Simone Ashley Signs on to “Bridgerton”
PC: Netflix
On Feb. 15, Netflix announced that they had cast actress Simone Ashley in a significant role in season two of “Bridgerton”. She will be playing the main love interest for Anthony Bridgerton, the main character of the season. According to Netflix’s announcement, Kate Sharma is a “smart, headstrong young woman who suffers no fools — Anthony Bridgerton very much included.”
Ashley has also had roles in “Broadchurch” and limited series “The Sister”. In “Sex Education,” Ashley played Olivia Hanan, a popular, mean girl who leaks inappropriate pictures of her friend. She eventually bonds with a group of girls after sharing her experience with sexual assault.
Julia Quinn’s “The Viscount Who Loved Me” will be the inspiration for the second season of “Bridgerton”. Season one of “Bridgerton” was released on Dec. 25, 2020. Following its release, over 82 million households watched Bridgerton in the month. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix only anticipated 63 million views.
One thing that sets the show apart from others is its diversity. In the book series, a majority of the characters are white. However, the show writers have adapted many of the roles to give more representation to minorities. For instance, the creative team adapted Sharma to be Indian.
The new season will focus mainly on Bridgerton and Sharma’s relationship, a stark shift from the first season. Audiences will meet more characters in season two, according to “Bridgerton” creator and show-runner Chris Van Dusen.
“We have a bunch of new characters we are going to be introducing,” Van Dusen said when he announced the Season 2 renewal. “Anthony is going to have a love interest next season, and I think it’s going to be as sweeping and moving and as beautiful as viewers of the first season have come to expect from the show.”
Following the news, Ashley shared an article about it via Instagram story.