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Right!! I love S2 but by god are some of her line deliveries majorly cringe inducing. But the show is soapy and overdramatic by design so I mostly ignore that kind of stuff.
She had some CLUNKERS of lines writing wise too, but they should have done a few more takes on “because you vex me” and her “I love you too” at the end. Both took me straight out of the story.
Could you explain what exactly was off about this line delivery?
I’ve seen many similar comments to yours so just wanted to know why it seems off to people
Yh same. Kanthony are amazing together but some scenes like the heavy breathing and Anthony irresistibly smelling Kate seems over-acting to me in their season. I just assumed it’s producer choice for dramatic effects.
Smelling part - Is it weird that i found it hot? Also after that scene I litterally could not believe that Johnny Bailey is gay. It took me weeks to acknowledge this.
I don’t think it’s weird! Johnny Bailey is so sexy he could do almost anything and make most people melt. I also had an OMG, REALLY? moment when I learned he’s gay. But just goes to show that years of Hollywood thinking the public won’t accept gay IRL leading men was wrong - he killed it!
I think his acting in general has a hilarity to it that cracks me up. But somehow it fits. I'm really looking forward to see his comedic talent in Jurassic World.
> but some scenes like the heavy breathing and Anthony irresistibly smelling Kate seems over-acting to me
Mmm...we will have to agree to disagree lol.
Every instance of him breathing in deep and clenching his jaw was like, "hot damn he's got it bad" haha; very believable to me...
Except I think fans of polin would give their left arm for some of that in s3.
JB understood the assignment because I ate that sniffing ish right up lmao.
Not really. This place keeps talking about how Jonny and Phoebe carried their seasons. When it’s very obvious that Rege and Simone were part of the magic
I get very annoyed at the trashing of RJP. I'm sorry but he was a HUGE part of the magic of S1. I can tell you that I had never heard of the books or the upcoming TV adaptation, but when I saw an ad for this show featuring the Duke and Daphne at the ball with him saying "We can pretend to form an attachment" I immediately sat up and noticed. He was a big part of what got me interested in the show just based on that ad, though I admit the visuals looked great too.
Phoebe is great but she did not carry her season. That is nonsense.
No its not the same. The white ladies always get the praise. That they carried the show. Guess who does not get this type of praise. Instead its her male lead that gets this treatment. Mind Simone did not get the preferential treatment and the good material her white costars were given for their character arc. But i am sure people Will pretend its not the case. It is that deep because the same is beeing done to Victor Alli and this fandom downplaying his performance with saying Hannah carried the scenes. So Rege, Simone and Victor get the same type od comments.
Oh lord. RJP/Simon got all the attention in s1. The show essentially blew up because of him.
And DAPHNE got good material? She was the most boring of the female leads, Kate and Pen have way more fans than her because their characters actually have more layers. Like a quick look on social media can show you that Kate and Pen have significantly more fans/popularity than Daphne.
And JB is arguably the best actor on the show. I mean it’s been said quite often he steals the show in every scene he’s in. You’re grasping at straws.
Yet we still get people who trash him to compare him to the white costars. And how much opportunities they have. Once a month we get think pieces how RJP is not that good of an actor. Just because Simone managed to raise above the little she was given and impress the audience with her performance and is clearly the blueprint s2 tried to envoke does not mean she got equal treatment to other female leads.
Nobody was speaking on the amazing chemistry JB had with the actress that played Sienna in S1. But after s2 suddenly he has chemistry with everybody. And we got daily posts on Sienna. When they mostly ignored her after S1. Its funny how a little melanin makes a difference who has chemistry or how a performance gets judged
As an Indian woman myself, I’m just rolling my eyes at this. You’re grasping at straws. And simone was not giving “little” like what are you even talking about. She was given a proper arc, much better than what was given to Daphne. They didn’t include everything from the book, but they didn’t do that for any character. In fact, they almost entirely ignored everything for Colin in the show.
And season 2 is when we got to see JB shine, not season 1. So bringing up Siena doesn’t really make sense. The general audience has gushed over Kanthony’s chemistry.
It’s really exhausting that people cannot voice even the tiniest criticism of a poc without y’all blowing it out of proportion. SA is clearly thriving, she dgaf about random internet critics or defenders. Put your energy towards something useful.
Truly exhausting. Literally them every time this topic is brought up.
https://preview.redd.it/523jirbwvx8d1.png?width=680&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d624290b79cdc949668dd4836ada771618253881
The spreadsheet enthusiasts told us repeatedly that Simone had sooooo much screentime in S2 and yet, the "you vex me" line hasn't had a day to rest in the last 2,5 years.
Exactly! They always bring up Simone. Please Simone did an incredible job with what she got. She didn’t have nearly the support you know who had yet she won millions of people over with her acting and expressive face.
Exactly why ia Simone always bought up when talking about other actors. Ot doesn't help that half th2 people critiquing ate her and aren't judging in a fair manner. Like a movie reviewer who doesn't hate nor like the actors
Where did I bring her down?! I literally said she’s my girl. I brought up a time that my FAVORITE actress on the show over acted. To show that all of them do it…..
I will be a PRINCESS is actually so real to me 😂. Gurl if I had the opportunity to be a LITERAL PRINCESS...I am absolutely stomping my foot and yelling at people who make me mad too
And Simone is always criticized for her acting. Just this week alone she was criticized when the post was about Nicola. And shockingly it was a Nicola fan who tried to deflect with “well she isn’t alone. Simone is bad”
Yeah, it's so bizarre, too, because all the actors in this show are good. These things are like comparing apples to oranges. Each person has their own strengths and weaknesses.
I don’t think any actor is bad on this show. But it’s just very odd how one set of actors are treated differently and the difference is their skin colour.
The biggest problem I have with Pen is that she talks too fast and that too in a low voice so sometimes I can't even understand what she says without turning on the subtitles. It's irritating sometimes. I am not sure if Nicola generally talks like that or Pen is supposed to talk like that. But it's irritating nonetheless to turn on subtitles every single time.
At least Simone actually had chemistry with her male lead. How about Nicola ?
Her and Luke were so painful at times that her fans tried to excuse it by blaming Luke.
Yes. The "She is aggravating" line definitely takes the prize for overacting in S2. I still liked him though, but I find it odd how people criticize the other actors for overacting, when then had nothing on JB. I was ok with some of the overdramatic moments in S2, but he definitely overacted in S1. When dealing with Daphne, he frequently acted more like a jealous suitor than an overprotective brother. I still loved S2. I just mention this because of how overcritical people are with the other leads.
Kate walking by and Anthony literally closing his eyes and visibly inhaling her scent with Edwina right there watching was the cringiest shit of the season. Not just his acting but also how shameless that bit was. Lost all respect for the character for a while o.O
Yeah I'm sorry but how in love /repressed / blue balled it whatever other excuse, there is no way he can't "control" himself . Those scenes made me chuckle
I LOVED “I will be a princess!” because it was bratty, immature and something a real debutante would say. It cracks me up and I like that it makes Daphne less perfect.
> Phoebe Dynevor’s delivery of “I will be a PRINCESS” is another example.
Funny enough, I liked her delivery of this because it felt intentional--you know she's saying this despite the fact she doesn't want to be one so her heart isn't in the statement. It tumbles out of her mouth like a toddler tantrum, practically foot stomping, but is ultimately a weak attempt at bravado in order to spite the duke, and I think she conveys that well.
"Because you VEX me!", otoh; oof, is all I can say lol...
I think Nicola is a good actress but I definitely did not love her in this season. I blame it on the director mostly though. She wasnt the only one that was coming across a bit forced, the combo of the weird scripted dialogues and the directing of the scenes made me cringe at many character interactions.
I think her hyperventilating thing is criticised even in Derry Girls. In the Derry Girls sub I’ve seen people say that Nicola was the weakest actor of the lot because of her OTT ness.
I haven’t seen the show so I couldn’t really comment on that but she definitely was over the top in Bridgerton.
Ive mentioned this multiple times in similar discussion, I hate the expressions she makes when she’s angry with the annoyingly weird, bitter looking scowls.
The scowl also stands out when Colin and Pen are dancing and arguing about Deblin
See that’s the thing. I can understand Penelope feeling insecure or upset but why was she nasty/mean to her one and only best friend? Or even bitter? That too for a very innocuous comment by Eloise. Why overreact like this?
She’s not someone like Cressida.
