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Nicola Mary Coughlan (; born 9 January 1987) is an Irish actress. She is known for her roles as Clare Devlin in Channel 4's sitcom Derry Girls (2018–2022) and Penelope Featherington in Netflix's Bridgerton (2020–present). She earned a Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination for playing the lead role of Penelope Featherington in the third season of Bridgerton. Coughlan earned a British Academy Television Awards nomination for her role as Maggie Donovan in Big Mood (2024–present).
At the age of five, while watching her sister perform in a school play, Coughlan decided she wanted to become an actress. She attended Scoil Mhuire Primary School and Calasanctius College. She graduated with a degree in English and Classical Civilisation from the NUI Galway. She then went on to train in England at the Oxford School of Drama and Birmingham School of Acting.
After drama school, Coughlan moved to London three times in four years, and each time was forced to move back home with her parents in Ireland due to financial difficulties. She suffered from depression during this period, and received help from her family. She worked part-time at an optician in Galway, and later responded to an open casting call for Jess and Joe Forever at The Old Vic in London, winning the main role of Jess. Her first performance was in September 2016, prior to a national tour.
Though Derry Girls was broadcast in January and February 2018 on Channel 4, it was after its rerelease onto Netflix in December that same year that the show gained international audience and popularity. The third and last series aired from 12 April 2022 to 18 May 2022 on Channel 4, and was released on Netflix on 7 October 2022. Derry Girls has received nominations at the British Academy Television Awards, winning Best Scripted Comedy in 2023, Irish Film and Television Awards, including winning Best Comedy in 2018.
Coughlan played Hannah Dalton in Harlots, a period drama television series set in 18th-century London. 2018 marked her West End debut in The Donmar Warehouse production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. In September, the Evening Standard named her "one of the Rising Stars of 2018". Coughlan has stated that she auditioned for the part of Robin Buckley in season 3 of Stranger Things, but did not get the part.
In June and July 2021, Coughlan was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Drama for Bridgerton, and nominated and won Rising Star Award at the IFTA Film & Drama Awards. In November 2021, The Hollywood Reporter included Coughlan in its Next Gen Talent 2021: The Hollywood Reporter's Rising Young Stars.
In November 2022, Coughlan was honoured with Glamour's Women of the Year TV Actor Awards.
In February 2023, Coughlan was awarded Best Newcomer at the Newport Beach Film Festival UK Honours. In July 2023, Coughlan made a brief appearance in Barbie as Diplomat Barbie, later citing filming clashes for the short time she was in the film. In the same year, she voiced the Playroom Fairy in Apple TV+ Christmas special The Velveteen Rabbit, based on the children's book of the same name. Coughlan also portrayed Queen Victoria in the 2023 Dodger Christmas special on BBC One and CBBC.
In 2023, Coughlan portrayed the leading role of Maggie a sufferer of bipolar disorder, co-starring alongside Lydia West in Channel 4 sitcom Big Mood, a six-part Comedy drama series about two best friends navigating friendship amidst a mental health crisis. Big Mood was Channel 4's most-watched new comedy launch since Derry Girls, and Coughlan received praise for her role as Maggie Donovan. Coughlan received her first British Academy Television Awards nomination for Best Female Performance in a Comedy. She also won Best Comedy Performance at the TV Choice Awards 2025. A second season of Big Mood was confirmed in February 2025.
Coughlan then starred as Humble Joan alongside Aimee Lou Wood and Lolly Adefope in Seize Them!, a 2024 comedy film set in the Dark Ages. In December 2024, Coughlan played the title role in the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas special, "Joy to the World", written by Steven Moffat, alongside Barbie co-star Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor.
In October 2024, Coughlan was named in Time 100 Next's 2024. She was also named in Variety's 2024 Power Women of Hollywood. Coughlan was the cover of Time's 28 October 2024 issue, having been named as one of Time's Next Generation Leaders. Vanity Fair and TV Insider praised her performance as Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton and Maggie Donovan in Big Mood as one of the 24 best performances of 2024. She was IMDb second Most Popular Breakout Star of 2024, and seventh Most Popular Star of 2024. She was also named as one of the best-dressed women of 2024 by Harper's Bazaar UK.
Coughlan was named in Elle's "40 for 40: The Women In Film And Television Power List," which lists women that will shape what - and how - you watch for decades to come . The Independent named Coughlan in its “Independent Women 2025 - The Influence List,” which listed 50 of the most influential women in the UK. Coughlan was honoured with the Konbini Commitment Award, which recognizes a talent or a series that has distinguished itself by the artistic quality and the societal, innovative or revolutionary dimension of its work, at the 8th Canneseries). In May 2025, Coughlan was named 36th in Radio Times' TV 100 of the most influential people in TV.
