Meet Simone Ashley, newest cast member of Netflix’s Bridgerton Season 2: the Tamilian-British actress turned down Bollywood, got her breakout role in Sex Education, and loves Fleetwood Mac
- Bridgerton fans are getting ready for season two of the hit period drama, which stars Simone Ashley with Jonathan Bailey, Nicola Coughlan, Adjoa Andoh and Charithra Chandran
- Ashley turned down Bollywood for more ‘unexpected roles’, starring in Sex Education, and is loved by Bridgerton’s producer Shonda Rhimes, who also did Inventing Anna and Grey’s Anatomy
As the world gears up to watch the second season of Netflix’s smash period drama Bridgerton, slated to release on March 25, fans are excited to learn that a new face has been added in the mix of its sterling cast. It’s a sigh of relief for fans who felt blue after actor Regé-Jean Page’s departure, who played Simon Basset in the first season.
Meet Simone Ashley, who plays Kate Sharma in season two of Bridgerton. Although she may be new to the cast, she is no stranger to British TV. She’s been in an array of shows (Wolfblood, Broadchurch) before, but gained worldwide fame by playing Olivia Hanan in three seasons of Netflix’s teen show Sex Education alongside Asa Butterfield and Mimi Keene.
As her next gig will be the lead of a lauded period drama, Ashley seems to be destined for an even brighter future. Here’s everything you need to know about her.
She rebels against her family norms
The Tamilian-British starlet was born in Camberley, Surrey, to a family of scholars and academics (her parents are Tamilians from Sri Lanka). In an interview with Vogue Singapore recently, Ashley confessed that she is the non-academic in her family and while her parents are supportive of her artistic endeavours (she graduated from the prestigious Arts Educational School), they have concerns regarding her career’s longevity.
“They still find it quite scary and unsettling. There is no crystal ball, no security, no guarantee. Which can be a parent’s worst nightmare,” she told Veylex in an interview.
Born as Simone Ashwini Pillai, the actress confessed that music, film, photography and art have always been her forte and that she has always been a rebel. “My parents are incredibly protective over me, and sometimes I find it quite stifling. It made me want to escape and do things my own way. I’ve always been a bit rebellious in that sense.”
She created Olivia Hanan’s bubblegum trademark in Sex Education
“Sex Education was really life-changing. I’m so grateful for that show. I learned so much in my craft and as a person. It was such a joy,” she told Vogue Singapore. Ashley played Olivia Hanan, a sex positive and relentlessly savage teenager on the show who became a fan favourite.