Nicola Coughlan's Bridgerton Contract Has One Huge Demand For Her Sex Scenes

Nicola Coughlan feels that her "Bridgerton" character Penelope Featherington uses the gossipy Lady Whistledown (Julie Andrews) as a hyper-confident alter ego, but when it comes to her parents, the actor has taken measures to minimize everything even bordering on scandalous. In an interview with SiriusXM Hits 1 (via the Independent), Coughlan revealed that her "Bridgerton" contract specifically dictates that her parents must be provided with a PG-rated version of the show that cuts the steaminess the show has become known for. "It's literally written into my contract," she said. "People think I'm saying it as a joke. I just don't want to. I grew up Irish Catholic. That's just not how we vibe." 

The stipulation may come in handy for Coughlan (and her parents) when "Bridgerton" Season 3, Part 1 premieres on May 16. After all, the actor teased in the interview that Penelope and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) might have some decidedly non-PG moments on the horizon. "We did break a piece of furniture while doing one of those scenes," she said. 

Even though Nicola Coughlan's parents might have to sit through a censored version of "Bridgerton," chances are they still get to enjoy plenty of excitement when it comes to her character. After all, with Penelope's secret identity compromised, there's no telling what ordeals the show has in store for her. 

The many twists and turns of Netflix's "Bridgerton" are relayed via the mysterious Lady Whistledown's society-shaking scandal sheets. Initially, she seems like your standard omniscient narrator figure, but the show makes it clear that the character exists in-universe. After numerous hints about Lady Whistledown's true identity, the shocking truth comes out in the open, and the ending of "Bridgerton" Season 1 explains that the scandalous lady is none other than Penelope, a comparatively unpopular but extremely observant young member of the Featherington family. 

While the Season 1 finale only reveals this secret to the viewer, Penelope is in grave danger going into Season 3. Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) herself is on the hunt for Lady Whistledown, and Penelope's attempts to convince the royal that Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) is innocent accidentally ruin Eloise's reputation. The biggest unanswered question on "Bridgerton" Season 2 is what happens between the two after Eloise finds out that her (potentially former) friend has been Lady Whistledown all along.