Coughlan will play the role of Silky in the upcoming adaptation of Enid Blyton The Magic Faraway Tree, alongside Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy and Rebecca Ferguson. She will also have a starring role in the upcoming feature drama-thriller, Love and War, about a woman who must travel to Syria to find her abducted daughter. Coughlan will make her National Theatre debut playing Margaret (Peegan) Flaherty in John Millington Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World in the Lyttelton from 4 December 2025 to 28 February 2026. Coughlan will voice star in Sony Picture Animation’s GOAT, also starring Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, Stephen Curry, Nick Kroll and David Harbour, which is set for theatrical release on February 13, 2026.
Coughlan has also narrated Podcast. In 2020, she starred alongside Hannah Bristow in Radio drama podcast series, A Passion Play, about two teenagers' first love colliding with Jesus crucifixion. In 2021, along with Big Mood creator and writer, Camilla Whitehill, Coughlan co-created, co-wrote and starred in Whistle Through the Shamrocks, a six-episode scripted comedy podcast with a star-studded cast, including Ben Miller, Louisa Harland, Stephanie Beatriz and Jonathan Van Ness. Coughlan also presented History's Youngest Heroes, a twelve-episode history podcast focusing on the stories of twelve extraordinary people from across history, on BBC Radio 4.
In October 2023, Coughlan partnered with Uber Eats for its campaign to help address period poverty.
In June 2024, Coughlan starred in Skims' latest campaign for the brand's Soft Lounge Collection. In August 2024, Coughlan starred in Kate Spade's Fall Campaign, alongside Taraji P. Henson and Marsai Martin.
In February 2025, Coughlan starred in Neutrogena ‘Main Character Energy’ campaign. In April 2025, Coughlan featured in Olaplex ‘Designed to Defy’ campaign, alongside Jenna Lyons and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
In October 2017, in a now-deleted tweet, Coughlan shared that she had been teen-aged when she was told by an "older, respected director" that if she wanted to impress him in an acting competition, she should perform naked. Coughlan elaborated: "I was a kid, but no woman of any age should be spoken to that way by a man in a position of power, ever. Trust me, I have a lot worse stories than that."
In 2018, while Coughlan was appearing on stage in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie at London's Donmar Warehouse, she wrote a piece for the Guardian calling out the unfair scrutiny of women's bodies common in theatre criticism. The following year, she made headlines again for rebutting the Daily Mirrors comment on her 2019 British Academy Television Awards look: "Not the most flattering". She tweeted "I mean incorrect @DailyMirror I look smokin’, sorry bout it". Following the 2021 Golden Globe Awards, she challenged other comments about her weight on Twitter.
In June 2024, Coughlan cheekily responded to a comment calling her "very brave" for her intimacy scenes in season 3 of Bridgerton by stating: "You know, it is hard, because I think women with my body type – women with perfect breasts – we don't get to see ourselves on screen enough. I'm very proud as a member of the perfect breasts community. I hope you enjoy seeing them." In the same month, Coughlan rebuffed claims by Internet trolls that Bridgerton photoshopped her waist, clarifying, “If you wear corsetry for long enough, your body really molds to it."
On 26 June 2020, Coughlan and her fellow Derry Girls co-stars performed a sketch with Saoirse Ronan for the RTÉ fundraising special RTÉ Does Comic Relief. The night's proceeds went to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coughlan is an ambassador for LauraLynn Ireland's Children's Hospice, which provides specialist palliative and supportive care services. In July 2020, she auctioned off an Alex Perry dress and raised €5,000 for the hospice. In May 2022, Couglan auctioned off her Season 3 Derry Girls Wrap Jacket and raised €22,197. In December 2022, she auctioned off her Season 2 Bridgerton wrap bag, signed by herself and some other Bridgerton stars, raising €23,721 for LauraLynn.
On 12 April 2022 upon the release of the third series of Derry Girls, Coughlan protested the attempted privatisation of Channel 4, posting a picture of herself holding up a The finger on Instagram and linking to a change.org petition.
On 28 June 2024, Coughlan collaborated with DJ and record producer Ellis Miah to release "Shoes...More Shoes", with profits from the song being donated to two charities, Not A Phase and The Trevor Project, in celebration of Pride Month.
Coughlan was one of over two thousand to sign an Artists for Palestine letter calling for a ceasefire and accusing Western governments of "not only tolerating war crimes but aiding and abetting them." In July 2024, Coughlan raised over $2 million for Urgent Gaza Relief and Recovery, a campaign organized by Palestine Children's Relief Fund to address urgent humanitarian needs and support long-term recovery efforts in Gaza Strip Strip. On 9 October, 2024, in her speech as a TIME100 Next honoree, Coughlan called for the U.S. and UK to “stop sending arms to Israel, to release the hostages, and to send aid into Gaza.”
