‘Having a united front was very important to us… I really loved the one from Atonement, and it’s wild when you watch that back, how little you actually see and how much is in your imagination.’
They’re back for the fourth series Bridgerton, but it will all change for Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton when Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton turn friendship into romance
Penelope’s yearming, unrequited love for the dashing Colin has been one of the show’s key storylines throughout season three, and the corsets are set to come off in season four
Speaking to the May digital edition of Town & Country , former Derry Girls star Coughlan admitted they pre-planned the intimate scenes by comparing their favourite sex scenes
Co-star Newton, 31, added: ‘There was never a thought of “Oh, let’s make this look really sexy” or “Let’s make this a really romantic scene.” It was just, “Let’s stay true to these characters.”‘
After spending much of their screen time in a stop-start friendship fraught with unexpressed emotions, he admits the sex scenes will reflect their chemistry by being ‘awkward and quirky.’
‘There’s humor in it, where they just laugh at each other and it’s so genuine,’ he added. ‘It really has a sense of showing their friendship from the start. Me and Nic wanted to honor that and keep that in the show.’
Despite the protracted nature of their characters’ developing romance, Coughlan insists the screen transition from friends to lovers felt entirely natural.
‘I I don’t want to say [we did] nothing. We worked hard together, but we didn’t have to do anything convoluted,’ she explained.
‘We had been holding back for two seasons! I was playing a character that was in love with him and he was meant not to notice.
‘So for me, finally having the attention reciprocated between the characters meant they just unlocked something new for us.
‘And thank god we’ve had that foundation of friendship and trust with one another, because I truly can’t imagine doing with someone else.’
‘Having a united front was very important to us… I really loved the one from Atonement, and it’s wild when you watch that back, how little you actually see and how much is in your imagination.’
Coughlan has become a household name thanks to her starring role in Bridgerton
Despite the protracted nature of their characters’ developing romance, Coughlan insists the screen transition from friends to lovers felt entirely natural
After spending much of their screen time in a stop-start friendship fraught with unexpressed emotions, Newton admits the sex scenes will reflect their chemistry by being ‘awkward’
Coughlan also believes her close off-screen friendship with Newton’s was the key to unlocking Penelope and Colin’s friends-to-lovers romance.
‘The things that Penelope loves about Colin are, weirdly, the things I love about Luke: his kindness, what a good, caring person he is, his respect for women,’ she added.
Returning the compliment, Newton added: ‘You’re sat in the job for so long that you can’t ever imagine anyone else playing [Penelope]. It’s not even something that I can describe. She is that character to me.’
Bridgerton returns to Netflix on June 13. The May digital edition of Town & Country is out now.
Coughlan also believes her close off-screen friendship with Newton’s was the key to unlocking Penelope and Colin’s friends-to-lovers romance
The May digital edition of Town & Country featuring Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton is out now
