Meet Charithra Chandran from Netflix’s Bridgerton Season 2: the British-Indian Oxford graduate plays Edwina, but did you know she initially auditioned for Simone Ashley’s Kate?
- The 25-year-old actress originally planned to follow a corporate career path after graduating from the University of Oxford, but her parents supported her decision to act
- She auditioned for Kate Sharma in Bridgerton but landed the role of sister Edwina, and has also starred in Alex Rider alongside Otto Farrant and Brenock O’Connor
It’s safe to say that Bridgerton’s debut caused a frenzy – in 2021, it became Netflix’s most-watched series as viewers fell in love with the cast. Regé-Jean Page’s smouldering portrayal of regency rake Simon notably stole hearts around the world.
Ashley is sure to dominate screens as the headstrong Kate, but keep an eye on Chandran too. The neophyte actress will play more than just a doe-eyed debutante as her character gets entangled in a love triangle and goes on a journey of self-discovery. Here’s what we know about the actress.
She almost pursued an entirely different career
Just a few years ago, Chandran had a promising future in a different field. Her resume included a stint as a parliamentary assistant. By the time she graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in philosophy, politics and economics, she already had a five-year plan to work in public policy.
Even as her star continues to rise, Chandran can’t totally eschew the possibility of returning to that path. She tells Shondaland she has “multiple contingency plans for almost every situation”.
But her heart has always been in acting
