Nicola Coughlan, a Bridgerton stage robber, reveals how she discovered THIS turn of her character

She has stolen the hearts of fans like Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton.

But Nicola Coughlan revealed that she was completely unaware of her character’s most important twist until she was hired.

The 33-year-old, who comes from Galway, discouraged Variety from discovering Penelope’s big secret by reading a thread of fans online.

To tell the truth: Nicola Coughlan revealed that she was completely unaware of the most important turn that affected her character until she was hired

At the end of the first season, which fell on Netflix on Christmas Day, Penelope presents herself as none other than Lady Whistledown.

Lady Whistledown is the name of the author of a newsletter that often assaults the high society of the Regency of England.

Nicola, who was also a fan favorite as a gay student in Northern Ireland during the Derry Girls Troubles, was candid about her audition for Bridgerton in Variety.

“When I went to the first audition, I only had a couple of days to prepare; I didn’t have time to read the books or do anything like that. I just thought, “I’ll give it a try and if I get a second call, I’ll read it all,” he confessed.

How she looks disguised: The 33-year-old, who comes from Galway, advised against Variety who discovered the great secret of Penelope by reading a thread of fans online

But that didn’t happen, I just got the job. So it was like, “You better read these books and find out who this character is.”

By “books,” Nicola was referring to Julia Quinn’s series of romantic novels Bridgerton, which specializes in period pieces.

Nicola shared: “I also went to a lot of fan forums online, because these books have been published for 20 years. People love them and they have that connection. Penelope is very close to her heart. It was in a forum that I realized it was Lady Whistledown. When I saw her, I thought, “No, no, no, no, she can’t be okay.”

She said, “I kept reading it, because it didn’t make sense: [I’m] he was given this amazing role in a Shondaland-Netflix show, and it is this role. It’s amazing.

Spoiler alert: At the end of the first season, which fell on Netflix on Christmas Day, Penelope is revealed as another than Lady Whistledown

Bridgerton, the series was produced by Shonda Rhimes and created by Chris Van Dusen, who worked for her on Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and Scandal.

While chatting with Variety, Nicola also wrote that “It was a lot of fun,” filming Penelope’s revelation as Lady Whistledown.

‘We had to film it in the middle of COVID. It had to be super, super secret. I had to fly out of Ireland and try it, try it and do it right.

He recalled, “It was hyper secret; He couldn’t let anyone know he was there or what was going on. But it was a lot of fun filming that. ”

Letting go: Nicola, who was also a fan favorite as a Northern Ireland gay student during the Troubles on the Derry Girls, was candid about her audition for Bridgerton in Variety.