Bridgerton stars Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton have strong opinions on etiquette. "Manners are really important," Coughlan tells T&C. Newton adds, "It's a sign of respect to each other."
In Town & Country's new video "Common Courtesies" (watch above) we asked the Bridgerton leads to weigh in on etiquette dilemmas—like regifting, tipping, and texting during a Broadway show.
Read the transcript of their answers below:
Your mother-in-law regifts you the present that you gave her for Mother's Day. Do you say anything?
Nicola Coughlan: It depends on the relationship you have with them, but my instinct would be to not say anything, and then text my sister like, "LOL!"
Luke Newton: I would really like to—if I was dedicated enough—regift it again. Because then they would have the moment of, 'Hang on, I gifted them, but where did I get it from?' And maybe that would mean they'd have the realization.
One of your friends confesses they've never watched Bridgerton. What do you say?
LN: Disown them! No, actually, I don't mind—
NC: Got hundreds of millions of viewers around the world. We don't need them!
LN: And we don't go watch them at work.
NC: Although I feel like weirdly, if we're friends in the industry, you've gotta support each other's work. Like, Luke was in a play, and he was wonderful, and I went to see that—you kind of have to, there is an unwritten code I feel like that you gotta, if you're tight with your castmates, you do go and watch their stuff. So that's a different strain of that.
You're hosting a dinner party but it's getting late, and you're ready to go to bed. How do you approach this with your guests.
NC: We would both be horrific at this, I know for a fact.
LN: Yeah, so bad, I am really bad. Over the last year, I've done quite a lot of hosting—I do just go to bed and just let them carry on.
NC: I once fell asleep! I went way over the top for this dinner party, and was sat at the table, and I just fell asleep at the table [laughs]. So that's a good way to—if you just frankly fall asleep in front of people, what are they going to do?
You're invited to a wedding without a plus one, despite being recently engaged. Other single guests have mentioned they received a plus one. How do you broach the subject with the host?
NC: If you're recently engaged, I think you have to, 'cause then you're like, is there some beef there? If it's like a casual parter, or it's a small wedding, you gotta be like, 'Oh yeah, that's fine.' But I think it's kinda bad if someone's engaged not to invite their partner.
LN: I feel like I'd say something like, 'You know, so-and-so's with me, and we're both in town at the same time,' and try to set up the situation, so it's easy for them to invite you.
NC: Also most people's partners are really annoying and you're like, 'You're not bringing that guy!' Like what! Dammit! We have to hang out with him, all night?
You're on a flight and dinner is being served. The patron seated in front of you has reclined their chair all the way back, giving you no space to enjoy your meal. Do you say anything?
LN: That's a really tricky one.
NC: It's really hard.
LN: 'Cause I also feel for them if they just wanna sleep! I feel like I'd ask someone that works there to try and help.
NC: I think I'd do the same—I'd just be like, 'I can't even get food in my mouth! I'll gobble it down!'
LN: Yeah, 'I literally need five minutes so I can swallow this!'
You're at dinner with an associate who gratefully covered the check. However, they only tipped ten percent. What do you do?
LN: Like when it's really good service, I probably sneak up and—
NC: Yeah, you can top it up yourself—
LN: But, like, discreetly
NC: Because your friend could be broke as well. You don't know people's situations, maybe they can't afford... Although I hate people being, we would call it tight here—I dunno if it's the same thing in the U.S.—I don't like when people are tight, it's a really unattractive quality in a person.
LN: Also you know when you split the bill and then someone ends up paying the smallest amount—
NC: Hate that! 'I only had the salad!' You're like, okay.
You're attending a Broadway show and the patron next to you is texting. How do you proceed?
LN: See that's a really difficult one, because having both come from theater as well, you know it affects not only the people that are watching the show, but how it affects you on stage. I feel like I would struggle not to say something.
NC: I have been in this situation and have said something. Because I went to Hamilton back in 2018 or something, and the guy in front of us was on his phone, just talking and texting, and I was just like, 'What are you doing? This is not okay.' And he kept talking to his girlfriend, and then they left midway through, and I was like good. Also, on stage, if you see someone's face light up with the camera, it's like, you can't stay off your phone for like 2 hours?!
LN: Not okay.
Your friend tags you in a group photo on social media where everyone looks good, except for you. What do you do?
LN: Remove tag!
NC: Remove tag, and also be like, 'Dude, c'mon!' It depends on the purpose of the picture. Let's say they really have a crush on someone, and they look absolutely incredible, and you look not great, I'm like, 'Okay it's for the greater good, I'll take the L, it's fine.'
You RSVP to a soiree hosted by a colleague a month in advance. The morning of, you recall you've also agreed to dinner with your spouse and their boss. How do you handle this?
LN: Oh, it's so difficult, isn't it? Because I guess it's about what relationship, how important that relationship with that coworker is.
NC: You can try and do both—you can say, 'so sorry I have to go for dinner with my partner, but we'll pop in afterwards.' I think best of both worlds, yeah?
LN: Love that solution.
You're traveling for a friend's wedding and have their veil packed in your carry-on. The gate attendant mentions you must check the bag due to limited space. What do you do?
LN: I hate that, I hate it!
NC: I would open the bag, and be like, 'Look, I'm entrusted in this, if you need me to get rid of other stuff in the bag—' cause you can get rid of other stuff, cause you can throw out, I wouldn't want to throw out a bunch of my underwear in an airport, but if you could get rid of some of your stuff, and be like, 'Can I just take this?' When I was going to the Met Gala, I had to bring my dress as a carry-on. But it was huge, it looked like I was carrying a dead body! But the only way to get it through the airport was to bring it through hand luggage, but it was so big. So we had to get special dispensation, and then on the flight, it needed its own are. I've had experience with precious cargo! It made it safe, I had it, I was not naked on the red carpet. It was a win!
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.