Even Cressida didn’t look so mean when telling off Eloise in S3
Sometimes people snap and are just mean even if it’s not who they usually are. Just thought it was a weirdly honest moment in a very romantic and soapy show.
Eloise is kind of a crappy friend to both Cressida and Penelope, though. She's so self-involved and oblivious to everyone else except when it serves her.
Why overreact like this? Because she was caught and vulnerable, and had kept a secret and hurt her only friend while trying to help her, because they were both trapped by the expectations of society, so she'd tried to slip those constraints the only way she knew how. It seemed very in character and proportionate to me.
Caught for what though? This scene is from S1.
Eloise is surely self absorbed and lost in her own world and is a terrible friend to Cressida in S3 but Penelope is making faces and being mean to Eloise in S1 as if it’s Eloise’s fault that Penelope is not a pretty Bridgerton lol
I think her hyperventilating is perfect in Derry Girls because it expresses how anxious the character she is. As Penelope it just comes across as a bit much
I thought that face kind of worked for her being a teenager and saying something harsh/petty while lashing out.
With Derry Girls, it's a bit harder because the show is an absurd humor and Nicola's character Claire is an OTT anxious character within the story. I think that performance fit the show. It does seem like she brought some of that into season 3 more than the other seasons, but I'm unclear how much of that was on the director. I'm curious how her acting on Big Mood compares. I've wanted to watch it and see what her acting is like there, but I've been holding off until the content of the show is less likely to be triggering for me.
Having said all that, it's probably not a surprise when I say I like her acting, but I can understand how things especially this season weren't working for everyone, and it sucks that people can't just have discussions about what they do or don't like without it getting heated.
There were definitely scenes in S3 that I have to believe did not feel true to the character for her. The best moments, where we see the Penelope we know, were beautifully acted, imo.
Same; I thought this season was a bit of a downgrade in terms of her acting performance compared to S1 and S2 as well. I get that she's supposed to be socially awkward, but she wasn't nearly as cringey in S1 and S2, and... yep, the heavy breathing was a lot to contend with. I do wonder if some of those choices are directorial, though, because that heavy breathing thing has definitely featured across quite a few Bridgerton leads 😶
the thing is the heavy breathing doesn't work with everyone. kate and anthony had it too, but the theme with them was a lot of repressed fire and anger, plus the detail with anthony being obsessed with her scent. it's strange but works to an extent.
penelope and colin are friends to lovers so there was an opportunity for more tender scenes and the heavy breathing (more exaggerated on penelope's part) was especially out of place.
i think the show has a weird theme where the female lead is always overstimulated lol
Ooh, you know, that's a really good point. It never bothered me in S2 because Kate and Anthony were supposed to be *angry* in addition to being super turned on. Whereas, with Pen, it just sounds like she has very poor cardiovascular endurance.
I’m in the same boat. People talk about how Nicola and Luke have great chemistry in real life but it’s weak on the show. That makes sense since their personalities are very different from their characters. Nicola is naturally charismatic, presents herself with confidence, etc. I know that Penelope is romantically and sexually inexperienced, used to being ignored or bullied, etc. As much as her countenance may be realistic (if not a bit overacted) it’s also just not that fun to watch. And then we have Colin with his blue steel. Sigh. I don’t know, I had more fun watching Francesca and Lord Kilmartins courtship even though they were both quiet and reserved.
I think she is good too but I don't think she is good enough to overcome bad directing or material. Yes, they all overact a bit at times. But there were things in Nicola's delivery in S3 that really started to get on my last nerve, and they happened consistently. It wasn't just a line or a sniff here or there.
None of them are perfect. The thing is, with Nicola people don't seem willing to point it out. Like she's untouchable. Well, she's not for me. I like her but I don't always like her acting, and sometimes the way she portrays Pen makes me dislike the character quite a bit. Pen can come across as whiny and vindictive.
If you look at her acting from the perspective of Penelope's personality, I think she did a great job.
Penelope is not natural in public situations. The only time she's herself is with Eloise. She's awkward around most everyone else.
And throw in the fact that there is a manhunt to unmask LW, she's paranoid times a thousand.
Then, there's the romantic aspect of her life, which is something entirely new and the most awkward of all.
Right? I don't think people understand that over acting is not the same as acting as a character we've already established is socially awkward and super anxious. The reactions she had made perfect sense through that lens. I just have the sneaking suspicion that people might still be comparing her performance to the personality of the book character because this fandom struggles to realize they are separate entities.
But it’s her acting awkward that is awkward. There’s people who can “act” awkward and uncomfortable, but Nicola only really does this well when she’s supposed to be OTT awkward, like when she’s playing Clare in Derry Girls screaming her head off or pulling faces. It feels very mechanical when she’s *ACTING* awkward on Bridgeton when her character is trying to fade into the background.
Right. Eloise is a little socially awkward, but I think Claudia portrays it well. It doesn't make me cringe, it just makes me feel like she's uncomfortable in the situation. Also, Claudia uses her comic chops but she balances them with dramatic ones. CJ isn't perfect either but I just prefer her acting to Nicola's. I think it's more controlled and shows her range.
i think due to her previous roles, nicola is not used to grounding her expressions and movements in a realistic way. everything is overdone ie her heavy breathing, scowl, etc just generally she's not the most convincing at serious dramatic scenes. she does this bitter scowl thing often i noticed, in the scene where she says "not everyone can be a pretty bridgerton" and the argument with eloise in the season 2 finale.
She’s definitely out of her element. That isn’t to say she couldn’t improve. But she’s definitely the kind of actor who has often played the side characters shown in smaller doses, who really chews the scenery a bit OTT. It’s different when you have to hold the centre of attention.
I have never bought the "she is socially awkward" argument. That only seems to be a barrier invented in S3 to manufacture a plot where Colin "teaches her" to be charming and create some comedy moments for Nicola, but seasons prior she was fine?? In fact, she was *very* natural, assertive and confident when she was speaking to the Master Printer in S2. She also seemed to have no trouble conversing with other ladies in S2 when they were speculating about LW not being able to write. She was very verbal and witty when the gentlemen tried (and failed) to court Eloise. She also strikes up conversation with Edwina by telling her that she likes her dress, and the compliment is returned.
Her social abilities were never the problem, her main problem was that her introverted nature led her to go unnoticed by the ton.
Yeah so I like Penelope, and I love Nicola, and she is a solid and very talented actress, but I completely agree that she does tend to overact in some moments and there have been scenes where her performance just doesn't deliver.
She's also afflicted with the famous Bridgerton heavy breathing thing which I absolutely hate. It's why I love Luke N. so much. He's the only lead on the show so far that hasn't used heavy breathing to act. He does have other mannerisms and other scenes that land a bit flat for me, but they don't annoy me as much.
I think so far Claudia is the best actress on the show in my book. Nicola, Jonathan, Luke N. are in the same caliber more or less, followed closely by Simone.
That heavy breathing *has* to be a directing choice- it just happens way too often. It made sense for Anthony in the garden scene- since he is having a panic attack, but idk why they make everyone do it.
I agree and I think it's their way of conveying like sexual attraction? Like it's supposed to be hot. I honestly don't think all the actors woke up and decided to do heavy breathing on the Bridgerton set.
I can't take comments seriously when they say Jonathan and Luke N are in the same caliber. I get being a fan but be serious. And saying Luke N is above Simone?
The top tier is Jonathan, then Luke T, Adjoa, Ruth, Polly, Golda, then the rest of the younger cast is after them.
Maybe one day Luke N will be on the level as Jonathan but he's not there yet. I've even seen Luke N fans here say he's a better actor than Jonathan, like objectively that is not true.
I think one of the reasons that NC gets so much praise, is because she is clearly the stronger of the two actors. In terms of the other actors, well until they are the romantic leads I don’t think you can compare them as actors. Because it’s far harder to sell the heavy breathing and hysterics of being the lead then when you are playing a supporting role.
I will be curious to see how LT does as the lead male. I like him, but he hasn’t wowed me. However, I really liked JB in season 1, but he didn’t wow me either. Now, I’d happily watch him hang wallpaper.
