Nicola Coughlan's Character Goes Into Labor Amidst Filming Dramatic Scenes
The 'Bridgerton' star filmed intense sequences for Netflix's 'Tales of the Unexpected' where her character, Mary Maloney, experiences labor pains and a heated altercation.
Nicola Coughlan's character in Netflix's upcoming Roald Dahl adaptation, "Tales of the Unexpected," experiences a dramatic labor scene while filming. The actress, who portrays the heavily pregnant housewife Mary Maloney, was seen cradling a prosthetic baby bump while appearing to be in pain and on the phone on a Stockport street.
Coughlan donned a beige checked shirt minidress, black cardigan, slippers, and carried a large tote bag for the scene. Her character's labor was not the only dramatic element, as she also engaged in a furious exchange with characters played by Naomi Scott and Josh Finan.
In the six-part series, Mary Maloney awaits the return of her husband, Patrick (Arthur Hughes), a police detective. The narrative implies Patrick has asked for a divorce, leading Mary to kill him in a fit of rage, a plot point drawn from Roald Dahl's 1953 short story "Lamb to the Slaughter."
The original "Lamb to the Slaughter" was adapted by Robin Chapman for the 1979 "Tales of the Unexpected" television series, starring Susan George and Brian Blessed. Netflix acquired the Roald Dahl Story Company in 2021 and has since produced "The Twits" and is preparing for "Charlie v the Chocolate Factory."
This project follows Coughlan's recent work on "Only Murders in the Building," where she filmed guest appearances in London. The upcoming season of that series will be its first to film outside the U.S. and features a cast including Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, Martin Short, David Tennant, and Jodie Whittaker.