Meet Yerin Ha, Bridgerton S4's Leading Lady, Worked With Steven Spielberg, Cried Post Surprise Offer

After a two-year wait, our favourite period drama, Bridgerton, has finally made its grand return by releasing the first part of its fourth season on the OTT giant, Netflix. Notably, Season 1 of Bridgerton was the seventh most-watched series on the streamer, garnering more than 113 million views since its 2020 release. It introduced us to characters we have known and loved, including 'Penelope' (Nicola Coughlan), 'Colin' (Luke Newton), and more. 

However, Bridgerton Season 4 is shaking things up once again by introducing a brand new character, 'Sophie Baek', to the ton. Played by Yerin Ha, her character might just end up being successful in putting a stop to 'Benedict Bridgerton's' (Luke Thompson) bachelor days. For the unversed, 'Sophie Baek', who works as a maid, first crossed paths with 'Benedict' during a masquerade ball. The series will see him embark on a journey to find his 'Lady in Silver.' Amid this, let's take a closer look at the actress who portrays her on screen, Yerin Ha.  

Yerin Ha comes from a family of actors 

Yerin Ha was born in Sydney, Australia. Here, she started her primary education at an all-girls private school on the North Shore. While she spent most of her childhood there, at the age of 15, she made the big decision to move to South Korea for her secondary education. Here, Yerin studied at the Kaywon High School of Arts, a rigorous performing arts school in Seoul. According to reports, her training schedule ran from 7 am to 12 am.

We can deduce that one of the main reasons for her dedication to the arts is that she comes from a family that is in the creative field. If reports are to be believed, Yerin's parents fell in love at drama school, while her grandmother is a Korean actress named Son Sook. During an interview with Vogue, the Bridgerton star revealed that the best advice she got from her grandmother was to "be brave, be courageous, and stand up for what you believe in."  

Eventually, Yerin moved back to Sydney once again to continue her pursuit of acting. After her return, she attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art. Interestingly, the institute boasts a host of famed alumni, including Cate Blanchett, Baz Luhrmann, and Sarah Snook. She graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, majoring in musical theatre. Following this, Yerin Ha finally began her career in theatre and television in earnest. During the several years that she worked in theatre, Yerin racked up a lot of credits, most notably Lord of the Flies, which was performed at the Roslyn Packer Theatre.  

Yerin Ha worked with Steven Spielberg early in her career  

Yerin Ha made her television debut in the American-French series, Reef Break, which was released in 2019. Later, Yerin managed to land a role in Steven Spielberg's series, Halo. It premiered in 2022 on the streamer, Paramount+ and ran for two seasons. Additionally, it is available to watch on Netflix. Yerin continued to make strides in the Australian film and television industry, appearing in series such as Troppo and Bad Behaviour, and in the film, Sissy.  

Yerin Ha got the offer for Bridgerton when she was walking the streets of South Korea 

Yerin Ha being cast as ‘Sophie Baek' on Bridgerton Season 4 is nothing short of perfection. However, what's interesting is that during a casual conversation with Elle, the actress confessed that she received the call to act in the series while she was walking the streets of South Korea. Apparently, she was on her way to visit her mother, and when she received the call, it shocked her to the point of tears. Yerin added that everybody in Gangnam, which was the street she was on, “was looking at me really weirdly, but it was really nice."  

Yerin Ha's character name in Bridgerton was changed to better represent her culture  

Bridgerton is well known for showcasing diverse heritages on screen through its racially diverse casting. Some of the actors we have seen on the show come from African, South Asian, and East Asian backgrounds, according to a report by Harper's Bazaar. This time, for Season 4, Yerin Ha was immensely pleased when Bridgerton showrunner, Jess Brownell changed her character's name to better reflect Yerin's culture. For those who are unaware, Yerin's character name on the show was originally ‘Sophie Beckett' and was later changed to ‘Sophie Baek'. During a conversation with Glamour, Yerin gushed that this is exactly why she loves the show. In her words: 

"What I love about Bridgerton is that it shows representation in a way that doesn't require over-explaining, like this doesn’t have to be a 'Korean' story. I love that it shows we can all coexist in this space and not have it be a big thing. Also, Benedict falls in love with Sophie as a person, and it’s about fighting for the person on the inside." 

As a Korean-Australian, Yerin's bicultural identity has played a huge role in shaping her identity as an actress. This is why even before she was cast in Bridgerton Season 4, she was passionate about her culture and facial diversity in general. In 2019, Yerin Ha told Vogue Australia: 

"Hopefully, there’s a time where we can actually see [diverse people] playing the girlfriend [and] the romantic lead. But in my opinion, audiences are still not used to seeing that...on screen or stage."

What are your thoughts on Bridgerton Season 4's leading lady, Yerin Ha? Let us know.  

Also read: Paul Dano And Zoe Kazan's Relationship, Met On Broadway, Played A Married Couple For Their 1st Film

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