‘Bridgerton’ star Simone Ashley defends Nicola Coughlan from body-shaming ‘haters’
Dearest gentle readers, Simone Ashley isn’t here for the “haters.”
Ashley, 29, who stars as Kate Sharma in the steamy Shonda Rhimes-produced Netflix hit, has spoken out in defense of her “Bridgerton” co-star, Nicola Coughlan, 37.
“Yeah, the haters are going to hate, and I think we can all relate to that, but I really don’t think that she’s allowing that to bother her,” Ashley said at a press conference at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival in Monaco.
“She has a strong and fruitful career and entire life ahead of her. And I really believe in her, as the world does as well,” Ashley added.
Each season of “Bridgerton,” which is based on historical romance novels by Julia Quinn, follows a different member of the Bridgerton family as they fall in love in Regency-era England.
Season 2 followed Kate’s romance with Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey). Characters Kate and Jonathan both returned for Season 3, as they watched Jonathan’s brother, Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), take center stage and find love with Penelope Featherington (Coughlan).
Coughlan has previously spoken out about how she requested more nude scenes, in order to combat body-shamers.
“I specifically asked for certain lines and moments to be included,” Coughlan told Stylist magazine in an interview published in May. “There’s one scene where I’m very naked on camera, and that was my idea, my choice.”
She continued: “It just felt like the biggest ‘f – – k you’ to all the conversation surrounding my body; it was amazingly empowering. 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 previously addressed body-shamers in a now-deleted Instagram post in 2022.
“If you have an opinion about my body please, please don’t share it with me,” she told fans, alongside a selfie.
“Most people are being nice and not trying to be offensive but I am just one real life human being and it’s really hard to take the weight of thousands of opinions on how you look being sent directly to you every day,” Coughlan added.
“If you have an opinion about me that’s OK, I understand I’m on TV and that people will have things to think and say, but I beg you not to send it to me directly.”
Ashley continued defending her on-screen sister-in-law.
“I think Nicola is just absolutely flying,” Ashley said. “She is a gorgeous, strong, confident, intelligent woman, seeing her do this press tour and spread so much joy and inspiration to everyone — especially women — all over the world.”
Ashley said she was “inspired” by Coughlan, adding, “She’s also a really kind human being, and I think that’s such a universal language that people can relate to.”