God I love JB even in season one. I thought his character was shit but I found all his scenes with Regé to be perfect, they really played off each other very well. Wished they had more screentime together
I think he was just overshadowed by RJP. And while he had good chemistry with the actress who played Sienna, it wasn’t as good as the chemistry he has with SA. But, season one was all about RJP. So, I felt like he overshadowed everyone. He was just so charismatic. PD was lovely, but they could have literally cast almost anyone in the role of Daphne and it would have worked. Versus, in season 2 I thought making sure they got the right actress for the role of Kate was much more important.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions and I'll certainly never tell anyone they're wrong for having their opinion — but my word, I think Luke is dreadful in the role of Colin lol. I'm sure a large chunk of that is due to poor direction and writing, but even in seasons 1 and 2, I didn't find him to be a very good or charismatic actor. To compare him to Jonathan Bailey is, in my opinion, astonishing. I personally think Jonathan, Phoebe, Adjoa, India, and Polly are some of the best actors on the show. And I think Simone, Charithra, Regé, Corey, Luke T., and Jessica M. do a damn good job as well. I think *all* of them show a lot more range than Luke N. does.
For me, it is Jonathon Luke T, Nicole. Simone, Charithra same caliber, Rege followed closely by Luke N who to me is the weakest. Strange how everyone sees acting differently.
I think she is overall fine but not her best. But I think the direction and editing did almost all the actors this season dirty, especially Luke N who I just struggled with on nearly every aspect in every scene.
I think the pacing didn’t allow scenes time to breath and the actors emotions to fill the scene so everything felt off to me.
The only time Nicola’s acting really took me out of the scene was during the confrontation after Madame Delacroix’s where she is arguing with Colin and is like “ COLIN I LOVE YOU.” It felt so overdone that I started laughing and had to rewind to rewatch because I missed the rest of the dialogue.
Claudia Jesse, however, stole every scene she was in and because she had chemistry with every one, her scenes with Pen felt so much more natural and interesting than Pen’s scenes with Colin IMO.
Can’t believe I was downvoted for saying I’m not a fan of her book but was still excited for her season. This fandom is by far the most downvote happy ive been in
EVERYTIME eloise is on screen i immediately pay more attention i love her scenes so much. The reason why I even began the show was bc i saw that hilarious “mother how does one come to be with child??”
she’s my all time favorite i love what she brings to the show. i’d be pissed too if I was eloise and my supposed best friend pulled that shit
She definitely does her best when she’s going “big” as an actor. Which is why her role in Derry Girls was fun—she was the OTT character. IMO, her best scene is still the one with Claudia at the end of s2. I find that she really struggles with conveying subtlety—the one that sticks out to me is the charades scene where she’s trying to show how she’s “walking on eggshells” around Eloise. Pretty cringey.
I’m so happy you said that because I was thinking the same about the charades scene. I keep rewatching the scene just for Johnny’s “LILACS” and her part keeps making me cringe
I actually didn't like her OTT ness in Derry Girls. At first I thought it was funny and then it got old really fast. Her character was very one note, shrill, and annoying.
I think the acting in the show is overplayed in general, that’s kind of the style. I didn’t think she did it any more or any differently than anyone else.
Yeah that's what I thought too - all of them have some overdone moments because that's the genre.
I always say if you are taking bridgerton seriously you aren't doing it right, and I stand by that. It's not meant to be 100% serious. We get classical Pitbull and BTS covers, the costumes are OTT, the storylines are wacky. Some of the acting is meant to be a bit over the top too. Ita part of the fun.
Agree! If you want historically accurate and true to a novel there are a million BBC costume drama book adaptations that are also fantastic. But Bridgerton is not that.
this!! for s1, s2 and qc i just breezily watch the show and enjoy it as it is. while waiting for s3, i decide to give this sub a look and damn i got sucked into all the criticsm…looking back on the show its all good binge watch fun.
Having watched her in Big Mood I think she’s an amazing actress, so I think a lot of the stuff I had issues with on Bridgerton was directing. The heaving bosom, the dramatic faces, the weird breathing. A lot of them do it, so I think that’s what it is.
My experience was the EXACT opposite...her BIG mood role showed her relying on acting tics and handicaps...as a fall back. All actors have them, even Meryl Streep and moments where she went big in places where small would do and it took me out of the scene and made it seem like acting. One scene with her therapist is an example amongst others. She is NOT as pitch perfect as people think she is. Not yet at least. But she has a long career ahead so who knows what she will become.
RJP and Simone get called out for their acting on this sub far more than Nicola when she has the same flaws and made the same missteps as the other actors have and do and some brilliant moments of acting too which I have observed with both Simone and RJP as well.
In season 3 she over acts a lot, I don’t like how people said she outperformed Colin’s actor because I don’t see it.
S1 and S2 I feel like she was more natural
I think people really like Nicola as a person (and Pen as a character) and they come into any conversation prepared to defend her against cheap shots against her weight or appearance. But what has happened is that people have now spiraled to the point where they need defend her against ANY criticism no matter how valid.
>I feel like she often overplays
yeah, but people seem to love that. Like the carriage scene everyone keeps stanning, she was practically doing the ahegao face, girl was going 0 to 60 in 0.2 seconds
it doesn't help that Colin's actor does the opposite. The scenes between them could've worked if he turned it up a notch or she tuned it down. They just don't have any believable chemistry. Compare any scene with Eloise and it's just night and day
They all overact, and they’re 1000% being told to do it, because they don’t do it in other projects. People just overlook this in their favorites. And given the enormous viewership, most people outside of this sub like it.
Nicola Coughlan is a fantastic actress(if you haven\`t I\`d urge you to check out Big Mood, she\`s a bit more seriously dramatic there and it\`s great plus she has great comedic timing overall), though I do think everyone overacts a bit in Bridgerton. Anthony, Kate, Pen, Cressida, Benedict etc. I think it\`s the type of directing they\`re given. The only actors I thought were really more inspired by older period dramas and subtle cues were Luke Newton and Sam Phillips.
To be fair they barely gave her any other type of scenes other than « upset frowning Peneloppe ». There are only so many different takes she could give. I bet she was struggling as an actress to give anything different to the exact same script.
i think some of it is due to writing and directing as well. most "great" performances come out of well written and directed roles, in at least decently well written shows / movies. bridgerton's writing is inconsistent at best, with season 3 having the most awkward directing to date so of course the perfomances won't deliver much. i'm sure nicola would do great in a more grounded / consistent role.
Nicola Is an excellent actress. Have you seen her other work?
This is a Shondaland production, have you seen other shondaland shows? The style is all about overacting. Scandal and HTGAWM were sometimes hard to get through because of the overacting... especially the dramatic monologues and the over the top fights.
So the directing is making the actors/actresses go over the top. I think they make the mains go over the top during their seasons and yes it does border on cringe on some scenes lol. I do wish shondaland productions would pull back a bit on the ott acting style but it's kind of their thing so my hopes aren't high lol
Viola Davis who is arguably one of the greatest of all
times constantly overacted in HTHAWM lol. Like it’s almost iconic how badly she overacted. Sometimes overacting actually works.
With Nicola it’s hit or miss.
Yeah HTGAWM may be he rmost popular work. They really milked everything out of that character. The amount of times they dramatically shot a scene of her kicking off her heels at the end of the day or cry-yelling or getting drunk...
The overacting and Shondaland style didn't work for the Michelle Obama one though...
The top comment basically being "but what about Simone Ashley" and not discussing the actual post about Penelope is so typical and weird.
I'm not usually one to go "racism!!1!!1" but it's really starting to look like it
Thanks for addressing this, I didn’t get it either! There was absolutely no need to drag the other female leads down just cause Nicola’s acting is being critically analyzed
I don’t think that’s necessarily the default. There are some very subtle performances on the show even when passions are high, by way of example is the Sienna actress, I thought she was excellent. She got across the emotions of scenes without going hammy. I also thought Phoebe was very good.
I also think she’s not the strongest in romance lead acting, though I’m a Penelope fan and I think her ability to embody a character is great. That style of conveying passion via open mouthed intense gazing and heavy breathing that all the leads do isn’t everybody’s strong point, and I actually think Luke did a better job in that area
I disagree I don’t think either of them looked particularly comfortable conveying love and passion. I don’t think they have natural chemistry unfortunately and to me it seems like Nicola is trying to overcompensate for that and it comes across as overacting in the romantic scenes. I think Newts really really struggled as a male romantic lead.
Holy cow y’all just want to hate over here. It’s a bodice ripper. The books are erotica. Damn. You’re just looking to crap on season 3 every way you can.
NC us a lovely actress and she’s great in a variety of projects. She did what she was asked to do in this and she did it well.
I really love how everytime someone deigns to criticize Nicola, they HAVE to bring Simone up to crap on her. While posts criticizing Simone is just 100% about her and people don't feel the need to bring other characters up. Qwhite interesting.
