Getting to be one of 'Bridgerton's lead lovers is a major spotlight for any actor — just ask Jonathan Bailey, Nicola Coughlan and Regé-Jean Page for proof. And it will no doubt be a career-changing moment for the Netflix show's newest star, Yerin Ha, when the fourth installment of the Regency-era romance hits the streaming service on Thursday, January 29. (The season will once again be split into two, with the final four episodes premiering a month later on February 26 . Here's a handy episode schedule so you don't miss a thing.)
Ha, a 28-year-old Australian actress known for roles in series like "Halo," "Bad Behaviour" and "The Survivors," joins the cast as Sophie Baek, a resourceful maid whose masked appearance at the Bridgerton family's annual masquerade ball sparks curiosity among the Ton and a connection with seemingly eternal bachelor, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson). What follows is a slow-burning, Cinderella-esque romance between the two characters, but one complicated by their significant class differences, as plays out in the Julia Quinn novel on which the season is based, "An Offer from a Gentleman."
In a January 2026 cover story for InStyle, the actress detailed the audition process for what will arguably be her biggest role yet. After being told about the part of Sophie Baek by her agent, Ha sent over a self-tape to the "Bridgerton" team within 24 hours — “I thought my British accent was terrible,” she told the outlet — and was surprised to get called back for a chemistry read with actor Luke Thompson.
It was over Zoom and the time difference was significant (it was 11 p.m. local time in Korea for Ha, who said she felt "loopy" throughout the call) but Thompson could already feel the chemistry between them.
“I’m not a casting director, so it would feel patronizing to sit back and list her many, many qualities,” Thompson told InStyle. “I just remember feeling, despite the artifice of an audition, the Zoom delay, and shaky internet connection, that we were actually talking to each other.”
Thompson's scene partner, however, was worried that she played things almost too professionally. "I just assumed that [Thompson] probably had a day full of auditions, and he must be tired. So I didn't want to waste his time. I didn't even really have chit-chat. I just got straight into the scene," Ha said of the call.
Clearly, though, Ha's instincts were wrong and she ultimately was given the much-coveted role of Sophie Baek in the mega-successful series. “I was having breakfast with my mom in Gangnam,” she told InStyle about finding out from her team that she landed the part. “I thought, Don't celebrate yet, maybe they're just giving you a different role. Then they said the words, ‘you're going to be the next Bridgerton lead,’ and I just jumped for joy and cried.”
“It was the quickest audition process I’ve ever had”—just under 14 days—Ha revealed, adding that she high-tailed it back from South Korea to her hometown of Sydney to pack up her life and then jet off for England shortly thereafter to begin production.
Sounds like a fairytale experience very much in line with what "Bridgerton" fans can expect from Sophie and Benedict's love story in the upcoming episodes!
Tom's Guide will keep you posted on all things related to "Bridgerton" season 4, including plot details, new teasers, character descriptions and more behind-the-scenes intel.
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