In December 2024, Coughlan partnered up with HURR and Choose Love to rent out a selection of her wardrobe, with proceeds going to Choose Love, a UK-based charity supporting refugees and displaced people all over the world.
In April 2025, following the UK Supreme Court's ruling to exclude trans women from the definition of legal definition of 'woman', Coughlan expressed her support for the transgender and non-binary community. On Instagram, she said that she was "completely horrified" by the ruling. She also started a fundraiser for Not a Phase, a charity helping trans people, in response. She added, "Now's the time to speak up and make your voice heard. Let your trans, non-binary friends and the community at large know that you're there for them and we'll keep fighting for them." Coughlan has raised more than £100,000 as of 19 April 2025. Coughlan was one of over a thousand film and television industry figures to sign an open letter pledging "solidarity with the trans, non-binary and intersex communities" and condemning both the ruling and the subsequent EHRC guidance.
| 1997 | My Brother's War | Little girl feeding swans | Uncredited | |
| Short film | ||||
| 2008 | Summer of the Flying Saucer | Janis | Voice | |
| 2011 | Edda | Voice | ||
| 2012 | Jelly T | Lottie | Voice (English Version of Gummi T, 2012) | |
| 2013 | Svengali | Club Girl | ||
| 2020 | Her Song | Eve | Voice; Short film | |
| The Velveteen Rabbit | Playroom Fairy | Voice; Short film | ||
| 2024 | Seize Them! | Humble Joan | ||
| 2026 | Goat | Olivia Burke | In production | |
| The Magic Faraway Tree | Silky | Production |
| 2004–2005 | The Fairytaler | Various | Voice; 7 episodes | |
| 2010 | Voice; English version; 26 episodes | |||
| Episode: "Every End Has a Start" | ||||
| Main role; 18 episodes | ||||
| 7 episodes | ||||
| 2019 | The Great Christmas/Festive Bake Off | Herself | Contestant, Episode : "Derry Girls edition" | |
| Penelope Bridgerton (née Featherington) | Main role; 24 episodes | |||
| 2020–2021 | Would I Lie to You? | Herself | Panelist, Series 14 Episode 6 | |
| 2021 | RuPaul's Drag Race UK | Guest judge, Episode : "Great Outdoors" | ||
| 2023 | Dodger | Queen Victoria | Episode: "Coronation" | |
| 2024–present | Big Mood | Maggie | Main role; 6 episodes | |
| 2024 | Doctor Who | Joy Almondo | Episode: "Joy to the World" | |
| Rob Beckett's Smart TV | Herself | Panelist, Series 1 Episode 2 |
| Podcast series; also creator and writer | |
| Podcast series |
| 2013 | Chapel Street | Kirsty | Bryony Shanahan | UK Tour; Scrawl Theatre Company | ||
| 2014 | Duck | Sophie | Stella Feehily | Tour; Out of Joint Theatre Company | ||
| 2015 | Nadya | Elena | Sarah Meadows | Park Theatre | ||
| 2015–2017 | Jess and Joe Forever | Jess | Derek Bond | The Old Vic | ||
| Orange Tree Theatre | ||||||
| Traverse Theatre | ||||||
| 2018 | The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie | Joyce Emily | Polly Findlay | Donmar Warehouse |
| + | |||||
| 2017 | The Offies | Best Actress in a Play | Jess and Joe Forever | ||
| 2021 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Bridgerton | ||
| Irish Film and Television Awards | Rising Star Award | Herself | |||
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Drama | Bridgerton | ||||
| 2022 | Glamour Awards | TV Actor | Bridgerton Derry Girls | ||
| 2023 | Newport Beach Film Festival UK Honors | Best Newcomer | Herself | ||
| 2024 | Edinburgh TV Awards | Best TV Actor – Comedy | Big Mood | ||
| Harper's Bazaar Women of the Year | Television Actress | Bridgerton Big Mood | |||
| Gold Derby Awards | Ensemble Cast | Barbie | |||
| Rolling Stone UK Awards | Television Award | Big Mood | |||
| TIME 100 Next | Next Generations Leaders | Herself | |||
| 2025 | TV Choice Awards | Best Drama Performance | Bridgerton | ||
| Best Comedy Performance | Big Mood | ||||
| Metro UK | Celebrity of the Year | Herself | |||
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Bridgerton | |||
| Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series | |||||
| Irish Film and Television Awards | Lead Actress – Drama | Bridgerton | |||
| British Academy Television Awards | Best Female Performance in a Comedy | Big Mood | |||
| The Astra Awards | Best Actress in a Drama Series | Bridgerton | |||
| Best Cast Ensemble in Streaming Drama Series | Bridgerton |
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