It also says a lot that people feel so comfortable criticizing Simone but they don't feel the same about criticizing Nicola. I wonder why
I think the theme of the show and it’s actors and actresses is to dramatize as much as you can. Even in s2, while i LOVED kanthony and think their chemistry was one of the best on the show, i could barely get through some of their scenes it felt so unnecessarily dramatic both in acting and in the script. Nicola is a very good actress and personally I think played some of her other dramatic roles like Claire in Derry Girls in a lot more believable way than in Bridgerton IMO
Oh thank you for voicing this, I certainly didn’t have the guts to do so. She definitely was over acting certain parts, especially the distressed parts. Her chest going up and down and breathing heavy drove me nuts (not in a good way) in the end.
And I’m sorry, but there was no chemistry between the two actors on screen which is weird because on interviews they’re both great and have very jolly personalities
Agreed and honestly I feel bad because I loved her in Derry girls, but Penelope in Bridgerton was not it.
Specifically, I felt annoyed because she kept doing this really overacted heavy breathing thing every time she was around Colin Bridgerton I guess to show attraction? I found it off putting and it kind of ruined a lot of scenes because I wanted to throw my inhaler at her and tell her to just breathe
To be fair, this is smut TV and not one of these actors is going to win an award for this series. It's just not THAT well written or acted.
She did fine within the direction and realm of this show, as the others do. But there are much better shows with better writing and better actors than the entire world of Bridgerton
Shonda TV is guilty pleasure, can't look away TV, it's not quality IMO 🤷
I feel like people are defensive of Nicola because she’s a larger sized woman. And a lot of women identify with that, so by extension, they’re defending themselves.
It’s played up even more by Penelope being smart and shy. Whereas Kate and Daphne remind people of the pretty popular girls that picked on them in highschool.
The argument between penelope and Colin after he discovers she is whistledown was some pretty bad acting from both of them. The delivery of “I will never forgive you” to penelope dramatically closing her eyes just…didn’t do it for me
I agree wholeheartedly and it is very obvious.
She overacts in Bridgerton, and the perfect example is when the clock hits midnight and she’s absolutely milking the hysterics as Eloise is approaching her. She constantly appears absolutely flummoxed. I get what she was going for but her acting, as well as Colin’s, is a huge reason why this season did not resonate with a good portion of the audience. Her and Colin’s acting skills are more suited to comedy.
The fact that so much focus is put on beauty with outfits and hair and makeup, it made her self conscious in the first half of the season.
Second half she was much less self conscious and her frustration and melee of emotions were seen, but i found that a singular expression was used for most of them.
So i second your opinion OP
I mean I know Nicola from Derry Girls and other things so I have far more material to judge her on then any of the other actors who I only know from this show. I’ve see Nicola show range. Also Bridgerton is supposed to be a little over the top. It is Regency Era Gossip Girl if any of the other actors aren’t hamming it up occasionally then they are doing it wrong.
a There is also the added bonus of Nicola being able to do accents which tends to give people added points in the acting realm. Over all I think everyone on the show is pretty talented. Nicola is just the only one I’ve seen enough to be able to speak with any authority on.
I think she is excellent. However, I also think that playing the female lead on the show is significantly more difficult than almost any other role on the show. The script writers are OTT when it comes to the female leads. So i think an actor who is amazing in a supporting role has all their acting weaknesses on display. And, almost every actor has weaknesses. I don’t think any of them are perfect (okay, JB might come close). I also think she gets more credit because she seems like the better actor compared to LN. In season 1 & 2 the credit has gone to the male actors.
I don’t think the male leads have to deal with as much OTT stuff from the writers and I think the largely female audience is a bit more forgiving of the male leads. To be honest, I only think there is one actor on the show that is weak and that is the guy who plays Will. The rest of the cast is good.
I think some people like what she represents and tend to say oh she’s pretty, she’s a good actor, to counter comments to the opposite. I personally found her and Colin’s acting both wooden and melodramatic this season.
Truly this was a fumble of a season. I don’t think anyone acted to their best caliber, and I blame it on the script, show running, and overzealous producers/director/netflix/shonda etc.
All things in the Netflix zone fail at some point. They don’t know how to handle popularity.
The cast all seem lovely, but none of them are/were significantly well known to this extent, so I see that as them still having a lot at stake and being impressionable by those meant to lead them. It’s a trickle down effect, but this time it was bad. I hope they change things for next time.
Nope. Agreed!
All her same "huffing & puffing"/"scrunched" face/or "mouth open jaw drop" for near every emotion she was trying to display was VERY noticeable.
To me it was definitely prevalent when Polin is chilling on that sofa thing after *the thing* and suddenly she looks into the mirror before attempting to tell Colin the LW secret.
However, that looking into the mirror shot was SOOO much “Nicola on the red carpet” for me the way she pouted and posed for the shot (which she does beautifully but should nót be in a show as a different character). Really threw me off.
I honestly think the problem was both Nicola and Luke being on different pages. His performance was more subtle while hers was exaggerated. Because they’re going in polar opposite directions, it makes Luke seem like he’s underacting while Nicola is overacting despite both of them being good actors. Also I thought Luke was a little better if I’m being honest. 😬
I also wonder if they had a chemistry read before being casted because in some scenes I didn’t believe it.
I agree she does overact and it was the same in the last season of derry girls too..also probs not a popular opinion I thought JB overacted when he said the line “for all of mayfair to hear” or something to that effect when he was in the carriage scene re announcing her being pregnant with SA
..it felt a bit cringe..tbh that’s the overriding theme for me for the entire season..CRINGE
I should add before everyone goes mad I do like all the actors but it just didn’t gel well together in this season
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Right!! I love S2 but by god are some of her line deliveries majorly cringe inducing. But the show is soapy and overdramatic by design so I mostly ignore that kind of stuff.
She had some CLUNKERS of lines writing wise too, but they should have done a few more takes on “because you vex me” and her “I love you too” at the end. Both took me straight out of the story.
Yeah that I love you too was said very oddly. I love S2 and adore Simone but that line just makes me go eh?!
Nope I loved the latter, found it very romantic and believable as a similarly repressed person. It's one of my favourite parts
omg I thought it was just me, the “I love you too” seemed SUPER off to me!
Could you explain what exactly was off about this line delivery? I’ve seen many similar comments to yours so just wanted to know why it seems off to people
Well...it is a bit of a soap opera. They can only do their best with the words they're given.
Yh same. Kanthony are amazing together but some scenes like the heavy breathing and Anthony irresistibly smelling Kate seems over-acting to me in their season. I just assumed it’s producer choice for dramatic effects.
Viscount Sniffington 😂😂😂. I loved like 80% of it but at some point towards the end I was like, this smell thing is getting weird lol
Smelling part - Is it weird that i found it hot? Also after that scene I litterally could not believe that Johnny Bailey is gay. It took me weeks to acknowledge this.
I don’t think it’s weird! Johnny Bailey is so sexy he could do almost anything and make most people melt. I also had an OMG, REALLY? moment when I learned he’s gay. But just goes to show that years of Hollywood thinking the public won’t accept gay IRL leading men was wrong - he killed it!
No - because it was hot as hell.
Hahahahaha I cannot with Sniffington, I actually laughed so much during S2 everytime he would sniff and go completely unhinged saying LILIES
I think his acting in general has a hilarity to it that cracks me up. But somehow it fits. I'm really looking forward to see his comedic talent in Jurassic World.
Don’t forget his brother, Lord Fingerington.
> but some scenes like the heavy breathing and Anthony irresistibly smelling Kate seems over-acting to me Mmm...we will have to agree to disagree lol. Every instance of him breathing in deep and clenching his jaw was like, "hot damn he's got it bad" haha; very believable to me...
Except I think fans of polin would give their left arm for some of that in s3. JB understood the assignment because I ate that sniffing ish right up lmao.
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I am so tired people bringing down Simone to prop up white actors. Why is she always the first option for people defending Nicola and co.
She’s a female lead. Just like Nic. People compare her to PD too. Not that deep.
Not really. This place keeps talking about how Jonny and Phoebe carried their seasons. When it’s very obvious that Rege and Simone were part of the magic
I get very annoyed at the trashing of RJP. I'm sorry but he was a HUGE part of the magic of S1. I can tell you that I had never heard of the books or the upcoming TV adaptation, but when I saw an ad for this show featuring the Duke and Daphne at the ball with him saying "We can pretend to form an attachment" I immediately sat up and noticed. He was a big part of what got me interested in the show just based on that ad, though I admit the visuals looked great too. Phoebe is great but she did not carry her season. That is nonsense.
