Nicola Coughlan has very quickly become Ireland’s sweetheart.
Nicola Coughlan can do no wrong, we’re always amazed by her talent and humour, so it’s no wonder Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness buddied up with her.
The two besties opened up to People magazine about the unusual but very 21st century way they became friends.
Already being major fans of eachothers shows, Jonathan adoring Derry Girls and Nicola obsessing over Queer Eye, it wasn’t until Nicola tweeted about wearing her JVN hoodie while watching the show back in 2018 that the pair became instant buds.
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After crashing Nicola’s Zoom call with People, Jonathan said: “Our friendship really is just so special to me because Nicola’s been in this industry for a minute, and I haven’t, and there’s just been so many times where I had questions and didn’t know what to do, and needed feedback. She’s helped me navigate all sorts of situations that I never thought I’d find myself in.”
The pair officially met in New York where they went to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway together, and the rest is history.
It was at the intermission of that very show that he confided in Nicola and told her that he was planning on going public with his HIV status, securing their bond for good.
Nicola, of course, was so supportive of her pal, and she knew she had found a friend for life.
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Nicola added: “It felt like we had met before. It just felt like we’d been friends forever. Then our friend groups just sort of melded together.”
Obviously lockdown kept them apart, but the friendship stayed as strong as ever, with the two only growing closer.
Nicola said: “The fact that our friends and family know one another and have love for one another — that’s incredibly special, and it’s rare in the world. It just means so, so much, honestly.”
Either way, we’re just hoping this means JVN will make a cameo in the third season of Derry Girls… Maybe a part time job in Dennis’s Wee Shop?
