Of all the celebs I have a parasocial relationship with at the moment, I think my imaginary friendship with Nicola Coughlan is the strongest. The star of Derry Girls, Bridgerton and Barbie has always seemed so fun and down to earth, so when I got the chance to visit the set of the Uber Eats ad she recently shot in Australia, I was nervous she’d be, well, a dick in real life.
Can confirm: Nicola Coughlan is not a dick. In fact, the very first thing we talked about was how we’d both been lucky enough to see the greatest film of all time — Spiceworld: The Movie — at the cinema. Just millennial things, y’know.
Nicola’s very funny Uber Eats ad involves her ordering a “period romance” on the app after watching Pride and Prejudice on the telly and fancying herself a bit of Mr. Darcy. The Regency-era bloke who arrives seems like a good vibe at first, but very quickly becomes a modern-day nightmare.
Obviously Nicola has never tried to order a boyfriend on Uber Eats, but I’m curious to see what her go-to order is on the app. “So back in London, there’s a place near me that does chips with gravy and cheese. It’s the thing that I’m like: ‘I won’t get it again. I won’t get it again.’ But I do, because it’s so good. It’s just like my constant order,” she confessed. Hey, no judgement here.
At the end of the Uber Eats ad, we find out that you cannot order a “period romance” on the app, but you can order period products. I love finding out what food gets people through their period, because don’t we all need inspiration? Nicola was only too keen to spill her time of the month treat.
“Do you know potato waffles?” Nicola asked me. “This has to be brought to this side of the world. Just delicious potato, shaped like waffles, with Aromat on them. Aromat is also such an Irish thing. And ketchup — just so good. I never met a potato I didn’t like, clearly.”
It is extremely Irish to be obsessed with potato-based snacks, so I put Nicola on the spot to see how she feels about some Australian icons, namely Tim Tams and Margot Robbie, who she recently worked with in Barbie.
“I had a Tim Tam for pre-breakfast this morning,” Nicola told me with a laugh. “We’re staying at a really nice hotel and they have an amazing buffet. But I woke up and was hungry. And I was like, I’ll just have one.” Don’t worry, like any good patriotic Aussie, I gave Nicola the hot tip to sip her coffee through one the next morning — because all the best days start with a Tim Tam Slam.
As for Margot, Nicola can’t talk specifically about Barbie due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes currently taking place, so she gave me a general vibe.
“I have a ‘Nice List’ of the people that I’ve not yet met but that I’ve heard from multiple sources are lovely,” Nicola explained. “And Margot was number one on the Nice List. And then when I met her she’s just so down to earth. She’s so cool.”
“She’s also really inspirational because she produces as well as acts and she’s been so instrumental in bringing amazing female stories to screen. But yeah, she’s just so, so nice and so sweet. I’m a huge fan.”
Obsessed with the idea of the Nice List, I asked Nicola which other Aussies are on it. “Chris Hemsworth — everyone says he’s like, so chill. So sweet, such a family man. In the entertainment industry, I look up to people who are good, and kind. Because it’s easy to be nice, but not everyone is. So when people are, I respect that.”
Brb, creating my own Nice List with Nicola Coughlan at the top.
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