Nicola Coughlan Biography
Nicola Coughlan is an Irish actress best known for her role as Clare Devlin in the Channel 4 sitcom Derry Girls, which aired from 2018 to 2022. She also portrayed Penelope Featherington in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton which started in 2020.
Nicola Coughlan Age
Coughlan was born on January 9, 1987, in Galway, Ireland. She is 36 years old as of 2024. Nicola therefore celebrates her birthday on the 9th of January each year.
Nicola Coughlan Height
Coughlan stands at an approximate height of 5 feet and 4 inches.
Nicola Coughlan Family
Coughlan was born in Galway, Ireland, and raised in Oranmore alongside her siblings Kieran and Clodagh. Her passion for acting was ignited at age five when she watched her older sister perform in a school play. Nicola holds Irish citizenship.
Nicola Coughlan Husband
Coughlan is very private about her personal life therefore it is not known if she is in any relationship. There are also no rumors of Coughlan being in any past relationship with anyone.
Nicola Coughlan’s Net Worth
Coughlan has an estimated net worth of $2 Million which she has earned through her successful career as an actress.
Nicola Coughlan Education
Coughlan completed her primary education at Scoil Mhuire and secondary education at Calasanctius College. Nicola obtained an English and Classical Civilisation degree from the National University of Ireland, Galway. Following this, she pursued acting training in England, attending the Oxford School of Drama and the Birmingham School of Acting.
Nicola Coughlan Career
At the age of 10 in 1997, Coughlan had an uncredited role in the action thriller film “My Brother’s War.” In 2004, she launched her career with a role in Tom Collins’ short film “The Phantom Cnut,” a revenge comedy. Over the next few years, she did voice work for animated series and films, including “The Fairytales” (2004-2005), “Summer of the Flying Saucer” (2008), “Simsala Grimm II: The Adventures of Yoyo and Doc Croc” (2010), and “Thor: Legend of the Magical Hammer” (2011).
Nicola also made brief appearances in the soap opera “Doctors” (2012) and the musical comedy film “Svengali” (2013). Due to financial difficulties, Coughlan returned to Ireland, where she battled depression and received support from her family. She worked part-time at an optician in Galway and later landed the main role of Jess in “Jess and Joe Forever” at the Old Vic in London after responding to an open casting call. Her first performance was in September 2016, followed by a national tour.
In 2018, Coughlan began playing Clare Devlin, a main character in the 1990s-set sitcom “Derry Girls,” and portrayed Hannah Dalton in the drama “Harlots,” set in 18th-century London. That same year, she made her West End debut in The Donmar Warehouse’s “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” production and was named one of the Evening Standard’s “Rising Stars of 2018.” She also appeared on “The Great British Bake Off” alongside some of her “Derry Girls” co-stars. While “Derry Girls” aired on Channel 4 in early 2018, it gained international popularity after being released on Netflix in December.
Coughlan revealed she auditioned for the role of Robin Buckley in season 3 of “Stranger Things” but didn’t get the part. In 2019, it was announced that she had been cast in the Netflix series “Bridgerton,” which premiered in December 2020. She played Penelope Hetherington, a reluctant debutante from a newly wealthy family in Regency-era London. Due to scheduling conflicts with “Bridgerton” and the coronavirus pandemic, her role in the third series of “Derry Girls” in 2022 was significantly reduced.
In November 2022, she appeared in a Sam Mendes-produced Audible audio adaptation of “Oliver Twist.” She starred as Humble Joan in the 2023 comedy film “Seize Them!” set in the Dark Ages and made a brief appearance in “Barbie” as Diplomat Barbie, attributing her short screen time to filming conflicts.
Coughlan also portrayed Queen Victoria in the 2023 “Dodger” Christmas special on BBC One and CBBC and has a lead role in the upcoming Channel 4 sitcom “Big Mood” opposite Lydia West. In November 2023, it was announced that Coughlan would appear in the 2024 “Doctor Who” Christmas special alongside her “Barbie” co-star Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor.
Nicola Coughlan Weight Loss
In the past, Nicola has been open about discussing her weight and has even confronted those who criticized her appearance. In 2018, she pointed out how a theater critic consistently made remarks about her size in their reviews. Coughlan has been dedicated to her fitness and recently shared a photo showcasing her transformation on her Instagram stories.
Nicola Coughlan Movies And TV Shows
- 2021 RuPaul’s Drag Race UK
- 2020–present Bridgerton
- 2019 The Great Christmas/Festive Bake Off
- 2012 Doctors
- 2018–2022 Derry Girls
- 2020–2021 Would I Lie to You?
- 2018 Harlots
- 2004 The Phantom Cnut
- 2021 Taskmaster
Nicola Coughlan Met Gala
Coughlan attended the Met Gala for the first time in 2022. To mark this significant occasion, she wore a stunning custom ensemble by British designer Richard Quinn. The outfit featured an embroidered and feathered pink and black ball gown with a matching cape, drawing inspiration from the opulent styles of the 19th century with its silhouette, exposed cups, and use of duchess satin.
Nicola Coughlan Bridgerton
In 2019, it was revealed that Nicola had secured a role in the Netflix series “Bridgerton,” which debuted in December 2020. In this period drama adapted from Julia Quinn’s bestselling book series, Nicola portrays Penelope Hetherington, the youngest daughter of a newly wealthy family in Regency-era London, who reluctantly enters society as a debutante. She stares alongside other Actors and Actress who include:
- Adjoa Andoh
- Jonathan Bailey
- Lorraine Ashbourne
- Harriet Cains
- Golda Rosheuvel
- Bessie Carter
- Luke Newton
- Kathryn Drysdale
- Simone Ashley
- Ruth Gemmell
Nicola Coughlan And Luke Newton
Netflix’s Bridgerton is filming its third season, which centers around the transformation of the relationship between Penelope Featherington (played by Nicola) and Colin Bridgerton (portrayed by Luke Newton) from friendship to romance. A recent behind-the-scenes image shows the pair dressed casually, showing that they may be taking a break from the formalities of society.
Nicola Coughlan Harlots
In 2018, Nicola took on the role of Hannah Dalton in the series “Harlots,” a period drama set in 18th-century London. In the same year, she made her West End debut in The Donmar Warehouse’s rendition of “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.”
Nicola Coughlan Great British Bake Off
In 2018, Nicola participated in an episode of The Great British Bake Off alongside some of her fellow Derry Girls cast members. The show is a British television baking competition created by Love Productions. In the series, amateur bakers vie against each other in various challenges to showcase their baking prowess to a panel of judges.
Nicola Coughlan Drag Race
In 2021, Nicola served as a guest judge in the episode “Great Outdoors” on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, a British reality competition series. This show, a partnership between the BBC and World of Wonder, debuted on October 3, 2019, as the fourth iteration of the Drag Race franchise and the second led by RuPaul.
Nicola Coughlan Social Media Platforms
She is active on her social media accounts and often posts on her Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.