‘Bridgerton’ Star Simone Ashley Chemistry and Representation Talks

Playing the fiercely independent Kate Sharma in the new season of “Bridgerton,” Simone Ashley has found a lot to connect with in her character, a young woman who doesn’t have time for love and struggles when confronted with it.

“I’m still on the same journey, learning the balance between being serious and brave and being headstrong and courageous, but also learning the balance between sharing space and connecting and bringing people in,” said 27-year-old Ms Ashley.

Coming to Netflix in late March, Season 2 centers on Kate and her younger sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran), who travel with their mother from India to find a husband for her little Sharma daughter. However, Kate has feelings for viscount Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), who is wooing Edwina, and does her best to deny those feelings.

Despite this season especially contains less action scenes More than the first, it still features plenty of juicy gossip, extravagant styles and instrumental pop covers, plus a few nods to South Asian culture.

Growing up in England, Ms. Ashley played a major role in “Sex Education”, a Netflix comedy about the lives of high school students, but “Bridgerton” is playing the lead character in a major production for the first time. In a video interview last week, the actress talked about building chemistry with her co-star and the importance of on-screen representation. This conversation has been compressed and edited.

What were your favorite scenes from this season of “Bridgerton”?

I love the scene where Kate and Anthony dance for the first time. And the bee sting scene – I think this is a very important turning point in the story. The stakes really increased and they realized that they had feelings for each other and that there was now a barrier between everything they worked for. And I love all the horse riding scenes.

What was the weirdest scene to shoot?

There were no awkward moments. Uncomfortable, maybe. We were in the mud all day in the mud scene, but in the second take we really got used to it. I try to never have thoughts of feeling awkward or uncomfortable. I just tried to go ahead and find the positives and take it as a challenge and have fun with it so I can leave and know I did my best.

As a viewer, the chemistry between Kate and Anthony was palpable. What was it like when you first met Jonathan Bailey?

We met to study chemistry and it was very strange. We sat on a sofa and shot three scenes. I guess I can’t remember the horse riding scene where Kate and Anthony first met, the library scene and, my God, the last one. We just clicked.

How were the proximity coordinators?

We worked with Lizzy Talbot, who is a wonderful intimacy coordinator. It really encouraged us to portray what it’s like to be empowered by a woman and convey a sense of knowing what she wants. And I loved that about Kate—she’s always been a self-actualizing woman, and I think she’s incredibly sexy in that sense. There’s a sense of spirit in him that Anthony is fascinated with, and it’s a very safe space to share that with him, have fun with him, and enjoy for himself.

I found this incredibly empowering, especially as a woman of color. I am proud of my body and I love my body. I am grateful that she is healthy and strong enough to get up and do the things I need to do every day.

What were some great love books or movies that influenced your perspective on love?

I grew up watching a lot of Disney classics, a lot of classic movies, and a lot of musicals. I think we all love to see people overcome whatever comes their way by following their hearts in their lives.

Which heroes have you looked at?

There was something about the character of Uma Thurman in “Kill Bill” that I didn’t quite understand but was fascinated by. She was a very focused woman, and it was about taking her baby and getting some kind of revenge, but we’re not going to get into that. I thought he was very serious and overcame everything, physically or mentally. And I remember being a kid and watching it – really being inspired by it.

Women of color on the internet talked about how important it was for them, as a dark-skinned Indian woman, to star in such a hit Netflix show. What does this mean for you?

I am so grateful and wonderfully overwhelmed by the response we received. I am very proud of my legacy and proud of any influence I have had, I just do my job, especially if they are positive and it uplifts other women and makes them feel seen.

There seems to be two sides to the conversation surrounding race in “Bridgerton.” Some say it works wonders for representationwhile others claim that color blind casting not used to make bigger point in the array. How do you see the representation in the series?

100 percent color-conscious casting and not colorblind. We accept the fact that these characters are Indian and women of color, but it’s beautifully done because when the Sharmas arrive they fit together perfectly. I don’t care if they are from India. And it is celebrated in many different ways. We were certainly not brought into this drama as two Tamil women to be completely ignored. It’s totally celebrated in everything from the costumes to the makeup to the story to the scenes.

Many South Asian viewers loved the show’s nod to Indian culture, including talks about chai, the fabric from which the Sharmas’ dresses are made, and the inclusion of “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” in the soundtrack. Did any of these moments particularly catch your attention?

I love the scene where Kate rubs coconut oil on Edwina’s hair. That scene where you see Edwina’s frustration and determination to become viscountess is such a shift in the storyline. At this point, Kate begins to lose control and Edwina begins to take the reins of this plan. Everything changes in that moment, but there is also a scene where Kate rubs coconut oil on Edwina’s hair. I’m sure women from many different heritages resonate with that. It’s a very close bonding moment between two women – two sisters – that I think many women can relate to.

What passion do you have besides acting?

I love singing. I like cooking. I am quite sporty and very outdoorsy. The perfect day for me would be to spend hours in the sun and go swimming.

What was it like being at fashion week?

I love fashion. I love clothes. It’s part of my job that I’m very privileged and grateful to be able to discover. Along the way I learned a lot about myself and fashion in general. And I love the few red carpet moments I’ve had. It turns into an even more exciting thought: What am I going to do next? And what kinds of things do I want to discover? What kind of message or emotion do I want to convey?

Who is a director you would like to work with?

There are several. I can say Greta Gerwig, Quentin Tarantino, Mimi Cave. Jeremy O. Harris is a great guy. I could go on, but I’ll leave it there.