Irish actress Nicola Coughlan has gained recognition for her performances as Clare Devlin in the Channel 4 comedy Derry Girls (2018–2022) and Penelope Featherington in the ongoing Netflix series Bridgerton (2020–present).
Nicola Coughlan Bio Summary
Full name: Nicola Mary Coughlan
Date of birth: January 9, 1987
Gender: Female
Zodiac sign: Capricorn
Age: 37 years (as of 2024)
Place of birth: Galway, Ireland
Height: 1.55 m
Education: Calasanctius College
Alma mater: NUI Galway, Oxford School of Drama, and Birmingham School of Acting
Siblings: 2
Marital status: Unmarried
Profession: Actor
Childhood & Education
Nicola Coughlan was born on 9 January 1987 in Galway, Ireland. She was raised in Oranmore with her older brother Kieran and older sister Clodagh. Her father was a member of the Irish army, while her mother took care of the family at home.
At the young age of five, while observing her sister’s role in a school production, she made the decision to pursue a career in acting. She completed her primary education at Scoil Mhuire and attended Calasanctius College for secondary school.
After earning a degree in English and Classical Civilisation from the National University of Ireland, Galway, she continued her education in England by attending the Oxford School of Drama and the Birmingham School of Acting.
Career
In 1997, when she was only 10 years old, Nicola Coughlan had a minor part in the action thriller My Brother’s War. Seven years later, she began her acting journey with a role in the short film The Phantom Cnut. The movie was a comedic tale of revenge directed by Tom Collins.
Over the years, she lent her voice to various animated series and films such as The Fairytales (2004-2005), Summer of the Flying Saucer (2008), Simsala Grimm II: The Adventures of Yoyo and Doc Croc (2010), and Thor: Legend of the Magical Hammer (2011). She also had minor roles in the soap opera Doctors (2012) and the musical comedy film Svengali (2013).
Following her time at drama school, Coughlan relocated to London on three separate occasions within four years. However, due to financial struggles, she was compelled to return to her parents’ home in Ireland each time. Throughout this period, she endured depression and relied on her family for support.
After working part-time at an optician’s in Galway, she auditioned for the lead role of Jess in Jess and Joe Forever at the Old Vic in London. Her successful performance in September 2016 led to a national tour. Tragically, just five days before receiving news of her breakthrough role in Derry Girls, her father passed away.
Coughlan’s acting career took off in 2018 when she landed the role of Clare Devlin, a prominent character in the 90s-based sitcom Derry Girls, set in Derry, Northern Ireland. She also portrayed Hannah Dalton in the period drama Harlots, which is set in 18th-century London.
2018 marked her West End debut in The Donmar Warehouse’s production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. The Evening Standard named her one of the Rising Stars of 2018 that September. In December, she competed in an episode of The Great British Bake Off with her Derry Girls co-stars.
Derry Girls aired on Channel 4 in January and February. It gained international popularity after its Netflix release in December. In 2019, Coughlan was cast in the Netflix series Bridgerton. It premiered in December 2020.
Nicola Coughlan played Penelope Featherington, a reluctant debutante and youngest daughter of a newly rich family in Regency-era London.
Her role was cut back in Derry Girls season 3 due to conflicts with Bridgerton and COVID. In November 2022, she starred in an Audible adaptation of Oliver Twist, produced by Sam Mendes. She played Humble Joan in Seize Them!, a 2023 comedy film set in the Dark Ages, alongside Aimee Lou Wood and Lolly Adefope.
Coughlan appeared in Barbie as Diplomat Barbie due to filming conflicts. She played Queen Victoria in the 2023 Dodger Christmas special. Nicola Coughlan starred in the Channel 4 sitcom Big Mood with Lydia West.
In November 2023, it was announced that Nicola Coughlan would appear in the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas special, “Joy to the World” by Steven Moffat. She’ll star alongside Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor.
Coughlan will also star in the upcoming drama-thriller “Love And War” about a woman searching for her abducted daughter in Syria.
Net Worth
According to The Mirror, it has been reported that Nicola Coughlan’s net worth is £1.6 million. In addition to her successful television career, she has also ventured into audio books and theatre, which have likely contributed to her already thriving reputation.
