Simone Ashley: 5 Things To Know About The Actress Playing Kate In ‘Bridgerton’ Season 2

Watch out, Anthony Bridgerton. Kate Sharma is going to steal your heart! Simone Ashley has been cast as Kate in ‘Bridgerton’ season 2. Here’s what you need to know about her.

Simone Ashley, 25, is going to be the diamond of Bridgerton season 2! The actress has joined the cast of the hit Netflix series and will make her first appearance in the highly-anticipated second season. Simone is playing a notable character from Julia Quinn’s book, The Viscount Who Loved Me.

So, who is Simone Ashley? If you’ve watched some other hit TV shows, you’ve likely seen her before. To the scoop about her character to her other projects, here are 5 things to know about Simone.

1. Simone Ashley will play Kate Sharma. 

Simone’s Kate Sharma is the character Bridgerton book readers know as Kate Sheffield. Kate makes her first appearance in the second book in Julia’s Bridgerton book series, The Viscount Who Loved Me. Kate is the older sister of Edwina Sheffield, the season’s “Diamond of the First Water.” In keeping with the show’s dedication to diversifying its roles within the period drama, Kate and her family are of Indian descent. Simone joins Jonathan Bailey, Regé-Jean Page, Phoebe Dynevor, Nicola Coughlan, and more Bridgerton stars who are returning for season 2.

2. Simone will be a love interest for Jonathan Bailey’s Anthony Bridgerton.

Kate will come onto the scene and steal Anthony Bridgerton’s heart. Anthony was introduced in the first season as the eldest Bridgerton child and Daphne’s overprotective older brother. Anthony had a secret relationship with singer Siena, which came to a heartbreaking end in season 1. Kate will definitely keep Anthony on his toes like no one has before. “Kate is a smart, headstrong young woman who suffers no fools — Anthony Bridgerton very much included,” Netflix wrote about Kate.

3. Simone has starred in another hit Netflix show.

Simone is best known for her role as Olivia Hanan in Netflix’s Sex Education. Olivia is one of the members of The Untouchables. The show has been renewed for season 3.

4. She used her time in lockdown learning to be ‘proactive.’

“The more we let in, the more we can understand and be proactive,” she told Harper’s Bazaar India in June 2020. “Being proactive is helping. Donate, sign petitions, protest, speak up. And hey, it’s 2020, a message to all dark-skinned desi girls, put down that fairness cream, you don’t need it.”

5. The actress has been featured in other TV shows and movies.

In addition to Sex Education, Simone recently starred as Elise Fox in the miniseries The Sister. She also had a small role in the 2019 film Detective Pikachu. Her first role was in the 2016 series Wolfblood.