Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley Wants to ‘Normalise’ South Asian Representation in Hollywood With Projects Like Picture This

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Actress Simone Ashley, recognized from Bridgerton and Sex Education, will be starring as the main character in the upcoming romantic comedy Picture This. Known for advocating for increased representation in the movie industry, she expresses her hope that this role will make it commonplace to see South Asian actors in prominent roles within mainstream films.

Growing up with role models like Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, and Anne Hathaway, who were prominent in romantic comedies, Ashley often harbored the desire to emulate them. Yet, as a British-Indian Tamil actress, she seldom encountered characters or individuals resembling herself within those genres.

Ashley excitedly expressed, “I’ve longed to portray a character similar to that one. As soon as we received the script, I couldn’t help but dive into the role. I felt compelled to slip into those shoes and revive that 90s romantic comedy atmosphere.

Picture This

Character, Ashley, portrays Pia, a struggling London photographer who’s juggling her business woes with societal expectations to find romance. However, her life takes an unexpected turn when a prophecy from a spiritual guide leads her on a series of five unforeseen blind dates. The movie features Hero Fiennes Tiffin from the After series and British comedian Asim Chaudhry alongside Ashley.

Ashley stresses that even though the film focuses on a South Asian family, its primary aim isn’t to make ethnicity the sole focus. Instead, she sees it as a traditional romantic comedy, which helps normalize such stories. She added that the movie posters won’t label the main character as an “Indian girl.” Rather, she hopes all women, not just South Asian ones, will be able to identify with this character.

Apart from playing the lead character, Ashley is also making her first appearance as an executive producer on “Picture This”. This role gives her more influence over the film’s development. Since being recognized by Variety as one of their 2021 Brits to Watch, she has firmly established herself in the industry, particularly as the leading actress in Bridgerton, portraying Kate Sharma.

Ashley openly admits that making it big in Hollywood as an Indian actress was not without its hurdles, yet she remains hopeful about the industry’s advancement. In her view, “We’ve made significant strides, and I believe we are part of the movement for change.” With films like Picture This, she aims to keep challenging norms and motivating a fresh wave of varied talent in filmmaking. Currently, Picture This is available for streaming on Prime Video.

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2025-03-11 10:52