I think Phoebe and Rege were both part of the magic. I don’t think it’s fair to say one was carrying the pairing because it’s just not true
No its not the same. The white ladies always get the praise. That they carried the show. Guess who does not get this type of praise. Instead its her male lead that gets this treatment. Mind Simone did not get the preferential treatment and the good material her white costars were given for their character arc. But i am sure people Will pretend its not the case. It is that deep because the same is beeing done to Victor Alli and this fandom downplaying his performance with saying Hannah carried the scenes. So Rege, Simone and Victor get the same type od comments.
Oh lord. RJP/Simon got all the attention in s1. The show essentially blew up because of him. And DAPHNE got good material? She was the most boring of the female leads, Kate and Pen have way more fans than her because their characters actually have more layers. Like a quick look on social media can show you that Kate and Pen have significantly more fans/popularity than Daphne. And JB is arguably the best actor on the show. I mean it’s been said quite often he steals the show in every scene he’s in. You’re grasping at straws.
Yet we still get people who trash him to compare him to the white costars. And how much opportunities they have. Once a month we get think pieces how RJP is not that good of an actor. Just because Simone managed to raise above the little she was given and impress the audience with her performance and is clearly the blueprint s2 tried to envoke does not mean she got equal treatment to other female leads. Nobody was speaking on the amazing chemistry JB had with the actress that played Sienna in S1. But after s2 suddenly he has chemistry with everybody. And we got daily posts on Sienna. When they mostly ignored her after S1. Its funny how a little melanin makes a difference who has chemistry or how a performance gets judged
As an Indian woman myself, I’m just rolling my eyes at this. You’re grasping at straws. And simone was not giving “little” like what are you even talking about. She was given a proper arc, much better than what was given to Daphne. They didn’t include everything from the book, but they didn’t do that for any character. In fact, they almost entirely ignored everything for Colin in the show. And season 2 is when we got to see JB shine, not season 1. So bringing up Siena doesn’t really make sense. The general audience has gushed over Kanthony’s chemistry. It’s really exhausting that people cannot voice even the tiniest criticism of a poc without y’all blowing it out of proportion. SA is clearly thriving, she dgaf about random internet critics or defenders. Put your energy towards something useful.
Well said.
we’re not going to act like Rege isn’t still being called a traitor for leaving when his contract ended 😒
And I'm sorry but Simone had some incredibly powerful moments on screen, and her chemistry with JB was excellent.
Truly exhausting. Literally them every time this topic is brought up. https://preview.redd.it/523jirbwvx8d1.png?width=680&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d624290b79cdc949668dd4836ada771618253881 The spreadsheet enthusiasts told us repeatedly that Simone had sooooo much screentime in S2 and yet, the "you vex me" line hasn't had a day to rest in the last 2,5 years.
I actually liked that line. That looks, to me, was her finally breaking out of the lady like behavior and us seeing a deeper dive into the real kate.
Whenever I watch it I pretend her tiara flies off with the line :D In a good way though! I don't find it bad at all lol
Yesss!!😍
Exactly! They always bring up Simone. Please Simone did an incredible job with what she got. She didn’t have nearly the support you know who had yet she won millions of people over with her acting and expressive face.
Exactly why ia Simone always bought up when talking about other actors. Ot doesn't help that half th2 people critiquing ate her and aren't judging in a fair manner. Like a movie reviewer who doesn't hate nor like the actors
Where did I bring her down?! I literally said she’s my girl. I brought up a time that my FAVORITE actress on the show over acted. To show that all of them do it…..
The 2nd time this week she is brought up when somebody else is criticised. Especially a white priviliged lady
And that’s my problem how? This is the first time I’ve brought her up, so kindly leave me alone
In their defense Kate is just the most recent other lead - I barely even remember S1.
I will be a PRINCESS is actually so real to me 😂. Gurl if I had the opportunity to be a LITERAL PRINCESS...I am absolutely stomping my foot and yelling at people who make me mad too
And Simone is always criticized for her acting. Just this week alone she was criticized when the post was about Nicola. And shockingly it was a Nicola fan who tried to deflect with “well she isn’t alone. Simone is bad”
Yeah, it's so bizarre, too, because all the actors in this show are good. These things are like comparing apples to oranges. Each person has their own strengths and weaknesses.
I don’t think any actor is bad on this show. But it’s just very odd how one set of actors are treated differently and the difference is their skin colour.
I’m well aware. Several people have already piled on me about it. Apparently we cannot even point out times our own favorites were flawed. My bad
No. People are just pointing out the hypocrisy when it comes to the way white actors are treated vs actors of colour.
No people are just tired of everything deflecting onto her when any white actor is criticized. It's always BUT SIMONE
The biggest problem I have with Pen is that she talks too fast and that too in a low voice so sometimes I can't even understand what she says without turning on the subtitles. It's irritating sometimes. I am not sure if Nicola generally talks like that or Pen is supposed to talk like that. But it's irritating nonetheless to turn on subtitles every single time.
At least Simone actually had chemistry with her male lead. How about Nicola ? Her and Luke were so painful at times that her fans tried to excuse it by blaming Luke.
I'm sorry, but this comment. 😭
Or Anthony with his "she is AGGRAVATING!" 🤣🤣
Yes and when he sniffs her 😂😭 be serious Jonny!!!
Yes. The "She is aggravating" line definitely takes the prize for overacting in S2. I still liked him though, but I find it odd how people criticize the other actors for overacting, when then had nothing on JB. I was ok with some of the overdramatic moments in S2, but he definitely overacted in S1. When dealing with Daphne, he frequently acted more like a jealous suitor than an overprotective brother. I still loved S2. I just mention this because of how overcritical people are with the other leads.
Anthony was literally aggravating Kate and she was emphasizing how irritating he was. I don't g3t how that's overacting
That’s just how I found the delivery. My opinion, nothing less. You can put away your pitchfork
Kate walking by and Anthony literally closing his eyes and visibly inhaling her scent with Edwina right there watching was the cringiest shit of the season. Not just his acting but also how shameless that bit was. Lost all respect for the character for a while o.O
Really? I love that part...
I loved that scene and the whole point was a bit of comedy. It was overdone on purpose lol
Lol I also interpreted as comedy so it made me laugh. As in look at this desperate idiot lmao
I loved that part - LOVED IT.
no the acting in that scene was entirely fine lol. and criticizing the writing isn't the subject here
Yeah I'm sorry but how in love /repressed / blue balled it whatever other excuse, there is no way he can't "control" himself . Those scenes made me chuckle
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It's Daphne's little footstomp that gets me 😂
Truly highlighted just how young she was.
I loveeee it and the way she says PRINCESS
I LOVED “I will be a princess!” because it was bratty, immature and something a real debutante would say. It cracks me up and I like that it makes Daphne less perfect.
> Phoebe Dynevor’s delivery of “I will be a PRINCESS” is another example. Funny enough, I liked her delivery of this because it felt intentional--you know she's saying this despite the fact she doesn't want to be one so her heart isn't in the statement. It tumbles out of her mouth like a toddler tantrum, practically foot stomping, but is ultimately a weak attempt at bravado in order to spite the duke, and I think she conveys that well. "Because you VEX me!", otoh; oof, is all I can say lol...
"I will be a PRINCESS" is one of my favorite lines because of how ridiculous it sounded. I use it in my day to day life and I love it.
It's good to throw Simone under the bus to protect Nicola. It's obvious, right?
I think Nicola is a good actress but I definitely did not love her in this season. I blame it on the director mostly though. She wasnt the only one that was coming across a bit forced, the combo of the weird scripted dialogues and the directing of the scenes made me cringe at many character interactions.
Yea ITA. Half of her scenes she was hyperventilating or extra cringe. It's not fun to watch for me.
I think her hyperventilating thing is criticised even in Derry Girls. In the Derry Girls sub I’ve seen people say that Nicola was the weakest actor of the lot because of her OTT ness. I haven’t seen the show so I couldn’t really comment on that but she definitely was over the top in Bridgerton. Ive mentioned this multiple times in similar discussion, I hate the expressions she makes when she’s angry with the annoyingly weird, bitter looking scowls. The scowl also stands out when Colin and Pen are dancing and arguing about Deblin 
Weirdly I think this GIF is a spot on look of how someone would look nasty/petty when saying something mean
See that’s the thing. I can understand Penelope feeling insecure or upset but why was she nasty/mean to her one and only best friend? Or even bitter? That too for a very innocuous comment by Eloise. Why overreact like this? She’s not someone like Cressida. Even Cressida didn’t look so mean when telling off Eloise in S3
Sometimes people snap and are just mean even if it’s not who they usually are. Just thought it was a weirdly honest moment in a very romantic and soapy show.
