Nicola Coughlan still feels like a "competition winner".
The 35-year-old actress was working a regular job five years ago, but is now known around the world after starring in the hit Netflix series 'Bridgerton', and Nicola admits she's still trying to come to terms with her new-found fame.
The actress - who also starred in the TV sitcom 'Derry Girls' - reflected: "Literally, I was working part-time in an optician’s five years ago. So for me, if anyone is tuning in, if anyone makes a connection to me - that’s amazing … All my life, I feel like I’m a competition winner. Like - how did I end up here?"
Nicola moved to London three times in the space of four years, before moving back home with her parents in Ireland.
The actress can still remember feeling like a "failure", before she established herself in the business.
She told the Observer newspaper: "I just felt like the worst failure in the world, like I’d wasted time. I was pitying myself: 'Why did you think you could do this?'"
Nicola was left with no money and no savings, after taking out a loan to pay for drama school.
The TV star felt stressed out, with debts hanging over her head at the time.
Nicola - who trained at the Oxford School of Drama and Birmingham School of Acting - shared: "I say all the time: ‘Yes, money doesn’t make you happy' - but unless you’ve been really broke, you don’t know the stress, how it takes up all of your time, and sucks the joy.
"I still get scared to check my bank account, I still have that fear in me. It’s not that long ago that I couldn’t afford a cup of coffee."
