It’s the 21st century, when celebrities are expected to speak their minds on everything from social issues to mental health. Nicola Coughlan, the star of Bridgerton, has never had much trouble doing that. Recently, she turned her candor toward the idea of 'body positivity', and made it clear she isn’t particularly fond of the phrase, or what it tries to sell.

While conversations around body image continue to evolve in Hollywood and the film industry, Coughlan shared a refreshing perspective on how she chooses to approach the conversation.

Nicola Coughlan, more precisely, her body had become quite the source of chatter after starring in Bridgerton, even being labeled as a plus-size role model by some. However, Coughlan finds the label confusing and sometimes absurd, and does not understand why she is considered a plus-size role model. The actress made waves when she rejected the label during Bridgerton's promotions in 2024, and her stance remains unchanged even now. 

"The thing I say sometimes that pisses people off is I have no interest in body positivity,” Coughlan said in a conversation with Elle UK.

“When I was a kid growing up, I never thought about that. I didn’t look at actors and think about their bodies. So, I actually don’t care.”

It is quite clear that the actress wants people to talk about her talent and her character, Penelope, when it comes to the Bridgerton series, rather than her body. And despite the constant scrutiny, Coughlan remains unapologetically herself, and her view on body positivity is a reminder that it is an actor’s talent that should be what truly matters.

Her body and the conversations surrounding it are not discussions that Nicola Coughlan has stood up against; the actor once took a stance against the paparazzi. 

'Bridgerton' 4 Tops Netflix Charts With 28M Plus Viewers Going Bonkers Over Final Episodes

Earlier in an interview, she spoke about how a picture of the early moments of her and her boyfriend’s relationship was shared by paparazzi.

Nicola Coughlan has long faced public scrutiny over both her appearance and her love life. While she recently made her red carpet debut with her boyfriend, Jake Dunn; paparazzi had shared photos of the two together at a pub some time ago.

Given how she remains mum about her private life, Coughlan was understandably disturbed by the paparazzi leaking pictures with her boyfriend, and she did not shy away from letting her frustration out loud.

“Imagine if you had an evening at the pub and then you walked around, talking, having a lovely time. And a few days later, you see pictures of that. The violation is immense,” she said in an interview with The Guardian.

She opened up about how some people often followed her and continuously shared her and Jake Dunn’s photos online. Coughlan has not hesitated to speak about the anxiety because of the constant scrutiny and eyes following her. Through it all, Nicola Coughlan has remained candid about her opinion and her dedication to staying true to herself.

‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 Showrunner Talks About Daphne & Simon’s Fate and What Lies Ahead

What do you think about Nicola Coughlan's opinion on body positivity? Let us know in the comments.