"The haters are going to hate"- Simone Ashley comes out in support of her Bridgerton co-star Nicola Coughlan amid body-shaming trolls

Actor Simone Ashley recently showcased her support for Nicola Coughlan after the latter was criticized for her physical appearance on social media last month. Both actresses have shared the screen on the Netflix series Bridgerton, the latest season of which premiered last month.

Ashley attended the Monte-Carlo Television Festival in Monaco this month, and while speaking at a press conference on June 15, 2024, she referred to Coughlan by saying:

"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. 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."

The Sex Education star described Nicola Coughlan as a "gorgeous, strong, confident, intelligent woman", adding that Coughlan has been an inspiration for all the women around the world. Ashley said that she was also inspired by Coughlan and continued:

"She's also a really kind human being, and I think that's such a universal language that people can relate to."

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Nicola Coughlan has already responded to the criticism related to her body

The Galway, Ireland native has been an important part of Bridgerton for a long time as she portrays Penelope Featherington. While rumors emerged about Coughlan's appearance last month, claiming that her waist was photoshopped, the actress denied the same while speaking to People magazine on June 12, 2024.

She said that the reports came out because of the costumes that were inspired by the Regency era. Nicola Coughlan said that the corsetry "molds" with the body if they are worn for a long time and added:

"Sometimes they come in a fitting for a fashion designer and they put a corset on me and I'm like, 'Oh, you can go tight', and they go, 'What do you mean?' I'm like, 'My body now will go whew.'"

Nicola Coughlan appeared for another interview with Stylist magazine last month, saying that she added a few lines from her side for the scenes. She even opened up about the intimate sequences on the show, saying that she collaborated with intimacy coordinator Lizzy Tablot to improvise them.

Coughlan addressed a scene where she was naked and revealed that it was her idea. She continued:

"It just felt like the biggest 'f*ck 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*cking hot I looked!'"

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Nicola Coughlan is confirmed to return in Bridgerton season 4

The historical romance series received positive feedback after its premiere in 2020. While fans are eagerly now awaiting the fourth season, Nicola Coughlan said that she would reprise her role. In an interview with TheWrap, she said:

"They've told us we're back for Season 4, which is super lovely … It'll be exciting. [We'll] pop back and have some fun for sure."

Apart from her, Simone Ashley will also return along with Luke Newton. The rest of the cast members and an official release date are yet to be revealed by the producers.