When “Bridgerton” star Yerin Ha logs on to our Zoom interview, she’s fresh-faced and smiling at me from a sunny hotel room. A rack of clothes peeks out behind her, and I suspect somewhere in the room is the red set designed by Prabal Gurung that she wore the night before to Gold House’s Lunar New Year Gold Celebration, which she cohosted with “Heated Rivalry” star Hudson Williams in New York City.
It’s clear from the fanfare around Ha, 28, that she has ascended to Hollywood “It girl” status. It’s a feat, considering the event took place before the second half of season four of “Bridgerton” was even available to watch on Netflix.
That’s the “Bridgerton” effect: The show has a track record of kick-starting its cast members’ careers, from season one star Phoebe Dynevor to patriarch of the Bridgerton family, Jonathan Bailey.
Before Ha was rubbing elbows with other young celebs at star-studded events, the Australian actor appeared in shows like “Dune: Prophecy” and “The Survivors,” slowly making a name for herself in Hollywood. Getting cast as Sophie Baek, the love interest of the second-oldest Bridgerton son, Benedict (Luke Thompson), accelerated her career track.
Fans have swooned over Ha’s portrayal of Sophie, who stands out for being different than the nobility that the other “Bridgerton” siblings have fallen in love with. A maid and the illegitimate child of a nobleman, Sophie has a true obstacle standing in the way of her love story: social class.
Playing Sophie came with plenty of challenges for Ha, from finding her place in an established cast to filming intimacy scenes set to be watched by millions.
Ha spoke to Business Insider about those challenges, Benedict’s controversial mistress proposal, and Sophie’s future in the “Bridgerton” universe.
Spoilers ahead for season four of “Bridgerton.”
On the mistress question
Business Insider: Part one ends with Benedict asking Sophie to become his mistress, which caused quite a stir among fans, especially because it plays out a little differently than in the books. When you first read that scene in the script, what went through your mind, and have you been surprised by fan reactions?
I’ve been surprised by how viral it’s gone online. It’s interesting what the internet actually makes viral, right? I knew it was going to be big, but the debate is quite intense.
I remember when I was reading it and actually doing the scene, it was quite emotional and infuriating. I was like, “This is such a slap in the face.” For a woman, it’s like it’s being asked to be your fuck buddy, do you know what I mean? It’s an absolute red flag moment for me.
I was actually really curious to see the following episodes because Sophie is someone who is still quite resilient and does stand up for herself. So I was like, “I don’t know how Benedict’s going to try and redeem this.” But that’s the fun stuff, right? To see characters continuously overcome different obstacles and things.
On sexuality and intimacy in ‘Bridgerton’
What changes from the book were you surprised by or most excited to play out on screen?
I was really excited about My Cottage and playing that out. That’s where Benedict and Sophie really deepened their relationship for the first time.
When I read the bathtub scene in the book, actually, I remember being like, “I wonder if we’re going to have it, A,” and “B, if we are, what does that look like?”
In the script, they’re like, “Let’s not do anything until we figure out the will.” I loved that they changed it so that Sophie very much still protected herself and was like, “This is the stuff that I don’t want to do,” and how it’s respected.
Sex scenes in TV shows have gotten a lot of hype lately, thanks to “Bridgerton” and “Heated Rivalry.” Were you nervous about that aspect of playing Sophie? And was there anything you didn’t expect about filming the intimate moments that fans are very excited about, like the bathtub scene?
I was super nervous about filming the intimacy scenes. Just as a woman in society, people constantly talk about your body. That just happens in the spotlight or when you have eyes on you anyway, but I knew that “Bridgerton” had such an audience as well. And that’s quite daunting. It’s the first time I’m exposing myself in that kind of way.
So yeah, that was really scary for me, but I wanted to do it for myself. I wanted to prove that all female bodies are desirable. It was scary, but I overcame it in terms of thinking this is a deeper narrative between Benedict and Sophie, of actually being so completely enraptured with each other and their passion for each other that it made sense to show it. The intimacy scenes never feel gratuitous or token.
When I thought about it through that lens, I think I was able to overcome it. As well as just trusting Luke [Thompson] and knowing that he’s a great scene partner.
