Bridgerton’ Interview: Yerin Ha Opens Up About “Soft, Sweet” Luke Thompson (Exclusive)
Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek is one of the best parts of Bridgerton season 4. As the Lady in Silver, we get to see her enter Lady Bridgerton’s masquerade ball in the first episode of the Netflix show, and her gorgeous dress and face mask are even memorable for the actress than they are for viewers!
“I remember trying it on in the costume fittings and there was lots of rounds of it, and I wasn’t sure where it was going, but they were like ‘trust the process,'” she exclusively tells Brit + Co. “And then when it was a finished look, I just looked at myself being like, ‘Hey, wow, I’m in Bridgerton.’ I did feel like a bit of a princess, and you know, I’m very introverted, but to wear that gown and to feel like a bit of attention’s on me, it’s quite nice and I was like very much leaning into it and being like ‘I am the Lady in Silver,’ so that was a very special moment.”
The ‘Bridgerton’ ball did not go as expected.
And bringing the scene to life ended up being just as memorable because Yerin lost both of her shoes running from the ball! “That to me was a very Cinderella moment. But I did yell immediately like ‘I lost my shoe!’ and I was like maybe we could have used that tape, but we obviously couldn’t because [Sophie] leaves a glove, and we’re not exactly doing the Cinderella story. But I felt like Cinderella at that point in time, running away from the prince.”
Yerin Ha’s first impression of Luke Thompson is hilarious (and super sweet).
And not only is Lady Bridgerton’s ball a time for Sophie to shine, but it’s also the first time Sophie meets Benedict. And when it comes to her first impression of Luke, she remembers thinking “he looked a little bit tired.”
“I just assumed that he was doing so many auditions already in chemistry reads with other actresses in person or on Zoom or whatever, so I didn’t want to waste his time,” she continues. “I feel like actors are always in a funny position when they have the role and they have to read with other actresses who are trying to book the role. But in person, I just remember he had a really big smile and then he just had his arms out ready to give me a hug and we had dinner at [showrunner Jess Brownell’s). And I just love someone’s energy and aura, and he just has a real soft, sweet, aura about him.”
Yerin Ha also spent some time with her ‘Bridgerton’ sisters.
But while Sophie spends plenty of time falling in love with Benedict, she lives day-to-day with her step-mother Araminta (Katie Leung) and two sisters Rosamund (Michelle Mao) and Posy (Isabella Wei). Even though the characters are not on good terms, the actresses had a great time together. Katie hosted a dinner party, and Yerin ended up on a trip to Scotland with Michelle.
“I did do a weekend trip to Edinburgh with Michelle, during Christmastime, so that was really cute,” she shares. “We went to one of the Christmas parks or whatever, and we did that thing where you go up and you know the chairs swing around super high? And I did think while I was up there, I was a bit like, ‘Am I breaching my contract by going on this ride?’ But I’m fine, I’m here, I’m alive, so it’s all good.”
I have to ask if Yerin feels like she’s an adrenaline junkie, and she admits that while she didn’t used to be, “I’ve been skydiving, I’ve been paragliding. I do think I like a little bit of that fear and then feeling kind of invincible afterwards. So maybe I do. Maybe something’s wrong with me.”
Benedict’s love confession was just as beautiful to film as it is to watch.
All of those cast connections come through the screen so strongly, and it helps the more intense scenes feel even more believable. And two moments from Bridgerton season 4 part 2 really showcase just how strong Benedict and Sophie’s relationship is: his love confession, and when he gets Sophie out of jail.
“I just remember when Luke was doing that scene over and over again, cause we did like a day where we did just the [love] confession scene and then the day after that which was the intimacy scene that followed,” Yerin says. “I just was so taken aback by Luke’s performance, and he just, every single take, always giving it 110%, always something so new and so honest. It wasn’t hard to react off of it because I just felt like he was being so truthful and I think he’s fantastic in it. I really do think the audiences will love him in that and yeah, I just speak high praises of him.”
And Yerin opens up about Sophie’s time in jail.
But we have to give Yerin her flowers as well, because the jail sequence — where Sophie’s entire future, not to mention her safety, are thrown into question — is a gripping and emotional experience as a viewer. “The jail scene was weird because I’m like, we’ve never seen a Bridgerton jail before,” she jokes. “So that was interesting, but I think again when you’re just bouncing off of so many talented actors, you are just able to surrender and be rather than feeling like you have to pitch it to a certain point or do it in a certain way.”
“I think I am someone who preps a lot but then so much changes on the day, based on the director and the actor and what they’re giving that a lot of the things I think I’m going to do immediately disappear when I go on the day,” she continues, before joking, “It is just about bouncing off of who I’m working with and Katie is so evil, it wasn’t hard to feel mad at her. And yeah the court scene as well, when Benedict and Violet come in, I was like, ‘What?’ It was pretty a grand entrance, so it helps when the blocking all helps and you’re just able to to play with talented actors.”
