Provided by Netflix
Actor Ha Ye-rin spoke about how she worked with confidence on the set of ‘Bridgerton’ as an East Asian actor.
A press conference with Ha Ye-rin, star of the Netflix series ‘Bridgerton 4’, was held on the 4th at Community House Masil in Jung-gu, Seoul.
Released in full on the 26th of last month, ‘Bridgerton 4’ is a romance series that crosses the boundaries of love, identity, and class between Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), a free spirit indifferent to marriage who meets the ‘Lady in the Silver Dress’ at a masquerade ball, and Sophie Beck (Ha Ye-rin), a maid in real life.
From season 1 through the spinoff, the franchise has enjoyed popularity, and this season too was loved, reaching No. 1 on the Global Top 10 TV Shows and No. 1 on the Top 10 Series in Korea right after release.
‘Bridgerton 4’ featuring Ha Ye-rin. Provided by Netflix
Ha Ye-rin said in greeting, “It has been about a year and a half since I came to Korea, so my Korean may sound a bit awkward, and I am sorry. I am very excited and nervous.”
She continued, “Sophie is a maid with plenty of wit and outstanding intelligence. She looks strong on the outside but is fragile inside, which I found fascinating. Because she has many different charms, she was fun to play,” and added, “I heard the show even reached No. 1 on the chart in Korea. I had heard it is not easy for a foreign production to rank here, so I feel very grateful. Even the global No. 1 did not feel real. It felt like it was happening in a world different from mine, so it did not quite sink in.”
Her casting drew even more attention as she is known to be a Korean Australian actor and the granddaughter of actress Son Sook.
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She recalled, “I was in Korea when I got a call from my agent asking, ‘Do you know Bridgerton?’ I was told to send an audition video within 24 hours, so I memorized the tea-drinking scene and the lake scene in a day and filmed and sent it,” and continued, “A few days later I auditioned via video with the director and the casting director, and a few days after that I met my scene partner Luke online. Not long after, I was having brunch with my mom in Gangnam when I got the call that I would play Sophie. My mom and I screamed together and burst into tears.”
In particular, about taking on a major role as an East Asian actor, she said, “What Shondaland (the production company) does well is reflecting the present as it is within a period setting,” and added, “I think viewers can project their own stories and fantasies onto it. That is why they can create stories that are so beautiful and that truly reach audiences.”
She went on, “Although ‘Bridgerton’ is set in the 19th century, actors of many races appear. How the show makes that period setting feel modern is its strength. I too focused less on the period and more on how to express the emotions and sincerity of the character,” and said, “Because the series has been running for a long time, I worried that my joining might disrupt its rhythm, but they actually wanted new energy. Everyone welcomed me warmly. In my seven years as an actor, it was the set that respected diversity the most, and I was the happiest.”
Netflix ‘Bridgerton 4’ poster
In addition, as K-content has gained global popularity in recent years, she said she also feels winds of change in Hollywood.
She said, “I think there is a bit more fairness and equality now in how people of color are treated and spoken about compared with before,” and added, “The very fact that we can go to more auditions feels like the start of change. Even when they are not lead roles, the fact that East Asian actors are being given opportunities to audition itself feels like change.”
She also spoke candidly about any pressure around nudity and intimate scenes.
Ha Ye-rin said, “There is a lot of criticism directed at the bodies of women when they appear in the media. It seems many people feel they have the right to criticize and judge the female body as it appears on screen. In Korea, standards of beauty are stricter or different in some ways. So the pressure and the worry were significant.”
Provided by Netflix
She continued, “I too, as I grew up and through the time I spent in Korea, found that my gaze toward my own body had flowed in a particular direction,” and explained, “Fortunately, there was an intimacy coordinator (a role that secures the safety and consent of actors when filming scenes involving nudity or sexual content, and coordinates with the production team to support safe, ethical direction) on set. It is an essential role that must be present when shooting scenes with higher levels of exposure.”
She added, “The coordinator choreographed the bed scenes almost like a piece of dance, and during filming both the cast and crew made sure I could feel safe. That aspect is truly important. By feeling safe, I believe an actor can give the best possible performance.”
Having made an impression worldwide, attention is now turning to her next steps.
Ha Ye-rin said, “I think there is always some pressure regarding the next project. In choosing a project, how interesting the character is and whether I can grow feel more important. Rather than a burden to prove myself to someone else, it is about proving myself to myself,” and added, “I am interested in working in Korea as well if there is an opportunity. I may have a slight Australian accent when I speak Korean (laughs), but I would be grateful if I were given the chance.”
