Fans Think They Spotted Nicola Coughlan's Tattoos on "Bridgerton"

The eagerly-anticipated first half of "Bridgerton" season three has finally arrived on Netflix, and we can't help but swoon over the slow-burn romance brewing between Penelope (played by Nicola Coughlan) and Colin (portrayed by Luke Newton). Each season of the hit period drama has steadily delivered an array of hairstyle inspirations, sophisticated beauty moments, and Regency-era costumes, so it's no surprise that no detail gets past the dedicated fans. For instance, some eagle-eyed noticed a seemingly innocuous discrepancy in the show all the way back in season one. The introduction scene of Penelope during the opening episode caught the attention of many viewers due to a faded tiny tattoo peeking through the Irish actor's upper arm. Though many chalked it up to a makeup cover-up blunder, we put on our sleuthing hats to investigate whether the tattoo was real or not, and as it turned out, it was, in fact, an actual piece of ink Coughlan has in real life.

According to our observation, the 37-year-old actress has accumulated three minimalistic tattoos over the years, which may have skipped your notice due to their small size and somewhat hidden placement location. As we wait for part two of "Bridgerton" to grace our screens on June 13, we figured it might be interesting to familiarize our readers with the "Derry Girls" actress's small ink collection.

Ahead, we have rounded up Coughlan's tattoos along with what they might mean to the star. Read on to learn all about Coughlan's body artwork.

Nicola Coughlan's Star Arm Tattoo
Getty | Dave Benett

Nicola Coughlan's Star Arm Tattoo

On the inside of her left elbow fold, a dainty star outline is scribbled in light black ink. However, it's unclear what the design's significance actually is.

Nicola Coughlan's "Love" Tattoo
Getty | Karwai Tang

Nicola Coughlan's "Love" Tattoo

The word "Love" is written in beautiful cursive script across Coughlan's left ribcage, though it's hard to see in pictures, given its location.

Nicola Coughlan's Crescent Moon Arm Tattoo

In September 2022, Coughlan paid a visit to Olivia Evans, a London-based tattooist, for an undisclosed piece of ink. However, many noted that the actor was spotted with a tiny crescent moon near her right elbow soon after. The piece is done with solid black ink.


Ina Bansal is a contributor at PS, where she writes for the Beauty vertical.