Bridgerton Actor Confirms Portia Featherington Is Lady Whistledown (in a Way)

Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope Featherington on Bridgerton, has given an insightful update on her alter-ego, Lady Whistledown.

Bridgerton’s main mystery, the identity of the mysterious gossip woman, has been solved in the final minutes of season 1 episode 8 After the Rain. Viewers found out that it was the wallflower among “diamonds,” Penelope Featherington, all along, and things have never been the same ever since.

Back in 2020, shortly after the season 1 finale aired, Bridgerton star Coughlan gave an interview to Refinery29, where she talked about her dual-natured character. The actress revealed her peculiar take on Lady Whistledown, saying that she actually originated from Portia Featherington, Penelope’s mother, rather than Pen herself.

Does this mean that the audience has been lied to and that Penelope is not, in fact, who she claims to be? Yes and no – it is more complicated than that.

Coughlan said that she was “mad” with Penelope for her actions, and she wasn’t the only one (as Bridgerton season 2 promptly showed). She added that Pen was “playing with fire” and that the character reminded her of the “nature and nurture” debate old as time itself.

The Bridgerton actress called Penelope “very sweet” deep down, also pointing out that she hadn’t “been nurtured in her family.” Portia has proven herself to be quite a complex character, but she is far from being kind or even nice, especially to Penelope, and her other two daughters are no better.

Coughlan echoed that sentiment, mentioning that Lady Featherington was “super judgy and bitchy,” which she believed led to Lady Whistledown’s appearance in the first place. The Bridgerton star felt that there was “a lot of Portia Featherington in Lady Whistledown” and that the literary persona was “an amalgamation” of Penelope’s experiences with the women in her life.

Penelope’s season is nearing its debut, and Reddit fans are convinced that Bridgerton will explore that side of her further in her season. In season 3, Pen might feel torn – her desire to be a Bridgerton might clash with her wish to be independent and remain a darker side of herself, encompassed by her Lady Whistledown alter-ego.

Bridgerton season 3 does not have a release date yet.

Source: Refinery29, Reddit