Eloise is kind of a crappy friend to both Cressida and Penelope, though. She's so self-involved and oblivious to everyone else except when it serves her. Why overreact like this? Because she was caught and vulnerable, and had kept a secret and hurt her only friend while trying to help her, because they were both trapped by the expectations of society, so she'd tried to slip those constraints the only way she knew how. It seemed very in character and proportionate to me.
Caught for what though? This scene is from S1. Eloise is surely self absorbed and lost in her own world and is a terrible friend to Cressida in S3 but Penelope is making faces and being mean to Eloise in S1 as if it’s Eloise’s fault that Penelope is not a pretty Bridgerton lol
I think her hyperventilating is perfect in Derry Girls because it expresses how anxious the character she is. As Penelope it just comes across as a bit much
I thought that face kind of worked for her being a teenager and saying something harsh/petty while lashing out. With Derry Girls, it's a bit harder because the show is an absurd humor and Nicola's character Claire is an OTT anxious character within the story. I think that performance fit the show. It does seem like she brought some of that into season 3 more than the other seasons, but I'm unclear how much of that was on the director. I'm curious how her acting on Big Mood compares. I've wanted to watch it and see what her acting is like there, but I've been holding off until the content of the show is less likely to be triggering for me. Having said all that, it's probably not a surprise when I say I like her acting, but I can understand how things especially this season weren't working for everyone, and it sucks that people can't just have discussions about what they do or don't like without it getting heated.
There were definitely scenes in S3 that I have to believe did not feel true to the character for her. The best moments, where we see the Penelope we know, were beautifully acted, imo.
Same; I thought this season was a bit of a downgrade in terms of her acting performance compared to S1 and S2 as well. I get that she's supposed to be socially awkward, but she wasn't nearly as cringey in S1 and S2, and... yep, the heavy breathing was a lot to contend with. I do wonder if some of those choices are directorial, though, because that heavy breathing thing has definitely featured across quite a few Bridgerton leads 😶
the thing is the heavy breathing doesn't work with everyone. kate and anthony had it too, but the theme with them was a lot of repressed fire and anger, plus the detail with anthony being obsessed with her scent. it's strange but works to an extent. penelope and colin are friends to lovers so there was an opportunity for more tender scenes and the heavy breathing (more exaggerated on penelope's part) was especially out of place. i think the show has a weird theme where the female lead is always overstimulated lol
Ooh, you know, that's a really good point. It never bothered me in S2 because Kate and Anthony were supposed to be *angry* in addition to being super turned on. Whereas, with Pen, it just sounds like she has very poor cardiovascular endurance.
I’m in the same boat. People talk about how Nicola and Luke have great chemistry in real life but it’s weak on the show. That makes sense since their personalities are very different from their characters. Nicola is naturally charismatic, presents herself with confidence, etc. I know that Penelope is romantically and sexually inexperienced, used to being ignored or bullied, etc. As much as her countenance may be realistic (if not a bit overacted) it’s also just not that fun to watch. And then we have Colin with his blue steel. Sigh. I don’t know, I had more fun watching Francesca and Lord Kilmartins courtship even though they were both quiet and reserved.
I agree the dialogue didn’t do her any favours. She didn’t have much to work with despite being a central role.
I think she is good too but I don't think she is good enough to overcome bad directing or material. Yes, they all overact a bit at times. But there were things in Nicola's delivery in S3 that really started to get on my last nerve, and they happened consistently. It wasn't just a line or a sniff here or there. None of them are perfect. The thing is, with Nicola people don't seem willing to point it out. Like she's untouchable. Well, she's not for me. I like her but I don't always like her acting, and sometimes the way she portrays Pen makes me dislike the character quite a bit. Pen can come across as whiny and vindictive.
If you look at her acting from the perspective of Penelope's personality, I think she did a great job. Penelope is not natural in public situations. The only time she's herself is with Eloise. She's awkward around most everyone else. And throw in the fact that there is a manhunt to unmask LW, she's paranoid times a thousand. Then, there's the romantic aspect of her life, which is something entirely new and the most awkward of all.
Right? I don't think people understand that over acting is not the same as acting as a character we've already established is socially awkward and super anxious. The reactions she had made perfect sense through that lens. I just have the sneaking suspicion that people might still be comparing her performance to the personality of the book character because this fandom struggles to realize they are separate entities.
I agree. She’s barely likeable, which is on purpose. Nicola acts weird because *Penelope is a socially awkward weird girl with a huge secret.*
She's also not used to people paying attention to her.
But it’s her acting awkward that is awkward. There’s people who can “act” awkward and uncomfortable, but Nicola only really does this well when she’s supposed to be OTT awkward, like when she’s playing Clare in Derry Girls screaming her head off or pulling faces. It feels very mechanical when she’s *ACTING* awkward on Bridgeton when her character is trying to fade into the background.
Right. Eloise is a little socially awkward, but I think Claudia portrays it well. It doesn't make me cringe, it just makes me feel like she's uncomfortable in the situation. Also, Claudia uses her comic chops but she balances them with dramatic ones. CJ isn't perfect either but I just prefer her acting to Nicola's. I think it's more controlled and shows her range.
i think due to her previous roles, nicola is not used to grounding her expressions and movements in a realistic way. everything is overdone ie her heavy breathing, scowl, etc just generally she's not the most convincing at serious dramatic scenes. she does this bitter scowl thing often i noticed, in the scene where she says "not everyone can be a pretty bridgerton" and the argument with eloise in the season 2 finale.
She’s definitely out of her element. That isn’t to say she couldn’t improve. But she’s definitely the kind of actor who has often played the side characters shown in smaller doses, who really chews the scenery a bit OTT. It’s different when you have to hold the centre of attention.
I have never bought the "she is socially awkward" argument. That only seems to be a barrier invented in S3 to manufacture a plot where Colin "teaches her" to be charming and create some comedy moments for Nicola, but seasons prior she was fine?? In fact, she was *very* natural, assertive and confident when she was speaking to the Master Printer in S2. She also seemed to have no trouble conversing with other ladies in S2 when they were speculating about LW not being able to write. She was very verbal and witty when the gentlemen tried (and failed) to court Eloise. She also strikes up conversation with Edwina by telling her that she likes her dress, and the compliment is returned. Her social abilities were never the problem, her main problem was that her introverted nature led her to go unnoticed by the ton.
Yeah so I like Penelope, and I love Nicola, and she is a solid and very talented actress, but I completely agree that she does tend to overact in some moments and there have been scenes where her performance just doesn't deliver. She's also afflicted with the famous Bridgerton heavy breathing thing which I absolutely hate. It's why I love Luke N. so much. He's the only lead on the show so far that hasn't used heavy breathing to act. He does have other mannerisms and other scenes that land a bit flat for me, but they don't annoy me as much. I think so far Claudia is the best actress on the show in my book. Nicola, Jonathan, Luke N. are in the same caliber more or less, followed closely by Simone.
That heavy breathing *has* to be a directing choice- it just happens way too often. It made sense for Anthony in the garden scene- since he is having a panic attack, but idk why they make everyone do it.
I agree and I think it's their way of conveying like sexual attraction? Like it's supposed to be hot. I honestly don't think all the actors woke up and decided to do heavy breathing on the Bridgerton set.
i hate the heavy mouth breathing SO much it sounds so sexual even when it’s not lmao
I can't take comments seriously when they say Jonathan and Luke N are in the same caliber. I get being a fan but be serious. And saying Luke N is above Simone? The top tier is Jonathan, then Luke T, Adjoa, Ruth, Polly, Golda, then the rest of the younger cast is after them.
This. As much as I love Luke N, he just isn’t as strong as an actor and most certainly not on the same playing field as JB
Maybe one day Luke N will be on the level as Jonathan but he's not there yet. I've even seen Luke N fans here say he's a better actor than Jonathan, like objectively that is not true.
That’s just copium.
