Nicola Coughlan Age, Partner, Net Worth & Biography

Nicola Coughlan is an Irish actress who became a global star as Penelope Featherington in Netflix’s Bridgerton, after first winning hearts as Clare Devlin in the beloved comedy Derry Girls. Born on 9 January 1987 in Galway, Ireland, the 39-year-old spent years working in voice acting, fringe theatre and small television roles before her breakthrough, and she has since become one of the most recognisable faces on streaming television, with a career that now spans the stage, the big screen and the West End.

Nicola Coughlan Quick Facts

Full Name	Nicola Mary Coughlan
Date of Birth	9 January 1987
Age	39 years old (as of 2026)
Birthplace	Galway, Ireland
Occupation	Actress
Years Active	1997–present
Partner	Jake Dunn
Known For	Bridgerton (Penelope Featherington); Derry Girls (Clare Devlin)
Net Worth	Approx. $2 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2026)

Who Is Nicola Coughlan?

Nicola Coughlan is an Irish actress best known for two of the most popular television roles of recent years: Clare Devlin, the anxious overachiever in Channel 4’s comedy Derry Girls (2018–2022), and Penelope Featherington, the wallflower with a secret identity as the gossip writer Lady Whistledown, in Netflix’s Bridgerton (2020–present). The third season of Bridgerton, which centred on Penelope’s romance with Colin Bridgerton, earned her a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Lead Female Actor and made her one of the most talked-about actresses in the world.

Coughlan’s path to stardom was long and unglamorous. She began acting as a child, worked in voice acting for animated series, trained at drama school and spent years moving between London and Galway, working part-time jobs while auditioning. Her persistence paid off: in 2021 she won the Irish Film & Television Award for Rising Star, in 2024 she was named to the Time 100 Next list and appeared on the cover of Time magazine, and in 2025 she made her debut at the Royal National Theatre. She is also an ambassador for LauraLynn Ireland’s Children’s Hospice.

Nicola Coughlan’s Early Life & Background

Nicola Mary Coughlan was born on 9 January 1987 in Galway, Ireland, and grew up in the nearby village of Oranmore. She is the youngest of four siblings. Her father served in the Irish Army, and her mother was a stay-at-home parent. Coughlan decided she wanted to become an actress at the age of five, after watching her sister perform in a school play, and she was educated at Scoil Mhuire Primary School and Calasanctius College in Oranmore.

She took a degree in English and Classical Civilisation at the National University of Ireland, Galway, then trained at the Oxford School of Drama and the Birmingham School of Acting. Her first screen role came at the age of nine, an uncredited part in the 1997 film My Brother’s War, and she went on to do voice work in animated series and films, including The Fairytales, Summer of the Flying Saucer and Thor: Legend of the Magical Hammer. After drama school she moved to London three times in four years, each time being forced to move back home to Galway, where she worked part-time at an optician while continuing to audition.

Nicola Coughlan’s Career

Coughlan’s breakthrough in theatre came in 2016, when she won the main role of Jess in Jess and Joe Forever at the Old Vic and the Orange Tree Theatre. Her television breakthrough followed in 2018, when she was cast as Clare Devlin in Channel 4’s Derry Girls, the comedy about a group of teenagers growing up in Derry during the Troubles. The series ran for three seasons until 2022 and became one of the most beloved British comedies of its era. In the same year she appeared in the period drama Harlots and made her West End debut in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie at the Donmar Warehouse, earning a place on the Evening Standard‘s list of Rising Stars of 2018. She also auditioned for the role of Robin Buckley in the third season of Stranger Things, a part that ultimately went to Maya Hawke.

In 2019 Coughlan was cast as Penelope Featherington in Netflix’s Bridgerton, which premiered in December 2020. Penelope, the youngest Featherington daughter, was a supporting character in the first two seasons, but the third season, released in 2024, put her at the centre of the story, following her romance with Colin Bridgerton, played by Luke Newton. The season was a huge success, earning Coughlan a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Lead Female Actor and an Irish Film & Television Award nomination for Lead Actress. She returned for the fourth season, released in 2026, and has confirmed a reduced role for the fifth season in 2027. Like Phoebe Dynevor, who led the first season of Bridgerton as Daphne, Coughlan has used the show as a springboard to a wider career.

Beyond Bridgerton, Coughlan has built a varied career. She appeared briefly as Diplomat Barbie in the hit film Barbie (2023), played Queen Victoria in the Dodger Christmas special (2023) and starred as Maggie Donovan in the Channel 4 comedy-drama Big Mood (2024), opposite Lydia West, earning a BAFTA nomination for Best Female Performance in a Comedy; the second season premiered in April 2026. She starred in the comedy film Seize Them! (2024) and played Joy Almondo in the Doctor Who Christmas special, “Joy to the World” (2024), opposite Ncuti Gatwa. From December 2025 to February 2026 she made her debut at the Royal National Theatre as Pegeen Mike in The Playboy of the Western World. In 2026 she voiced Olivia Burke in the animated film Goat and played Silky in The Magic Faraway Tree, hosted Saturday Night Live UK and joined the cast of Only Murders in the Building for its sixth season.

Facts About Nicola Coughlan

• Coughlan decided she wanted to become an actress at the age of five, after watching her sister perform in a school play.
• She won the Irish Film & Television Award for Rising Star in 2021.
• Her third season of Bridgerton earned her a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Lead Female Actor.
• She appeared on the cover of Time magazine in October 2024 as one of the publication’s Next Generation Leaders.
• She is an ambassador for LauraLynn Ireland’s Children’s Hospice and has raised tens of thousands of euros for the charity by auctioning her outfits.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Nicola Coughlan?

Nicola Coughlan is 39 years old. She was born on 9 January 1987 in Galway, Ireland.

What is Nicola Coughlan’s net worth?

Nicola Coughlan’s net worth is approximately $2 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth (2026).

Who is Nicola Coughlan’s partner?

Nicola Coughlan’s partner is Jake Dunn, an English actor. Their relationship was reported by People in January 2025.

What is Nicola Coughlan best known for?

Nicola Coughlan is best known for playing Penelope Featherington in Netflix’s Bridgerton (2020–present) and Clare Devlin in Channel 4’s Derry Girls (2018–2022).

What is Nicola Coughlan doing now?

Nicola Coughlan returned for the fourth season of Bridgerton (2026), made her debut at the Royal National Theatre in The Playboy of the Western World (2025–2026) and joined the cast of Only Murders in the Building for its sixth season.

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