With her support for Palestine, Nicola Coughlan gives us even more reasons to watch Bridgerton

Irish actor Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope Featherington in the hit Netflix series Bridgerton, has won our hearts once again by voicing her unwavering support for Palestine.

In an interview with USA Today, Coughlan, who was sporting the Artists for Ceasefire pin, said, “It’s very important for me because I feel like I’m a very privileged person. I’m doing my dream job and I’m getting to travel the world, but then I’m hyper-aware of what’s happening in Rafah at the moment”.

Artists for Ceasefire is a collective of people in the entertainment industry, demanding US President Joe Biden “call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost”.

The actor revealed that her father was part of the Irish army, which was a peacekeeping force, a member of the United Nations and her family lived in Jerusalem in the late 70s. She continued that her father was also part of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation which worked towards brokering peace in the Middle East.

“I feel very passionately about it. I’m Irish also, so it’s sort of a different perspective,” Coughlan added, referencing the Irish people’s long struggle against British colonial rule and oppression.

“And I just feel, if I have this global platform, which I do at the minute, I think if I can hopefully raise funds for aid organisations — I have a fundraiser on my Instagram right now for Medical Aid for Palestine and if people would like to donate to that or share it I think it would be a wonderful thing to do.”

Coughlan has been consistent in her support for Palestine, and has worn the red Artists for Ceasefire pin throughout Bridgerton season three premieres, promotions and television appearances, including Late Night with Seth Meyers and Good Morning America.

Talking to Teen Vogue in April, the actor said she felt a moral responsibility to give back.

“I’ve always cared about causes and social justice. To me, it always becomes about supporting all innocent people, which sounds oversimplified, but I think you’ve got to look at situations and just think, Are we supporting innocent people no matter where they’re from, who they are? That’s my drive.”

Coughlan highlighted that “there’s a huge connection between Ireland and Palestine that maybe a lot of people aren’t aware of and a shared history.”

According to the publication, she also recognised how Hollywood reacts to actors speaking up about Gaza. “You do get told, ‘You won’t get work,’ ‘You won’t do this.’ But I also think, deep down, if you know that you’re coming from a place of ‘I don’t want any innocent people to suffer,’ then I’m not worried about people’s reactions.”

The Derry Girls actor is also actively posting pro-Palestine content on Instagram to her four million followers. Earlier in May, she raised awareness about the Israeli military’s invasion of Rafah.

“An invasion of Rafah must not be allowed to go ahead. Israel has forced more than one million Palestinians in Gaza to flee to Rafah, a small city in the south, claiming it to be a ‘safe zone’. For months, the Israeli military has been bombing Palestinians there. Now, they are planning a ground invasion,” she wrote, urging people to take action to protect Palestinians in Rafah.

A month after October 7, 2023, when Israel amped up its assault on Gaza, Coughlan posted a video of a Palestinian child affected by Israeli aggression, emphasising “no child should have to go through this, not Palestinian, Israeli or from anywhere”.

“Do not let anyone make you believe calling for a ceasefire to stop the murder of children is a controversial position, it isn’t, it’s the only humane one. Please continue to donate to aid organisations and call upon your elected officials for a ceasefire.”

Her support for Palestine is definitely one of the biggest reasons we will be tuning into Bridgerton season three! While so many in Hollywood (and other entertainment industries) remain silent about the plight of Palestine, it is important to support and amplify the voices of those who do speak up.