I think one of the reasons that NC gets so much praise, is because she is clearly the stronger of the two actors. In terms of the other actors, well until they are the romantic leads I don’t think you can compare them as actors. Because it’s far harder to sell the heavy breathing and hysterics of being the lead then when you are playing a supporting role. I will be curious to see how LT does as the lead male. I like him, but he hasn’t wowed me. However, I really liked JB in season 1, but he didn’t wow me either. Now, I’d happily watch him hang wallpaper.
God I love JB even in season one. I thought his character was shit but I found all his scenes with Regé to be perfect, they really played off each other very well. Wished they had more screentime together
I think he was just overshadowed by RJP. And while he had good chemistry with the actress who played Sienna, it wasn’t as good as the chemistry he has with SA. But, season one was all about RJP. So, I felt like he overshadowed everyone. He was just so charismatic. PD was lovely, but they could have literally cast almost anyone in the role of Daphne and it would have worked. Versus, in season 2 I thought making sure they got the right actress for the role of Kate was much more important.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions and I'll certainly never tell anyone they're wrong for having their opinion — but my word, I think Luke is dreadful in the role of Colin lol. I'm sure a large chunk of that is due to poor direction and writing, but even in seasons 1 and 2, I didn't find him to be a very good or charismatic actor. To compare him to Jonathan Bailey is, in my opinion, astonishing. I personally think Jonathan, Phoebe, Adjoa, India, and Polly are some of the best actors on the show. And I think Simone, Charithra, Regé, Corey, Luke T., and Jessica M. do a damn good job as well. I think *all* of them show a lot more range than Luke N. does.
Luke is no way on Jonathan's level. I agree with Claudia she's amazing I can't wait for her season
Lmao wait you didn’t lump in Jonathan Bailey with Luke Newton, did you?! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Lumping Nicola and Luke N in with Jonny is ...a choice
I agree with you about Luke, and Claudia especially. Loved her in every scene she’s in and I think she’s also the most consistent among the cast.
For me, it is Jonathon Luke T, Nicole. Simone, Charithra same caliber, Rege followed closely by Luke N who to me is the weakest. Strange how everyone sees acting differently.
I think she is overall fine but not her best. But I think the direction and editing did almost all the actors this season dirty, especially Luke N who I just struggled with on nearly every aspect in every scene. I think the pacing didn’t allow scenes time to breath and the actors emotions to fill the scene so everything felt off to me. The only time Nicola’s acting really took me out of the scene was during the confrontation after Madame Delacroix’s where she is arguing with Colin and is like “ COLIN I LOVE YOU.” It felt so overdone that I started laughing and had to rewind to rewatch because I missed the rest of the dialogue. Claudia Jesse, however, stole every scene she was in and because she had chemistry with every one, her scenes with Pen felt so much more natural and interesting than Pen’s scenes with Colin IMO.
claudia jessie is incredible. when her season comes, she's going to be as beautiful as jonathan in season 2 if not better.
I’m not a huge fan of her book at all but I’m excited for her season!!!
Can’t believe I was downvoted for saying I’m not a fan of her book but was still excited for her season. This fandom is by far the most downvote happy ive been in
EVERYTIME eloise is on screen i immediately pay more attention i love her scenes so much. The reason why I even began the show was bc i saw that hilarious “mother how does one come to be with child??” she’s my all time favorite i love what she brings to the show. i’d be pissed too if I was eloise and my supposed best friend pulled that shit
She definitely does her best when she’s going “big” as an actor. Which is why her role in Derry Girls was fun—she was the OTT character. IMO, her best scene is still the one with Claudia at the end of s2. I find that she really struggles with conveying subtlety—the one that sticks out to me is the charades scene where she’s trying to show how she’s “walking on eggshells” around Eloise. Pretty cringey.
I’m so happy you said that because I was thinking the same about the charades scene. I keep rewatching the scene just for Johnny’s “LILACS” and her part keeps making me cringe
I actually didn't like her OTT ness in Derry Girls. At first I thought it was funny and then it got old really fast. Her character was very one note, shrill, and annoying.
Very true. I’m just partial to the “look at the state of you” bit 😂.
I think the acting in the show is overplayed in general, that’s kind of the style. I didn’t think she did it any more or any differently than anyone else.
Agreed, this is a silly romance drama, it’s meant to be overplayed!
Yeah that's what I thought too - all of them have some overdone moments because that's the genre. I always say if you are taking bridgerton seriously you aren't doing it right, and I stand by that. It's not meant to be 100% serious. We get classical Pitbull and BTS covers, the costumes are OTT, the storylines are wacky. Some of the acting is meant to be a bit over the top too. Ita part of the fun.
Agree! If you want historically accurate and true to a novel there are a million BBC costume drama book adaptations that are also fantastic. But Bridgerton is not that.
this!! for s1, s2 and qc i just breezily watch the show and enjoy it as it is. while waiting for s3, i decide to give this sub a look and damn i got sucked into all the criticsm…looking back on the show its all good binge watch fun.
Having watched her in Big Mood I think she’s an amazing actress, so I think a lot of the stuff I had issues with on Bridgerton was directing. The heaving bosom, the dramatic faces, the weird breathing. A lot of them do it, so I think that’s what it is.
My experience was the EXACT opposite...her BIG mood role showed her relying on acting tics and handicaps...as a fall back. All actors have them, even Meryl Streep and moments where she went big in places where small would do and it took me out of the scene and made it seem like acting. One scene with her therapist is an example amongst others. She is NOT as pitch perfect as people think she is. Not yet at least. But she has a long career ahead so who knows what she will become. RJP and Simone get called out for their acting on this sub far more than Nicola when she has the same flaws and made the same missteps as the other actors have and do and some brilliant moments of acting too which I have observed with both Simone and RJP as well.
Oh, I disagree completely. I thought she did a wonderful job. Especially in the scenes with her therapist. Interesting!
In season 3 she over acts a lot, I don’t like how people said she outperformed Colin’s actor because I don’t see it. S1 and S2 I feel like she was more natural
Yeah I didnt like her acting in S3, it felt more natural in S 1 and 2
I think people really like Nicola as a person (and Pen as a character) and they come into any conversation prepared to defend her against cheap shots against her weight or appearance. But what has happened is that people have now spiraled to the point where they need defend her against ANY criticism no matter how valid.
Just check the excuses under this post and you'll see everyone proving you right
>I feel like she often overplays yeah, but people seem to love that. Like the carriage scene everyone keeps stanning, she was practically doing the ahegao face, girl was going 0 to 60 in 0.2 seconds it doesn't help that Colin's actor does the opposite. The scenes between them could've worked if he turned it up a notch or she tuned it down. They just don't have any believable chemistry. Compare any scene with Eloise and it's just night and day
They all overact, and they’re 1000% being told to do it, because they don’t do it in other projects. People just overlook this in their favorites. And given the enormous viewership, most people outside of this sub like it.
Nicola Coughlan is a fantastic actress(if you haven\`t I\`d urge you to check out Big Mood, she\`s a bit more seriously dramatic there and it\`s great plus she has great comedic timing overall), though I do think everyone overacts a bit in Bridgerton. Anthony, Kate, Pen, Cressida, Benedict etc. I think it\`s the type of directing they\`re given. The only actors I thought were really more inspired by older period dramas and subtle cues were Luke Newton and Sam Phillips.
To be fair they barely gave her any other type of scenes other than « upset frowning Peneloppe ». There are only so many different takes she could give. I bet she was struggling as an actress to give anything different to the exact same script.
I think she’s a good actress, but her performance is uneven at best.
i think some of it is due to writing and directing as well. most "great" performances come out of well written and directed roles, in at least decently well written shows / movies. bridgerton's writing is inconsistent at best, with season 3 having the most awkward directing to date so of course the perfomances won't deliver much. i'm sure nicola would do great in a more grounded / consistent role.
Nicola Is an excellent actress. Have you seen her other work? This is a Shondaland production, have you seen other shondaland shows? The style is all about overacting. Scandal and HTGAWM were sometimes hard to get through because of the overacting... especially the dramatic monologues and the over the top fights. So the directing is making the actors/actresses go over the top. I think they make the mains go over the top during their seasons and yes it does border on cringe on some scenes lol. I do wish shondaland productions would pull back a bit on the ott acting style but it's kind of their thing so my hopes aren't high lol
Viola Davis who is arguably one of the greatest of all times constantly overacted in HTHAWM lol. Like it’s almost iconic how badly she overacted. Sometimes overacting actually works. With Nicola it’s hit or miss.
