Bridgerton's Yerin Ha Reveals Skin Condition After Steamy Scene

Actress developed folliculitis after filming seven-hour bathtub scene with co-star Luke Thompson

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Bridgerton star Yerin Ha shared that she developed folliculitis, a skin condition where hair follicles become inflamed, after filming an intimate bathtub scene with co-star Luke Thompson that lasted seven hours. Ha said she used baby powder to help dry her skin for the scene, which she believes led to the reaction. Despite the discomfort, Ha and Thompson said the meaningful nature of the Bridgerton scenes makes the challenges worth it.

Why it matters

Bridgerton has faced some backlash over its steamy sex scenes, but the show's creators have defended the intentionality behind them, seeing them as an extension of the characters' emotions rather than gratuitous. Ha's experience highlights the physical toll these types of intimate scenes can take on actors, even as they work to bring the story to life.

The details

In a radio interview, Ha explained that she used baby powder to help dry her skin for the intimate scene with Thompson, but believes this led to her developing folliculitis, a skin condition where hair follicles become inflamed, typically from a bacterial infection. Thompson noted that the pair were submerged in the bathtub for seven hours while filming the scene, but he did not experience the same reaction. Ha acknowledged that she is a 'sensitive gal' and that the experience left her and Thompson both feeling a bit 'mentally weak' and 'nervous' during filming.

  • On February 25, 2026, Ha and Thompson appeared on the Capital Breakfast radio show and discussed the skin condition Ha developed after filming the bathtub scene.

The players

Yerin Ha

A 28-year-old actress who plays Sophie Baek in season four of the Netflix drama Bridgerton.

Luke Thompson

A 37-year-old actor who plays Benedict Bridgerton, Ha's co-star, in the Netflix series.

Bridgerton

A Netflix period drama series that has faced some backlash over its steamy sex scenes, but the show's creators have defended the intentionality behind them.

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What they’re saying

“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, and then basically the next day after the bathtub, I got hives all over my body and got folliculitis and needed steroid cream!”

— Yerin Ha, Actress (Capital Breakfast)

“What we actually did is we both got ill. But different scenes. We kept falling ill!”

— Luke Thompson, Actor (E! News)

“Bridgerton is very good at making the scenes feel actually poetic. There's a brilliant metaphor there about meeting at the center of the staircase.”

— Luke Thompson, Actor (E! News)

The takeaway

This case highlights the physical challenges actors can face when filming intimate scenes, even for a show as acclaimed as Bridgerton. However, the show's creators have defended the intentionality behind these scenes, seeing them as an extension of the characters' emotions rather than gratuitous. Ultimately, the discomfort appears to be worth it for the actors, who appreciate the meaningful nature of the Bridgerton storylines.