Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton Preview Season 3: Penelope Feeling Desirable, Colin’s Role Swap
There is plenty to look forward to in Bridgerton’s upcoming Season 3 — debuting Part 1 Thursday, May 16 on Netflix — including wallflower Penelope Featherington finally stepping out as the show’s romantic leading lady.
“I love her knowing that she is an amazing writer. I love her finding the worth in herself and allowing herself to feel desirable and know that she is,” portrayer Nicola Coughlan tells TVLine. “I think that kind of stuff makes her attractive.”
New episodes of the Shondaland-produced period romance find Penelope letting go of her longstanding crush on Colin Bridgerton (played by Luke Newton) and instead focusing her efforts on finding a suitable husband with his help. This brings a new dynamic to the pair’s friendly relationship, with Colin now in the position of secret admirer.
“I was really excited by the challenge of how they’re swapped this season. Penelope had been longingly looking at Colin from afar and it was really nice to swap that around,” Luke Newton shares.
“As much as I feel very connected to Colin and want to support him in all of his choices, a part of me is also like, ‘Yeah, serves you right. You haven’t seen what’s right in front of you all this time. You should have your moment of longingly watching someone that you’re now totally obsessed with, or consumed by,’” he adds. “I was really excited by the challenge of just flipping that dynamic completely and seeing this new version of Penelope, feeling deeply connected to the person who she truly is.”
Book fans can also anticipate seeing important moments from the page, like that steamy carriage scene, make their way into the show as well as smaller but still recognizable nods.
“It was really nice to have those moments from the books,” Newton notes. “We talked to [showrunner Jess Brownell] a lot about… Sometimes it was just one line in the middle of one scene that just came straight out of the book and was so naturally slot into the show. They felt special, those moments, because it was a little nod to the books.”
