Benedict Bridgerton: Yerin Ha on Sophie Baek, the post-credits wedding and navigating sudden fame
Yerin Ha says she landed the lead role in Bridgerton just two weeks after her audition, and the part — Sophie Baek, a maid with a mysterious past who falls for Benedict Bridgerton — has already pushed the 27-year-old Australian into a new orbit of attention.
How Ha won the role so quickly
Ha recalls, "It was one of the quickest turnarounds I’ve ever had. " Two weeks after her Bridgerton audition she found out she’d won the lead role, a turnaround that moved her from recognition for playing Kwan Ha in the live-action Halo series to the central part of a much larger audience conversation. Sophie Baek’s surname was changed from the novels to reflect Ha’s Korean heritage.
Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Baek’s post-credits wedding
The season’s final stretch lands on a decisive moment: after the credits rolled following the last episode of part two, Sophie and Benedict’s wedding appears in a post-credits scene. The season’s structure — the first four episodes centered on "desperate, hungry yearning, " while the final four focused on consummation — contains secret trysts, steaming hot baths, false identities and "genuinely big shocks, " leaving viewers with what one writeup called 30 burning questions.
On-screen chemistry and on-set colleagues
Ha plays opposite Luke Thompson, who portrays Benedict Bridgerton; Ha calls him "the best human. " Their characters’ arc — a maid with a mysterious past falling for Benedict — is central to the season’s emotional spine, and Ha describes her co-star in warmly personal terms.
How Ha plans to handle fame, with a little help
Facing a famously fervent fanbase has prompted Ha to set boundaries. "I’m just putting that in a little box, locking it away and trying not to think about it, " she says. She notes that Nicola Coughlan has offered direct support: "Reach out if you need help or advice with anything. " If public attention becomes overwhelming, Ha says she will seek solace in nature — hiking or swimming in the sea — because "nature always makes me feel quite small in a positive way. "
Romance, masking and a possible "Benedict moment"
Ha says the season may resonate with people who use dating apps because of themes of hiding behind masks and making snap decisions based on façades. "So often, we see someone for their exterior and judge them immediately, " she says. She adds that she is not a dating-app fan herself: "It’s definitely not for me, " and jokes, "Maybe I’ll have my Benedict moment one day. Wouldn’t that be nice?"
Style credits and on-set beauty team
The shoot’s credits named several contributors: hair by Dayaruci at the Wall Group, make-up by Naoko Scintu at the Wall Group and nails by Sabrina Gayle at Arch Agency. Ha’s look included a Chanel dress and matching gold and diamond earrings, ring and bangle from Tiffany & Co.
The season’s split into two halves — a yearning-focused opening and a consummation-heavy finish that culminates in the post-credits wedding scene — has left both viewers and Ha with lingering questions about the characters’ next moves and the show’s future directions. What comes next for the series is unclear in the provided context.
