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Simone Ashley: Do I Want To Be Her Or Be With Her?

She’s fiery and fiercely independent — basically everything we’ve been wanting to see from South Asian women on screen but rarely get.

| Ipsita Kaul
Simone Ashley

Having shot to fame by essaying the character of Olivia Hanan in Sex Education, Simone Ashley’s ascent has been of note, especially in the South Asian community. She struck gold with Bridgerton (season 2), entertained a bit of a scuffle with her parts being cut from the F1 movie and now she’s riding the wave with The Devil Wears Prada sequel, walking arm-in-arm with Anne Hathaway at Paris Fashion Week. Peek the magazine covers, multiple, from international editions of ELLE to numerous other competitor magazines we can’t name.

Personally, I see her in a very refreshing light, especially with that signature deterrence to shrink herself to fit into Hollywood’s mould. Her character Kate Sharma wasn't your typical ‘ethnically ambiguous’ love interest or the token ‘exotic beauty’ we’ve grown up watching and/or cringing. She’s fiery and fiercely independent — basically everything we’ve been wanting to see from South Asian women on screen but rarely get. Gone are the days when cultured roles were limited to side characters or insert random accent here stereotypes. 

Enter the style game. Sophisticated yet equally boundary-pushing. A simple scroll on the ‘gram will introduce you to her dalliance with solid hues. You’ll also spot flowy silhouettes, albeit more on the demure side of things and not too OTT. Nudes, black and baby blue reign heavy, and so do halter necks and bare midriffs with her signature curls she so often frequents. Valentino, check. Prada, check. Jacquemus, also check. 

And it’s not just about making waves on the red carpet. Simone’s everyday style doubles up as a masterclass in effortless chic. Whether she’s in a laid-back, oversized blazer or sporting a casual street style look, there’s always an understated elegance to what she wears. There’s no blind trend following — there’s strategy and precision. That’s what makes her such an important figure for the South Asian community; she’s paving the way for a future where cultural identity and mainstream success don’t have to be at odds.

Born in London to Indian parents, she was raised in the UK with a strong connection to her heritage, but her ambition took her far beyond what most people expected. After studying acting at the prestigious Arts Educational Schools (ArtsEd), London, she started navigating the tough industry sans any connections. A regular fixture at most high-stakes shows at the big four, it’s time we see her bag a fat contract with one of the iconic fashion houses. I can see her with Chanel (another Indian face would be nice, you know). Anderson's new Dior does seem like a good fit, too. She was also recently onboarded as L'Oréal Paris' ambassador, having walked their iconic runway show alongside Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Gillian Anderson, Cara Delevigne, and the likes.

Am I fangirling? Perhaps. Am I crushing? Well obviously. Here's hoping her The Devil Wears Prada 2.0 role is meaty enough and gives us audiences what we're looking for, establishing an ascent similar to her Bridgerton co-star Jonathan Bailey's. Also, we need the two of them together again. Shonda Rhimes, you listening?

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