<i>Bridgerton</i>’s Yerin Ha Is Living in a Real-Life Fairy Tale

When Yerin Ha stepped onto the Bridgerton set for the first time, it felt like a fairy tale come to life. “It was like I was crawling into the TV show, because I watched the previous seasons and it felt so surreal,” says the show’s new leading lady. That her character, Sophie, was inspired by Cinderella in Julia Quinn’s books, on which the series was based, only added to the magic.

The Korean-Australian actress, who has starred in the Dune: Prophecy and Halo TV series, vividly remembers the day she got the part. She was visiting Korea with her mom when she received a cryptic message from her agent, who then called to give her the news. “It shocked me and I was genuinely crying tears, just on the streets of Korea in Gangnam,” 27-year-old Ha says. “Everybody was looking at me really weirdly, but it was really nice.”

In season 4, due in 2026, Ha’s Sophie steals the heart of Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), the family’s second-oldest son, at a masquerade ball, sending him on a frantic search to find her after she vanishes at midnight. (Instead of a glass slipper, she leaves a glove behind.) “At the core, Sophie just wants to be seen for who she is on the inside, and that I think is a universal thing for anyone,” Ha says of her character. Though Ha and Thompson did their chemistry reads on Zoom, they could still feel a spark through the airwaves: “When Luke talks about it, he’s like, ‘Yeah, I definitely felt something with you.’”

Still, when production began, she felt nervous about joining the tight-knit cast who already had three seasons to build their bond. “Being the newcomer is always quite nerve-wracking, and you just want to make sure you fit in and bring in a nice vibe,” Ha says. But her co-stars “welcomed me in from the beginning” and “never made me feel like an outsider,” she adds. After nine months of shooting (they wrapped in June), she now feels like part of the family.

Though Sophie’s surname is Beckett in Quinn’s books, her last name was changed for the show to reflect Ha’s Korean background. She remembers showrunner Jess Brownell asking her early on, “Are there any Korean names that start with B?” Ha thought of Baek, a pretty seamless swap. “I was just super appreciative of her changing the last name so that it fits with my identity and my culture and how I look,” Ha says. “For some people, it might feel like a small thing, but for a production of that size to mold a character to me really empowered me.”

An alumna of Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art, Ha was the kind of kid who’d perform for her family in the dining room, but it was her grandmother, veteran Korean actress Son Sook, who inspired her to become an actor. “There was this one-woman play that she did, and I was really young, and I just remember hearing the audience just sniffling and crying and being so affected by her onstage telling a story and seeing the emotional power of art and storytelling. I was like, ‘Oh, that’s cool. That’s a job, that’s a career, that’s something that you can do.’”

Though performing is in her blood, being famous will take some getting used to. After Ha’s Bridgerton casting was announced in September 2024, people have already started recognizing her in public, even though her season won’t come out until next year. “I’m not sure if I’ll ever get used to it,” she says. In the meantime, Ha is doing her best to stay grounded and grateful.

Amid rehearsing for a new play in London (a new take on Jean Genet’s The Maids) this fall, she’s practicing “just being present in this moment—who knows if tomorrow’s going to be promised,” she says. One day, the horse and carriage could turn back into a pumpkin, so to speak. So she’s not taking any of it—the opportunities, the new fans, and even interviews like this one—for granted. At the end of our conversation, she tells me, “I just wanted to say thank you.”

Andrew Scott. I think he’s incredible. It wasn’t long ago that I happened to be watching a National Theatre Live [production] of him in Vanya—it’s a one-man show, and he plays all these different characters—and I was just blown away by his talent, and also all his other films. I think he’s just so honest and genuine as an actor.

I’m such a skin care girlie that I always go back to Tatcha. It’s probably because my rice cleanser is running out.

I used to watch a lot of old classic films with my mom when I was quite young, so we watched Gone With the Wind, The Sound of Music, Singin’ in the Rain, and Mary Poppins. Singin’ in the Rain was quite a big, big one for me because I used to tap dance as well…that skill might be a bit rusty now. I remember seeing those three actors just singing, acting, and tap dancing in a harmonious way and just having that memory with my mom and how much joy a film brought to me.

Singin’ in the Rain. I would’ve loved to have been Debbie.

Park Chan-wook. I think his films are so psychologically deep and so subtle, and I love that kind of genre that he does, which is quite dark. But also within the darkness, there is so much truth; there is also humor in it. So I would love to work with him—dream director.

To always remember that everyone is striving towards the same thing. And because of that, everyone needs to be treated equally and be seen equally. To always lead with kindness is the biggest thing for me, because when you create a good environment on set, that’s when people have the best work.

That’s an easy one, because Beyoncé is always on repeat.

Selling sneakers at a sneaker store called Platypus Shoes, and I got let go because I couldn’t do enough hours because I was also studying.

Probably healthy snack meals at the moment. I’m trying to be sensible and not order out too much while I’m in rehearsals. So I’m getting all these healthy banana choc muffin ideas, or dates and peanut butter, all those things. I love baking as well.

Probably the banana chocolate muffins. [Laughs.]

Read our full portfolio of the must-know breakthrough performers of 2025 at the link below.

THE BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMERS OF 2025