Nicola Coughlan is pushing back against the way her body has been discussed in the media, saying the focus on her appearance has often overshadowed the work she puts into her performances.
The Bridgerton star addressed the issue in an interview with ELLE UK for its April 2026 issue, revealing how frustrating it has been to see conversations about her body dominate headlines instead of her acting.
Coughlan explained that she trained extensively for her role in the Netflix period drama, committing to intense workouts during filming.
“I worked out intensively during filming because I knew it was necessary,” she said.
Despite the effort and weight loss she experienced during the production, the actress said she continued to be labeled as “plus size” by the public and media.
“I dropped weight and was probably a size 10, even fitting into a size 8 corset,” she said. “Yet people still referred to me as plus size.”
Coughlan said the label reflects broader industry standards that can distort perceptions of what women’s bodies should look like on screen.
“It’s alarming to think that I’m considered the largest woman acceptable on screen,” she added.
The actress also recalled an uncomfortable moment with a fan that highlighted how frequently discussions about her body arise.
She described being approached by an intoxicated woman in a restroom who began praising Bridgerton specifically because of Coughlan’s physique.
“As she kept talking about my body, I felt mortified and wanted to disappear,” she said.
For Coughlan, the situation highlighted how quickly public conversation about a project can shift away from the work itself.
“You spend months working on something, sacrificing time with family and putting everything into it, and then it’s reduced to your appearance,” she explained. “It’s exhausting.”
The actress also addressed the idea that she has become a body-positivity icon, saying that label is not something she has sought out.
“I often say something that rubs people the wrong way: I have zero interest in body positivity,” she said.
Coughlan explained that discussions about actors’ bodies were never something she paid attention to growing up and remain outside the issues she feels most passionate about today.
“There are many causes I care deeply about,” she said. “But this isn’t one of them.”
Looking back on her career, Coughlan said she once worried about being typecast following the huge success of the comedy series Derry Girls.
“I feel incredibly lucky,” she said.
“The success of Derry Girls was amazing, but I wondered if I would be stuck playing that kind of role forever.”
That concern faded when she was cast in Bridgerton, which offered a dramatically different character and expanded her career opportunities.
