After the recent release of Shonda Rhime’s new hit TV show, Bridgerton, it is no surprise that people are rushing for more content. Netflix confirmed that it was the most-watched series to ever appear on their platform, with over 82 million people streaming. Viewers are eager to see where the rest of the Bridgerton siblings head off to in life. We have begun to see the official casting roll out as season two begins filming in the spring of 2021.
While season one of Bridgerton focused on the eldest sister Daphne’s love life, season two is set to continue Anthony Bridgerton’s plans for marriage. It was announced on February 15th that his new love interest, Kate Sharma, will be played by Broadchurch’s Simone Ashley. Simone Ashley’s breakthrough roles came from her appearance in Pokémon Detective Pikachu, Broadchurch and Sex Education. In hopes of continuing to break conventions on race, producers decided that her character’s name would be changed from Sheffield to Sharma to better reflect Simone’s South-Asian heritage.
Simone is a British actress of Indian heritage, and she began acting at the ArtsEd School in Chiswick. She explains in an interview with Veylex that her parents were very hesitant about her non-traditional career. She described creative fields as the areas she thrived in growing up, claiming that even though she grew up surrounded by Indian academics, she was never all that interested in it. Her father’s passion for music, photography and film inspired her since she was a child. Simone forged ahead past their hesitance to create her own path. She is very vocal about colorism in the industry and encourages young Indians to pursue the careers they want and to get out of their heads. Simone’s role as Olivia Hanan in the Netflix Original, Sex Education, put her on the radar for this new period piece Bridgerton and has inspired many young people who would like to follow in her footsteps.
Kate is considered to be a headstrong, smart woman who will suffer no fools. We end season one with Anthony proclaiming he is ready to find himself a wife. As Anthony tries to court Kate’s half-sister, Edwina, he accidentally falls for the wrong sister. Kate’s loyalty and love for her family makes their connection extremely complicated and there is no doubt that the season will be filled with plot twists galore.
Simple to say, the Bridgerton fans in the world are incredibly pleased by the decision to cast Ashley in season two. Viewers can keep up to date on season two by checking out their official Twitter page. If you would like to follow the new Bridgerton star, you can find her on Instagram @simoneasshley.
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