'All the scrutiny isn't easy': Nicola Coughlan On Fame

Nicola Coughlan has detailed the difficulties that come with dealing with fame, and the negative side to social media.

Speaking to Bazaar UK, Bridgerton and Derry Girls star Coughlan said that social media has seen opinions thrown at her like "grenades". The Irish actress added that fame "doesn't come with a handbook", and is a "learning curve everyday". 

While she loves acting, Nicola Coughlan admitted that  "all the scrutiny isn’t easy, and fame is a very strange consequence of doing my job".

"I have so much love and respect for the fans of things I’ve done – I want them to know that I feel grateful – but it is difficult to navigate being online when people throw their opinions of you at you like grenades", she said. 

The actress who also appeared as one of the dolls in the Greta Gerwig directed Barbie movie, also said that her Instagram account can still "annoy people", but she has since changed her approach to social media.

She intends to focus on sharing information from "trusted sources", or help raise money for fundraisers.

"I feel a deep responsibility, because of how privileged I am, to speak up and try to amplify voices and causes," Coughlan stated. "Social media has made the world a dangerously binary place; the 'If you support X, you hate Y’ narrative is not something I am interested in, and I’ll do my best to fight against that notion". 

"While I still get trolls who say terrible things to me, don’t forget, I used to be in a cult called Twitter. I’ve heard worse".

"stepping out of the shadows"

Elsewhere, Nicola Coughlan also offered a sneak preview of what fans can expect from series three of Bridgerton, which is set to see her character Penelope take centre stage outside her role as Lady Whisteldown, an anonymous letter writer who shares the secrets of the ton.

This character is also voiced by Julie Andrews.

Coughlan revealed that the main theme is to see Penelope  "stepping out of the shadows and into the light", before adding: "Not only was this a journey that Pen had to embark on, it’s also one I had to go on myself". 

"I was presented with these brilliant opportunities but was wracked with doubt as to whether I could take on the challenge".

The actress added that playing the leading lady in the Netflix hit was a challenge, having been accustomed to playing the role of the "oddball in the corner".