Benedict Bridgerton, played by Luke Thompson, is finally set to find his love match in the upcoming fourth season of Netflix’s Bridgerton. The role of Sophie, Benedict's love interest, has been confirmed, with Yerin Ha taking on the part.
Korean-Australian Actor Cast as Sophie in Bridgerton Season 4
The news, first reported by Variety, was later confirmed by Netflix on September 11, 2024, when they released the first teaser featuring Yerin as Sophie in the highly anticipated season. Fans of the series might recognise that there has been a significant change to the character’s background, Sophie’s last name has been altered from Beckett (as it appears in Julia Quinn's novel An Offer From a Gentleman) to Baek, reflecting Yerin’s heritage.
Who is Yerin Ha?
Yerin Ha, a 29-year-old Korean-Australian actor’s acting roots run deep, as she comes from a family of performers. Speaking to Australian Vogue in 2019, Yerin shared that her grandmother was an actress, and her parents met in acting school. Growing up in Sydney, Yerin always had an interest in the world of acting and screen, which ultimately led her to pursue the profession.
At the age of 15, Yerin made the bold decision to audition for a performing arts school in South Korea. She was accepted, and for the next three years, she underwent rigorous training, attending classes from early morning until late at night. Reflecting on this period, Yerin told the magazine, "It was three years of intense training—from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. most days. Just learning about teamwork and who I am and everything like that."
Yerin Ha On Her Character in Bridgerton
In her first interview with Tudum about her new role, Yerin revealed what drew her to Sophie in Bridgerton. She spoke about Sophie’s challenges and the emotional depth she brings to the series. "What drew me to Sophie was that she immediately has obstacles—something that she constantly has to overcome. Whether it’s this battle around social status or trying to hide her feelings from Benedict, “ Yerin said.
Yerin also shared insights into her character’s emotional complexity. “There’s this theme with masks that was running throughout all of my audition scenes. When does Sophie put on this mask to cover her emotions? Or vice versa, when does she take it off and when does she soften up? Playing with those [questions] is just really fun,” she explained.
Yerin also spoke about name change of the character change and how meaningful it was for her. She expressed how important it was to make the character feel more relatable to her own identity. “A name is the first bit of identity that you share with the world, and that’s why changing a name can be so powerful. To make Sophie’s name fit someone who looks like me is really empowering. All credit to Jess Brownell, our showrunner.” Yerin explained.
Beyond Bridgerton, Yerin Ha’s career continues to flourish. She has previously appeared in the sci-fi series Halo and will feature in the upcoming Dune: Prophecy series.
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