Simone Ashley on kissing scenes with Jonathan Bailey, getting kicked out of drama school, and Bridgerton criticism

Louis Theroux· Host0:00

[upbeat music] Hello, and welcome to the final episode of this series of The Louis Theroux Podcast. [upbeat music] Today, I'm joined by actress and Bridgerton superstar, Simone Ashley. Bridgerton is, of course, the Netflix mega-hit, the fourth season of which came out earlier this year, in which Simone plays Kate Sharma, the sharp-witted older sister of the Diamond of the season. That will mean something to Bridgerton fans. Her love interest, Anthony Bridgerton, is played by Jonathan Bailey, Johnny to his friends. We talk about that in the chat. And for me, this was an opportunity not just to talk to a talented young actress, but also to dig deep into a series that, to be honest with you, I'd never seen before. I'd seen little glimpses and was always a little baffled, as a historian, if I may, by what seemed to be certain liberties it had taken with the historical record. Um, it's a kind of multiracial take on aristocratic England of the early 18th century. We talk about that. It's kind of politically controversial in some ways, and in other ways, I think people love it for not, not being overly preoccupied with those themes. Simone's first big break was a recurring role in another