Yerin Ha on Bringing a Darker Edge to Bridgerton Season Four

Yerin Ha still remembers reading the opening line of Julia Quinn’s An Offer From a Gentleman, the novel on which Bridgerton’s fourth season is based. “It was: ‘Sophie was a bastard,’” Ha says. “I was like, ‘Oh, wow, we’re leading with that!’”

Ha is speaking to W over Zoom from a café in Paris, the day after the buzzy premiere of Shonda Rhimes’s hit Regency-era drama’s fourth installment. She looks radiant and fresh-faced despite being “knackered by the time it all ended.” Ha dazzled at the premiere, too, in a silk mint-green Prada gown with jewel-encrusted halter straps that nodded to the Cinderella-esque character she plays in the series. Each Bridgerton season focuses on a different couple from one of Quinn’s bodice-ripping novels, and this time it’s the noble Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and his unlikely leading lady, an ill-treated stepchild and servant, Sophie Baek.

It’s the first time the fanciful series has truly explored issues of class, giving the season—part one of which drops on January 29, followed by part two on February 26—some extra weight. As the series’ first East Asian heroine, Ha also felt extra pressure in portraying an especially cherished character from the Bridgerton universe (in the books, Sophie’s last name is Beckett, but it was changed to reflect Ha’s Korean background). At 28, the Aussie actor has had supporting roles in major projects like Dune: Prophecy and Halo, plus a starring role in murder-mystery series The Survivor, but she never thought playing a romantic lead was in the cards. Given how quickly she was cast—it was just 14 days between her first audition tape and getting the confirmation while in Gangnam with her mother—she’s had to embrace her new reality, quickly. “It’s been a bit surreal,” she admits.

Below, Ha talks getting to know Luke Thompson, joining the Bridgerton universe, and why everyone can learn something from Sophie:

What was the first thing that jumped out to you about Sophie?

I was like, Oh, she’s got trauma. This season is a lot—is darker the right word?—for Bridgerton. There’s something in the class struggle and the class divide, and opening up the Bridgerton universe to the downstairs universe, that made it more grounded. There are actual societal stakes at play.

There’s a tension for Sophie between wanting to be seen and it not being safe for her to be seen, which plays out very literally at the masquerade ball. How did you navigate that?

I thought about qualities I have deep inside that are a bit scarier to access, qualities I could bring to her. Sophie has struggled with identity from a young age. That identity struggle and otherness, I could relate to that. That’s what makes her such a beloved character, I think.

Stepping into the Bridgerton universe and fandom, did you feel pressure to portray her a certain way?

I do work well under pressure, in that it makes me want to give 110 percent. But obviously, being the first East Asian actress, in terms of representation, that’s another pressure. Playing a female romantically, that’s another sense of pressure. I wanted to do everything in my control to bring this character to life, but after that, I had to focus on the work and my connection with Luke to tell the most earnest and honest story I could.

What do you hope that viewers who see themselves in you or in Sophie take away from the season?

Have faith that the right people will accept you for your whole self, including your flaws. And that maybe your imperfections are what make you beautiful. Everyone deserves to be loved, and you don’t have to do this world alone.

You said you can relate to Sophie. What did playing her teach you?

Sophie’s not too afraid of being misunderstood, because she's been misunderstood her whole life. She’s more scared of not being lovable. There have been parts of my life when I felt like I was undeserving of love as well. That contributed to my feeling “other,” growing up in the suburbs of Sydney, not having as much of an Asian community in public school. I learned from Sophie that love is actually everywhere around you, and it is where you make it.

How did you and Luke develop the chemistry between your characters?

Sophie and Benedict go on a journey of getting to know each other by playing this cat-and-mouse game, and because we shot chronologically, we got to form a deeper bond that way, too. There’s something about Luke where you feel a sense of ease, you’re quite relaxed, and you’re open to letting things unfold in real time.

The masquerade ball is a pretty iconic scene from Bridgerton. What was it like playing it?

That sequence took about two weeks to shoot. So much detail and planning go into it. Sophie’s wearing this massive mask on her face, but it actually makes her more invincible. It was freeing to play that part of Sophie, where she could step into a power and sassiness that she has, but doesn’t let shine with most people.

What does Sophie see in Benedict that others don’t?

She sees someone who is of noble rank, but who’s also scared to accept himself. In that way, she sees herself in him, which is why they connect. That otherness quality bonds them. She sees his imperfections, but also loves them.

Did you ever see yourself playing this kind of role?

Hell no.

Why not?

Absolutely not. I always say the real challenge when I got this role was the mental shift I had to go through. As much as I know that representation is changing in Hollywood, I never thought that would be the narrative for me. I thought I would be the supporting best friend, and I was happy with that.

As much as I dreamed about it and hoped for it, I didn’t think it would come to fruition. It was a little bit of a rerouting of the brain to tell myself that: I’m doing this, and I deserve to do this.