From Bridgerton to The Devil Wears Prada 2, Simone Ashley has graced our screens, owned her space, and proved that anyone can become the standard.
In a world of labels and restrictions, where the colour of your skin can somehow decide what society deems you worthy of, we need people who set it all aflame. That’s the work of Simone Ashley, a 31-year-old British-Indian actress who has become a trailblazer of representation for South Asian women in Hollywood, proving that regardless of your skin tone or heritage, anything is possible.
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You may know her from a little show called Bridgerton, where, in season 2, she took centre stage as the leading lady, Kate Sharma, in an enemies-to-lovers arc that shook the world by storm. Or perhaps you know her more recent work in The Devil Wears Prada 2, where she boasted the most glorious of fashion looks. In an article by PinkVilla, the legendary Meryl Streep sang Simone’s praises, describing her as a “Miranda-in-training”. From the first time she appeared on screen, it was inevitable that Simone would become a pioneer in the industry for women of colour and especially darker-skinned South Asian women. Why? Because she made it happen.
From the Beginning
Born Simone Ashwini Pillai, which in a South African context is so refreshing, as the surname Pillai or Pillay is common amongst the South African-Indian communities, Simone has become an antithesis to what so many brown girls are taught growing up. Even though she, too, has a relatable beginning to her story. “It’s a bit ironic. I grew up in a household full of Indian academics. You know – the doctors, the engineers, the accountants. It’s pretty cliché! I was never a budding academic, and always thrived in creative fields,” she shared in an interview with Veylex.
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Words: Thuveshine Govender
Photographs: Getty Images