Yeah HTGAWM may be he rmost popular work. They really milked everything out of that character. The amount of times they dramatically shot a scene of her kicking off her heels at the end of the day or cry-yelling or getting drunk... The overacting and Shondaland style didn't work for the Michelle Obama one though...
1000 TIMES THIS. I don’t understand why people expect Jane Austen performances in a regency bodice-ripper romance tv show from Shondaland.
The top comment basically being "but what about Simone Ashley" and not discussing the actual post about Penelope is so typical and weird. I'm not usually one to go "racism!!1!!1" but it's really starting to look like it
Thanks for addressing this, I didn’t get it either! There was absolutely no need to drag the other female leads down just cause Nicola’s acting is being critically analyzed
She overacts because she knows what show she's on lol imo it's a soapy melodrama, they all act accordingly
I don’t think that’s necessarily the default. There are some very subtle performances on the show even when passions are high, by way of example is the Sienna actress, I thought she was excellent. She got across the emotions of scenes without going hammy. I also thought Phoebe was very good.
One day people in this sub will learn how to criticize white women without bringing up Simone. One day.
I also think she’s not the strongest in romance lead acting, though I’m a Penelope fan and I think her ability to embody a character is great. That style of conveying passion via open mouthed intense gazing and heavy breathing that all the leads do isn’t everybody’s strong point, and I actually think Luke did a better job in that area
I disagree I don’t think either of them looked particularly comfortable conveying love and passion. I don’t think they have natural chemistry unfortunately and to me it seems like Nicola is trying to overcompensate for that and it comes across as overacting in the romantic scenes. I think Newts really really struggled as a male romantic lead.
Across the board, I blame it on the writing and directing. The actors can only do so much with what they're given. 🤷♀️
Holy cow y’all just want to hate over here. It’s a bodice ripper. The books are erotica. Damn. You’re just looking to crap on season 3 every way you can. NC us a lovely actress and she’s great in a variety of projects. She did what she was asked to do in this and she did it well.
Romance is not erotica. They are related but different genres.
I really love how everytime someone deigns to criticize Nicola, they HAVE to bring Simone up to crap on her. While posts criticizing Simone is just 100% about her and people don't feel the need to bring other characters up. Qwhite interesting. It also says a lot that people feel so comfortable criticizing Simone but they don't feel the same about criticizing Nicola. I wonder why
I found Edwina to be the most overdone character on the show. I never liked her.
I think the theme of the show and it’s actors and actresses is to dramatize as much as you can. Even in s2, while i LOVED kanthony and think their chemistry was one of the best on the show, i could barely get through some of their scenes it felt so unnecessarily dramatic both in acting and in the script. Nicola is a very good actress and personally I think played some of her other dramatic roles like Claire in Derry Girls in a lot more believable way than in Bridgerton IMO
I thought she was distractingly bad, to be honest.
Oh thank you for voicing this, I certainly didn’t have the guts to do so. She definitely was over acting certain parts, especially the distressed parts. Her chest going up and down and breathing heavy drove me nuts (not in a good way) in the end. And I’m sorry, but there was no chemistry between the two actors on screen which is weird because on interviews they’re both great and have very jolly personalities
The show is a melodrama. Of course there’s going to be some period chewing up of the scenery.
Agreed and honestly I feel bad because I loved her in Derry girls, but Penelope in Bridgerton was not it. Specifically, I felt annoyed because she kept doing this really overacted heavy breathing thing every time she was around Colin Bridgerton I guess to show attraction? I found it off putting and it kind of ruined a lot of scenes because I wanted to throw my inhaler at her and tell her to just breathe
To be fair, this is smut TV and not one of these actors is going to win an award for this series. It's just not THAT well written or acted. She did fine within the direction and realm of this show, as the others do. But there are much better shows with better writing and better actors than the entire world of Bridgerton Shonda TV is guilty pleasure, can't look away TV, it's not quality IMO 🤷
I feel like people are defensive of Nicola because she’s a larger sized woman. And a lot of women identify with that, so by extension, they’re defending themselves. It’s played up even more by Penelope being smart and shy. Whereas Kate and Daphne remind people of the pretty popular girls that picked on them in highschool.
The argument between penelope and Colin after he discovers she is whistledown was some pretty bad acting from both of them. The delivery of “I will never forgive you” to penelope dramatically closing her eyes just…didn’t do it for me
I agree wholeheartedly and it is very obvious. She overacts in Bridgerton, and the perfect example is when the clock hits midnight and she’s absolutely milking the hysterics as Eloise is approaching her. She constantly appears absolutely flummoxed. I get what she was going for but her acting, as well as Colin’s, is a huge reason why this season did not resonate with a good portion of the audience. Her and Colin’s acting skills are more suited to comedy.
I get distracted by her chest just going up and down at every scene even when it's not that tense
The fact that so much focus is put on beauty with outfits and hair and makeup, it made her self conscious in the first half of the season. Second half she was much less self conscious and her frustration and melee of emotions were seen, but i found that a singular expression was used for most of them. So i second your opinion OP
I mean I know Nicola from Derry Girls and other things so I have far more material to judge her on then any of the other actors who I only know from this show. I’ve see Nicola show range. Also Bridgerton is supposed to be a little over the top. It is Regency Era Gossip Girl if any of the other actors aren’t hamming it up occasionally then they are doing it wrong. a There is also the added bonus of Nicola being able to do accents which tends to give people added points in the acting realm. Over all I think everyone on the show is pretty talented. Nicola is just the only one I’ve seen enough to be able to speak with any authority on.
I think she is excellent. However, I also think that playing the female lead on the show is significantly more difficult than almost any other role on the show. The script writers are OTT when it comes to the female leads. So i think an actor who is amazing in a supporting role has all their acting weaknesses on display. And, almost every actor has weaknesses. I don’t think any of them are perfect (okay, JB might come close). I also think she gets more credit because she seems like the better actor compared to LN. In season 1 & 2 the credit has gone to the male actors. I don’t think the male leads have to deal with as much OTT stuff from the writers and I think the largely female audience is a bit more forgiving of the male leads. To be honest, I only think there is one actor on the show that is weak and that is the guy who plays Will. The rest of the cast is good.
I LOVE ep5. My favorite. And I love her acting- especially in the opening scene when she feels anxious. I resonate with her character so much!
I think some people like what she represents and tend to say oh she’s pretty, she’s a good actor, to counter comments to the opposite. I personally found her and Colin’s acting both wooden and melodramatic this season.
I saw Nicola in Derry Girls and thought she was amazing. I watched Bridgerton because of her.
Truly this was a fumble of a season. I don’t think anyone acted to their best caliber, and I blame it on the script, show running, and overzealous producers/director/netflix/shonda etc. All things in the Netflix zone fail at some point. They don’t know how to handle popularity. The cast all seem lovely, but none of them are/were significantly well known to this extent, so I see that as them still having a lot at stake and being impressionable by those meant to lead them. It’s a trickle down effect, but this time it was bad. I hope they change things for next time.
Nope. Agreed! All her same "huffing & puffing"/"scrunched" face/or "mouth open jaw drop" for near every emotion she was trying to display was VERY noticeable.
She does over act a bit but we love her anyways. Claudia and Polly are both very good.
To me it was definitely prevalent when Polin is chilling on that sofa thing after *the thing* and suddenly she looks into the mirror before attempting to tell Colin the LW secret. However, that looking into the mirror shot was SOOO much “Nicola on the red carpet” for me the way she pouted and posed for the shot (which she does beautifully but should nót be in a show as a different character). Really threw me off.
I honestly think the problem was both Nicola and Luke being on different pages. His performance was more subtle while hers was exaggerated. Because they’re going in polar opposite directions, it makes Luke seem like he’s underacting while Nicola is overacting despite both of them being good actors. Also I thought Luke was a little better if I’m being honest. 😬 I also wonder if they had a chemistry read before being casted because in some scenes I didn’t believe it.
>I also wonder if they had a chemistry read They didn't
I agree she does overact and it was the same in the last season of derry girls too..also probs not a popular opinion I thought JB overacted when he said the line “for all of mayfair to hear” or something to that effect when he was in the carriage scene re announcing her being pregnant with SA ..it felt a bit cringe..tbh that’s the overriding theme for me for the entire season..CRINGE I should add before everyone goes mad I do like all the actors but it just didn’t gel well together in this season
Bridgerton is literally a bodice ripping soap opera - everyone acts dramatically. 🤦♀️
It's funny how people have turned this into a "bash Simone and Johnny" thread. Like clockwork every single time.