Simone Ashley, better known as Moordale's quintessential “it” girl in Sex Education, is ditching her trendy crop tops for lavish regal attire, thanks to her new lead role as Kate Sharma in Netflix’s Bridgerton.
Per Deadline, fans can expect to see the actress embody a “smart, headstrong young woman who suffers no fools—Anthony Bridgerton very much included.” But what else has Ashley appeared in, and how did she get her big break? Keep reading for more details about the 26-year-old star.
Ashley (whose full name is Simone Ashwini Pillai) is a British actress, who's best known for her role as Olivia Hanan in Sex Education. After studying acting at the Arts Educational School in London, she went on to appear in British shows and films like Broadchurch, Doctors and Kill Ben Lyk. Plus, according to Variety, she landed an uncredited role in the Oscar-nominated biopic, Straight Outta Compton.
In an exclusive Q&A with Veylex, Ashley explained that she was always drawn to the arts, despite growing up in an academic family. She said, “I’ve just always wanted to create and anything that allows me to do that has got my attention! It allows me to be spontaneous and play. I guess it’s something I’ve always wanted to pursue and didn’t think twice about it.”
The actress also added that her dad played a big role in her decision. She added, “My father has always been deeply passionate about music, film and photography. Growing up, the record player was always playing rock n’ roll tunes or Bob Marley, and the TV always had epic movies on, like Kill Bill.”
According to IMDb, Ashley landed her first role in 2016, when she played Zuhra in the supernatural drama, Wolfblood. The teen series received multiple accolades, including the Royal Television Society Award for Best Children's Drama and the British Screenwriters' Award for Best British Children's Television.
Aside from her impressive acting skills, Ashley is also a talented musician. Per Variety, she grew up singing classical music and had a passion for musical theater. She even learned to play the piano and ukulele.
By the looks of her official Instagram account, it appears that the actress is currently single—although it’s worth noting that she rarely discusses her personal life and romantic pursuits.
Still, we can always count on Ashley to brighten our feeds with her most fashionable looks.
