Bridgerton season 4 star Yerin Ha has revealed she has suffered an uncomfortable skin condition after filming a sex scene with her onscreen partner, Luke Thompson, who plays Benedict Bridgerton on the Regency romper.
Netflix’s period drama is back with part two of its fourth season, following the first batch of episodes that landed on the platform at the end of January. The continuation of the Shondaland series pushes further into the taboo relationship between Sophie Baek (Ha) — a maid with aristocratic roots — and the second Bridgerton brother, the impulsive and artistic Benedict.
In the opening run of episodes, Benedict is captivated by a mysterious masked woman at a ball, not realising she is Sophie in disguise. The latter half shifts the story into something more tangible, tracing their growing connection while he remains unaware the two women are one and the same.
Known for its bold, intimate scenes, Bridgerton doesn’t hold back in season four. The Benedict-led instalment includes a heated staircase kiss earlier in the season, and part two features a more vulnerable bath sequence. It was during production of that bathtub scene that Ha says she developed folliculitis, which she linked to a mix of bath water and baby powder she used to help with her “intimacy wear.”
“There’s a scene where we are in a bathtub and basically I put baby powder all on me because I was told it would help dry my skin to put the intimacy wear on with my tape,” she explained during an appearance on Capital Breakfast. “And then basically the next day after the bathtub, I got hives all over my body and got folliculitis and needed steroid cream!”
Mayo Clinic describes folliculitis as a common condition where hair follicles become inflamed, often due to bacterial infection. One form tied to warm, contaminated water is sometimes called “hot tub rash,” also referred to as Pseudomonas folliculitis.
“But I blame myself,” Ha admitted, “because I think it was a combination of baby powder and the bath water.”
Thompson also suggested the filming conditions may not have helped, pointing out that the pair remained in the tub for around six or seven hours while the scene was shot — a lengthy stretch that could have contributed to Ha’s reaction.
“But you were fine!” Ha said with a laugh. “So it’s me. I’m a sensitive gal.”
The bathtub issue wasn’t the only production disruption for the duo. Ha previously shared that their major stairwell moment had to be pushed back after she came down with the flu.
“That scene was supposed to be shot a while back, but then I got the flu, so we had to reschedule it,” she told People.
“But you know what? It’s funny, because those Bridgerton steamy, sex scenes — or whatever you want to call them — they don’t feel like they’re there just for the sake of it,” she continued. “They’re actually an extension of the storytelling, and it is quite poetic and they’re there for an actual purpose. I do think Bridgerton does the sex scene so well … from a female gaze.”
Bridgerton season 4 is streaming on Netflix.