Summary
Overview
In this final episode of the series, Louis Theroux speaks with Bridgerton star Simone Ashley about her breakout role as Kate Sharma, the challenges of fame, her unconventional path to acting, and her new music career. They discuss the show's alternate historical setting, the intimacy of filming romantic scenes during COVID, her difficult school years, and her perspective on representation in entertainment. The conversation ranges from the pressures of sudden stardom to her happily single life in New York and upcoming projects including The Devil Wears Prada 2.
Bridgerton's Success and Chemistry
Simone reflects on Bridgerton's massive cultural impact, particularly season two which featured her romance with Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton. She discusses how the show became a phenomenon during lockdown, with three seasons ranking in Netflix's top 10 most-streamed shows. The chemistry between the leads was crucial, and Simone credits Bailey with teaching her about loyalty to the show and craft, as he juggled Bridgerton with filming Wicked.
- Three seasons of Bridgerton rank in Netflix's top 10 most-streamed shows, with 80% of viewers being women
- Jonathan Bailey set an example of loyalty to the show, flying between Toronto and London while filming Wicked
- Simone and Bailey spent 11 months together filming during lockdown, creating strong working chemistry
" Johnny, I learned so much from him. He's a veteran. He set a great example of the loyalty to the show. It is a show about family and returning home and returning to the family. "
Filming Intimacy During COVID
The production faced unique challenges filming romantic scenes during the pandemic. Simone reveals the absurd yet necessary COVID protocols, including rinsing with Corsodil mouthwash between takes of kissing scenes. She and Bailey worked closely to choreograph their intimate moments, focusing on telling the characters' love story authentically while navigating mask mandates and safety measures that created a surreal filming environment.
- The iconic church kiss required rinsing with Corsodil mouthwash between takes as a COVID precaution
- The slow-burn romance delayed the first kiss until episode six or seven, using multiple camera angles
- Period-accurate restrictions meant Kate couldn't even touch Anthony's shoulder without correction
" We had to rinse with Corsodil between takes. We would rinse our mouths and then they'd say cut, rinse our mouths, put the mask or visor back on. We were standing there with masks and then taking them off to smooch and then putting the masks back on. "
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