Bridgerton fans have been left shocked after discovering Penelope and Eloise’s ages in real life.
Nicola Coughlan and Claudia Jessie are both known for playing 18-year-old characters Penelope Featherington and Eloise Bridgerton, respectively, on the popular Netflix drama.
However, viewers of the show have only just realised that they’re a lot older than their 18-year-old characters in the period drama series.
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It turns out, Nicola, who plays the teenage daughter of Lord and Lady Featherington on the show, is actually age 35 in real life.
While Claudia, who plays Daphne Bridgerton’s little sister, is actually 32-years-old IRL. Seriously.
Trust us, fans of the show are just as shocked as you and me about their ages.
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One viewer took to Twitter to express their surprise at the discovery, writing: “Today out of curiosity, I searched for the first time the age of Claudia Jessie and Nicola Coughlan (Eloise and Penelope) and I discovered that they are 32 and 35 years old respectively and I don’t believe it for a second. #bridgerton”.
“Today I learned that Nicola Coughlan, aka Penelope from Bridgerton and Clare from Derry Girls, is 35. Like, her two most recognizable roles are both teens and no part of me questioned that she was at least close to the age of those roles and now my brain is broken,” admitted another.
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Meanwhile, another fan of the show was concerned about the ‘lack of representation’ for teenagers, which in turn can create ‘unrealistic stereotypes’ for young people watching the show.
“Claudia Jessie (Eloise) is 32 and Nicola Coughlan (Penelope) is 35, yet they both play 17-year-olds in Bridgerton! How can lack of representation for teenage age groups in film create unrealistic stereotypes?” Julia Pisani said.
Lindsay McGlone, a body image activist, has recognised that shows where adults play teenagers can have ‘a detrimental effect on body image for teenagers’.
“When we are considering just the perspective of body image; as we need to make allowances for teenage actors, mental health and performing roles with difficult storylines; it has a detrimental effect on body image for teenagers as an 'adult' body is obviously naturally more developed and will have different or more prominent features.”
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She added: “It's a given that teenagers would compare themselves to the misrepresentation of what a teenage body should look like.
“Teenagers are already bombarded with messages from social media, the general media and family and friends' opinions. It's all very confusing for teenagers.”
If you find yourself comparing your body or yourself to others (which can happen at any age), Lindsay recommends surrounding yourself with positive role models.
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“Follow people who make you feel good. If you see someone on social media and they make you feel guilt or shame around your body, unfollow them,” The public speaker and producer explained.
“Surround yourself with people who don't emphasise a conversation around weight, size and appearance.
“I understand as a young person that's difficult but maybe just saying to your mum, dad, parent, 'please don't talk about that when I'm around’, would make a massive difference.
“Be your own role model, celebrate your own body. Teenage years are difficult, don't ever underestimate how strong and powerful you are,” Lindsay concluded.
However, another Twitter user shed some light on the reason why adults are so often cast in teenage roles on TV.
“Putting my actor brain on here but yeah actors normally get casted a lotttt younger except on disney. take for example, the 17 year olds in bridgerton (eloise, penelope) are actually in their 30s. they only tend to cast around the age of its a long term project (like 5+ years) [sic]”.
In fact, Jonathan Wilson, director and commissioning editor at Ready Steady Cut, said that the main reason behind casting adults in young people's roles is for consistency in the film or TV series.
"One of the main reasons adults are frequently cast as teenagers is continuity. A film or television shoot takes a long time, and in that space of time, a teenager can radically change. Features alter, bodies develop, and voices deepen," Wilson explained.
"If a teenage character goes to bed in a film and wakes up the next morning, it’s best if they haven’t grown a moustache and a foot in height – unless you’re making a sequel to Big, anyway."
Netflix declined to comment on the matter when approached by Tyla.
Topics: Bridgerton, TV And Film, Netflix
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Gabriella Ferlita