Nicola Coughlan Wore Bridgerton Blue for the 2025 SAG Awards

Nicola Coughlan was not expecting to receive her first solo nomination at the SAG Awards last month. “It’s really crazy,” she tells Vogue over the phone, a few days before the ceremony. “When I got the call, I thought it was bad news, because that’s how my brain works. I wasn’t following the nominations being announced; it was not on my radar at all, so it was just such an amazing surprise. I still can’t believe it.”

It’s not the first time that Coughlan has received a SAG nod, though. The Bridgerton cast were nominated for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series back in 2021, but the ceremony was held virtually due to the pandemic. “It’s the first time as a cast we’ve ever gotten to go to an awards [show] together, which is so lovely, and everyone’s really excited,” she says.

Fittingly then, the actor–who plays Penelope Featherington, aka Lady Whistledown in the hit Netflix show–chose Bridgerton blue for the occasion, by the way of Dior. The custom dress was inspired by a ’50s New Look design that her stylist, Aimee Croysdill, came across while flicking through a coffee table book during a fitting. “It feels quite Old Hollywood and very classic Dior,” Coughlan–who had her first fitting in Paris while attending the French fashion house’s couture show in January–enthuses. “It’s a true privilege to bring it to life with the Dior couture team in our favorite shade of blue, a color we’ve wanted to do for a long time,” adds Croysdill.

Rather than leaning into the ’50s mood, the pair decided to accessorise the dress with black leather gloves and Bucherer hooped earrings, giving the look a modern twist. On the beauty front, the brief for the make-up by Charlotte Tilbury was “pared-back, cool-girl glam” to avoid the look becoming too fusty. “Sometimes you want to juxtapose the outfit and the glam; you want a homage, but not necessarily a full ’50s look,” the actor explains.

Given her love of fashion, surely being able to wear custom Dior on the red carpet is a dream come true? “I always say to people, ‘It’s not real life; it’s like taking part in a fantasy,’” she replies. “I’m talking to you today literally in leggings and a big old T-shirt because I’m packing and doing the house–so [dressing up] is just not the norm. It’s a huge privilege.”

It’s been a whirlwind year for Coughlan, who started filming for her new movie, The Magic Faraway Tree, the day after the Bridgerton season three press tour ended. With a new teaser showing her character Penelope holding a baby, what can she reveal about season four? “There’s actually two babies! For filming purposes,” she says. “It’s extremely cute; I love it.”

Below, see how Nicola Coughlan got ready for the 2025 SAG Awards.