Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan has said she was blown away by the reception she and her co-star Luke Newton received on the red carpet at a Dublin screening of the show on Thursday evening - and the Galway actress says her mum can't wait to meet Luke.
The Irish premiere of Season 3 Part II of the latest Shonda Rhimes mega hit took place at the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield Square on Thursday and fans of the series were out in force to greet the show's stars.
The current season follows the dramatic love story between Penelope Featherington (Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Newton).
"It's crazy special," Nicola told RTÉ News. "I can’t believe they decided to do it. And that crowd outside! They started singing 'Ole, Ole.’ They don’t even do that for Paul Mescal. I must be special!
"It’s unbelievable, and my family are here tonight. And my Mum will be in Galway tomorrow. So, she’s very excited to meet him," she added, pointing to Newton.
"I will be old news by the time she meets him."
Coughlan also acknowledged that she’s been surprised by the scale of success Bridgerton enjoys. The show's massive audience has grown in popularity as the show progressed through the seasons.
"It’s wild," she admitted. "Viewing figures in the billions, which is really hard to fathom. We’ve broken records that seasons one and two had set.
"It’s hard to take it in, but it’s beautiful to be here and actually meet people and thank them for all the support. It means so much to us."
Coughlan and Newton are headed to Galway on Friday for a special screening of the show at the Galway Film Fleadh, where locals will have the chance to celebrate Coughlan's international success and welcome her back to her hometown.
