.jpg)
The Bridgerton family claim to be a tight-knit bunch, but how well do they really know each other? On a new installment of “Vanity Fair Game Show,” Bridgerton stars Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie, and Luke Thompson put their bond to the test.
First up is Lady Whistledown herself, Nicola Coughlan, whose wallflower gossip girl Penelope Featherington is stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight this season. Coughlan doesn’t make the test easy for her across-the-street neighbors, making them guess her biggest pet peeve—when people leave their dishes out—as well her favorite dance move: the “millennial stink face,” which she gamely demonstrates.
The Irish actress also demonstrates her favorite accent to slip into (Cockney), and pays homage to her ancestral homeland by breaking out a bit of her beloved Derry Girls character Clare Devlin. “Clare Devlin, it’s actually a specific voice. It’s not just an accent—it’s the way she speaks,” says Coughlan, channeling Clare.
Next up is the apple of Penelope’s eye: Colin Bridgerton, played by Newton. It turns out he could have had his Bridgerton love story play out in season one, as the first character he auditioned for was the Duke of Hastings, ultimately played by Regé-Jean Page. We also learn what he shares in common with Reese Witherspoon: “You’re both beautiful blonde women,” quips Jessie. Coughlan, though, quickly chimes in with the correct answer: “You were in the stage show of Legally Blonde, and you played Walker on tour.” Bridgerton the musical fans, take note.
As the game show continues, we learned that Jessie lived on a canal boat, loves bibimbap, and can do a quirky trick with her eye. Thompson, who plays Benedict Bridgerton, would bring a piano to a desert island and has a penchant for stealing socks from the Bridgerton set. And he’s not the only Bridgerton to nab souveniers: “I stole a lot of toilet paper,” says Jessie.
While all the Bridgertons perform gamely, it’s Lady Whistledown who fittingly turns out to know it all. After her victory, Coughlan spontaneously sings “I know you so well” to the tune of “I Know Him So Well” from Chess the Musical. Maybe a Bridgerton musical is more likely than we think.
