Bridgerton Needed Her

by

Yerin Ha, who’s quickly becoming a star thanks to her role in the latest season of Bridgerton, visited Koryo Books in New York’s Koreatown on a cold February day, immediately asking why she hadn’t discovered it sooner. The 28-year-old Australian actress, bundled up in a warm coat, scarf, and hat after a short walk from her hotel, had just met me at the entrance to this historic bookstore. She was clearly excited, exclaiming “Ooh, sticker sheets!” as she spotted some featuring her favorite K-pop groups like Stray Kids, Twice, and Katseye. She admired a mug with characters from the K-drama Boys Over Flowers, and then paused to look at a translation of Fourth Wing, a romance novel she enjoys even though she doesn’t usually read fantasy. During the pandemic, Ha immersed herself in both classic and contemporary romance novels, and when she landed the role of the new heroine in Bridgerton, she immediately read the Julia Quinn novel that inspired her season. “I think people underestimate romance,” Ha says, “but it’s clear there’s a real demand for it.”

This season of Bridgerton is the strongest yet, largely thanks to the compelling performance of its lead actress. She plays Sophie Baek, a kind-hearted housemaid with a hidden past, who captures the attention of one of the Bridgerton brothers. Unlike previous heroines, Sophie doesn’t come from the upper class, which brings a fresh dynamic to the show. While Benedict Bridgerton struggles with unrequited love, Sophie often lacks the power to express her own feelings due to her difficult circumstances – she’s reliant on her employers, mistreated by her stepmother, and faces threats from powerful men. The actress brilliantly conveys Sophie’s love, longing, and frustration through subtle expressions, making their romance believable despite the power imbalance. Her storyline isn’t focused on simply finding a husband; she deals with genuine, serious problems and maintains a strong sense of independence. When Benedict awkwardly proposes a scandalous arrangement, Sophie doesn’t overreact, because she understands his privileged background and isn’t expecting anything more.

When we met at the bookstore, Ha was traveling the world promoting her new show for Netflix. She had just arrived from Australia, where she attended the AACTA Awards (similar to the Oscars), and had a busy week ahead, including an event at New York Fashion Week. After that, she might be heading to Bucharest and possibly South Korea for more publicity for Bridgerton. She’s also scheduled to co-host a Lunar New Year celebration with Hudson Williams, star of Heated Rivalry. Right now, she’s just glad to have a moment away from hotels and red carpets, and she’d even like to quickly visit the H Mart nearby. Despite her exhausting schedule, Ha still seems genuinely engaged, unlike some actors who become detached during long promotional tours. She recently brought her mother to the Bridgerton premiere in Paris to celebrate her 28th birthday together.

Growing up in the suburbs of Sydney, my parents really wanted my brother and me to stay connected to our Korean heritage. I have vivid memories of Saturday mornings spent at Koryo Books, which always reminded me of the Korean lessons I dreaded – I even skipped one once! I was eight, hid near school, and ended up walking home to eat chocolate until my mom found me. Honestly, I always knew I wanted to perform. My mom says I was kicking a lot in the womb during ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ from Les Misérables – I guess you could say I’m a musical-theater kid through and through. When I was fourteen, my mom suggested we move to Korea, where my grandmother was a famous actress and politician. I spent three years at Kaywon High School of Arts, and it was… intense. There was a lot of bowing – seriously, to everyone – and it felt like being dropped right into a K-drama. I completely bombed my first Korean test – a 7 out of 100! – and my teachers weren’t exactly encouraging of my musical-theater dreams. One teacher kept telling me to focus on what I was good at, not what I wanted to do. The whole education system there seemed designed to push you to your limits, to build resilience, you know?

After graduating in 2015, Ha faced a decision: stay in Korea, where she might benefit from her grandmother’s connections and avoid biases against Asian actors, or return to Australia. She longed for home. The thought of another four years of Korean schooling felt daunting – she admitted to feeling burnt out – and she was encouraged by seeing more non-white actors landing leading roles, such as in Disney’s live-action Mulan. It began to feel achievable to pursue an acting career in Hollywood. She successfully auditioned for NIDA, Australia’s top performing arts school. In 2019, she landed a role in the Paramount+ series Halo, which she described as a stroke of luck. However, her character, Kwan, was created specifically for the show, and some fans of the original video game were unhappy with the addition of new storylines. Online, a common question was, “What’s the purpose of Kwan?”

It was really strange taking a role that felt like a huge opportunity, only to find out a lot of existing fans just didn’t accept my character. I remember flying into LA, and the Customs agent asked what I’d worked on. When I mentioned Halo, he actually recognized me! He said, ‘Wait, you’re that character!’ and then, incredibly, told me I was annoying, but it wasn’t my fault! I couldn’t help but laugh and think, ‘Thank you for acknowledging it was the writing!’ He went on this whole thing about how I was doing the best I could with what I had, and I just kept saying ‘Thank you, sir!’ It was so funny. Now, the character isn’t Korean in the original books, and honestly, Bridgerton fans are just as passionate – or critical – as Halo fans. Their problems with the show are all over the place, and often don’t even make sense together. The weirdest thing is, even people who initially trashed the season on sites like Rotten Tomatoes will often start with something like, ‘Yerin Ha is actually really good! The problem is…’ It’s a bizarre experience, to say the least.

After appearing in a few smaller roles following Halo, Ha quickly landed the part of Sophie. She was thrilled, but also knew the role would be challenging because of the intimate scenes. She admits she struggled with insecurities during filming. She and her co-star, Luke, had an honest conversation about the pressure to fit a certain body type as a lead actress. Ha, still learning to embrace her own body, also felt the impact of Asian beauty standards from her time spent in Korea, where a very petite frame is often idealized. She’s working on accepting her body as it is and prioritizing her health above all else.

After leaving the store, we walked to the Prince Tea House and each ordered a pot of floral tea, kept warm with a small candle. Despite her growing fame, Ha doesn’t expect finding good roles to become any easier. Someone recently asked if she was overwhelmed with job offers, and she replied, “Not at all!” She explained that while fame might make things easier for some, that hasn’t been her experience. While casting is becoming more diverse, Asian actors still face the pressure of being compared to each other, and filmmakers are often hesitant to cast multiple Asian actors – something that isn’t common with white actors. She feels Bridgerton, which intentionally included diverse characters, came about during a more progressive time, but things have since shifted. Throughout her recent press tour, Ha has been surprised by how many questions she’s received about the decision to change her Bridgerton character’s last name, Beckett, to the Korean surname Baek. She sees it as a simple way for people to bring up the topic of representation. “Beckett just doesn’t feel like a name that would fit me,” she explained, adding that it’s interesting how much attention the change has received. She believes it shows Hollywood “still has a long way to go.”

Ha isn’t planning too far ahead. While she’s worried about finding work, she’s also hoping to be more selective about her next roles and finally start making movies. She notes that TV writing allows for more creative input, but directors have to please a lot of people. She’d especially love to collaborate closely with a director like Park Chan-wook, mentioning his name with admiration. When she learned Greta Lee was directing an adaptation of Monika Kim’s novel, The Eyes Are the Best Part, she immediately contacted her agent to see if she could read the script. She’s specifically avoiding certain projects, like the new Fourth Wing adaptation, which she’d rather enjoy as a viewer. She feels she’s done enough adaptations of existing material and would like to work on something fresh.

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2026-02-27 15:55