And then those intimacy scenes, we shot it with a lot of levity as well. I try to have fun. I think I realized after the first take, you’re like, “Great, we’ve done it now. We can do as many takes as we want.” It’s the pre-game that’s the worst.
“Bridgerton” has never shied away from sex, but female desires play out really differently this season. Sophie is more knowledgeable about sex than Daphne or Francesca. We see her taking control of her sex life, from tracking her cycle to being clear with Benedict about what she wants when they’re intimate. Did the show’s depiction of your character influence how you think about sexuality or agency in your own life?
In terms of Sophie, I resonate very deeply with her in terms of like, do the things that you want to do and protect your own health and safety first, rather than trying to appease anybody else.
The thing that I really loved is a man who actually respects and listens to it. A man who actually respects a woman’s boundaries, I think, is very, very important to be shown on screen.
I’ve had very good friends who have always told me about that in general, and that can transcend to intimacy. It is about knowing your boundaries and knowing your worth and what you’re comfortable with, and I think Sophie’s very adept with that.
Some Bridgerton viewers have expressed backlash to the show changing some characters’ sexuality, but we see Sophie quickly accept and celebrate that Benedict has loved men and women. What are your thoughts about the show’s approach to queer love stories and the fan response?
I think what “Bridgerton” is so amazing and known for is showing different types of love, different types of tropes, and love comes in so many forms. Why not have a queer love story?
Luke says it really well. There are obviously love stories where so much about it is oppression of your sexuality, but for him, I think, there’s a line where he’s like “a lover of pleasure.”
I think for Sophie in that scene, she’s someone who’s been so misunderstood her entire life and constantly judged and picked apart. And also, I think maids are people who understand — she’s a bit more aware about what sex looks like, about the houses where they have some parties going on. I think she’s heard stories. She’s not new to that.
I think she understands on the receiving end of what it’s like to be misunderstood, and she gives that grace to him.
I think love is love at the end of the day, and who is she to judge him for the people that he’s loved before in his life? I think she deals with it with open arms, and I would encourage viewers to do the same with a queer love story or whatever love story it is in the following seasons. Welcome it with open arms, and have an open mind because we all need more of it. We need more love in our world, and it’s just a different type of story. I think surprises are fun.
On the challenges of playing Sophie
Sophie goes through a lot this season. It ends happily, but there are some really dark moments. Was there a scene that surprised you or that you found particularly difficult to film?
Any kind of self-confession scene, I think, is always really, really hard. The scene prior to the bathtub, where he was like, “Why didn’t you check the will?” and she’s like, “I don’t know, I just believed it,” — I remember that was a very hard scene for me because I think I understood what that meant and what that feels like.
When you do scenes that are so exposing to you and perhaps to some of your experiences, they’re really emotional. You just want to get it right and serve the story and not be so self-obsessed that you’re blind to the real intention of the scene. I really was nervous about that one.
Also, the prison scene, mainly because I was like, “What is the tone of prison in the ‘Bridgerton’ world?” I was like, “Let’s get this right.” Like, it’s the first time we’re seeing jail in “Bridgerton.” It was just a bit more of gearing my head around the tone of that.
On Sophie’s future in the ‘Bridgerton’ world
In the books, Sophie and Benedict have to live at My Cottage after they get together, but the show leaves it more open, allowing them to stay in London if they want. Can we expect more Sophie and Benedict in season five, and if so, how do you think Sophie would handle becoming nobility in the house where she used to work?
I think she’s going to really struggle. I literally have scripts in my inbox, and I haven’t read any of them, but I hope that’s the case. Because I do think it’s so hard to undo habits in an instant, even if it’s a year, if you’ve dealt with it for 16 years and you know how it is to be treated on the other side of things.
I think the Sophie that we’ve seen in season four is someone with so much heart and kindness and grace that I would hope that that continues on and that we continue to see the downstairs world. That would be so, so nice to see.
But yeah, I think it would be a struggle. Like, I think she would still serve food for people, or take flowers from people. That would be really cool to see.
Yeah, and Hazel is her friend. Is she going to stop talking to her?
Exactly. I hope it might shake things up, but who knows? That’s up to the writers.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
“Bridgerton” season four is streaming on Netflix.
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