Actress Nicola Coughlan recently told ET that filming the show's steamy scenes was 'terrifying.'
Love -- and "Polin" -- is in the air! With Valentine's Day around the corner, Netflix is dialing up the romance by dropping a sneak peek of Bridgerton's upcoming third season.
In the new clip, sexual tension is at an all-time high as Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) gaze deeply into each other's eyes -- until they clearly can't stand it any longer.
"Your eyes," Penelope coos, "a most remarkable shade of blue, and yet somehow they shine even brighter when you are kind."
After a pregnant pause, the friends break eye contact as Colin scrambles to drink a glass of water.
"I might say something like that if you were a suitor," Penelope stammers.
"Well," Colin replies. "That was rather direct."
Penelope and Colin's love story takes center stage in the next season of Bridgerton. The series takes its name and inspiration from Julia Quinn's romance book series, of which there are eight novels. Each installment tells the story of one Bridgerton sibling: Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), Benedict (Luke Thompson), Colin, Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), Eloise (Claudia Jessie), Francesca (Ruby Stokes/Hannah Dodd), Gregory (Will Tilston) and Hyacinth (Florence Hunt). Season 3 of the show will loosely be based on Quinn's fourth book, Romancing Mister Bridgerton.
Coughlan recently admitted to ET that she found it "terrifying" to shoot the steamy scenes that the series is famous for.
"Luke and I read the books at the beginning of season 1, and it was funny to us. We were like, 'Imagine if we have to kiss and do this.' And then season 3 come on and we were like, 'Oh god,' and then it's like, it's my friend. I have to kiss my friend," she said.
"And you can't pretend to kiss someone, you have to really kiss them," she continued. "It's a spicy one. It's a lot of the stuff from the books that the fans expect has made it into the show."
The pair couldn't help but laugh through those awkward moments, no matter how passionate they were meant to be.
"Oh my god, there was one day where we had to sort of do like a very romantic, beautifully written romantic scene. And we were just like peeing ourselves with laughter, 'cause you just have to, like, look into each other's eyes and we were like, 'Oh god,'" Coughlan shared.
As for how she'd describe the season, the Derry Girls actress said "romantic."
"Romantic? Because I keep saying -- season 1 was about passion. Season 2 was about longing. Season 3 is romance. It's so romantic," she gushed.
According to Netflix's official synopsis, season 3 finds Penelope (Coughlan) giving up on her long-held crush on Colin (Newton) after hearing his disparaging words about her last season. She has, however, decided it's time to take a husband, preferably one who will provide her with enough independence to continue her double life as Lady Whistledown, far away from her mother and sisters. But lacking in confidence, Penelope's attempts on the marriage mart fail spectacularly.
Meanwhile, Colin has returned from his summer travels with a new look and a serious sense of swagger. But he's disheartened to realize that Penelope, the one person who always appreciated him as he was, is giving him the cold shoulder. Eager to win back her friendship, Colin offers to mentor Penelope in the ways of confidence to help her find a husband this season. But when his lessons start working a little too well, Colin must grapple with whether his feelings for Penelope are truly just friendly.
Complicating matters for Penelope is her rift with Eloise, who has found a new friend in a very unlikely place, while Penelope's growing presence in the ton makes it all the more difficult to keep her Lady Whistledown alter ego a secret.
Also returning to the fold are season 2's featured couple, Kate (Simone Ashley) and Anthony.
Part 1 of Bridgerton's eight-episode third season will begin streaming on Netflix on May 16, with part 2 to follow on June 13.
RELATED CONTENT:
