Bridgerton Star Emotionally Addresses Industry Expectations, Calls for Equality Amid Systemic Challenges
Ha Ye-rin, a Korean-Australian actress, spoke about the challenges she faces as an Asian working in Hollywood.
Ha Ye-rin appeared on tvN’s “You Quiz on the Block,” broadcast on the 18th, alongside her grandmother Son Suk, dubbed the “matriarch of the theater world.” Ha Ye-rin recently rose to prominence by starring as Sophie Beck, the lead in Netflix’s original series “Bridgerton” Season 4, solidifying her status as a “global star.”
Son Suk remarked, “Even my family doesn’t know where she is. She’s so busy, it breaks my heart,” but added, “Until last year, she was ‘Son Suk’s granddaughter, Ha Ye-rin,’ but now I’m ‘Ha Ye-rin’s grandmother, Son Suk.’ I’m truly proud,” expressing admiration for her granddaughter.
Ha Ye-rin, who lived in Australia, enrolled in a Korean high school to build her acting foundation. After graduation, she returned to Australia and joined the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), which produced stars like Cate Blanchett and Mel Gibson, to study acting.
Post-graduation, she honed her acting skills through theater and TV. In 2022, she gained attention for her role in the SF drama “Halo,” directed by Steven Spielberg.
Ha Ye-rin confessed, “There were many lonely and tough moments.” She explained, “At 21, I moved to Budapest, Hungary, for “Halo” filming. I felt like I lost myself trying to make everyone like me. It actually made focusing harder,” and added, “I also pondered how to stay true to myself while excelling in my work.”
Ha Ye-rin honestly shared, “In Hollywood, there’s a mindset that ‘Asian actors should be grateful just for being there.’ It felt like, ‘You should thank us for this opportunity’ and ‘You must do whatever we want.’”
She continued, “I said ‘Yes, yes, yes’ to everything, even when hurt, to avoid burdening others,” and stated, “Of course, I’m grateful, but I want to say we also deserve equality.” Choking up, she added, “I felt responsible, thinking my success might create more opportunities for Asian actors. After 7 years of hard work, I feel recognized as an Asian actor in a global show. I’m proud of myself.”
“Bridgerton,” based on Julia Quinn’s bestselling novels, depicts the romance of the eight siblings in the prestigious Bridgerton family amid 19th-century British high society. Sophie, played by Ha Ye-rin, is a witty and intelligent maid at Penwood House. This season follows Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), the carefree second son indifferent to marriage, as he navigates love, identity, and class boundaries between the “woman in the silver dress” he met at a masquerade ball and the maid Sophie in reality.