Is Bridgerton discriminating against Simone Ashley aka Kate Sharma? Here’s why fans think so

Disclaimer: This article contains the author's analysis of Bridgerton's Kate Sharma and fan reactions to her character.

Netflix's Bridgerton has gained a lot of attention for its diverse and inclusive casting, but some fans have pointed out that Simone Ashley, who plays Kate Sharma, might not be getting the recognition she deserves. The show has fans all over the world, but people on social media like Twitter and Reddit have noticed some things that worry them.

For example, Simone hasn't been included in some of the BTS content. Also, when people talk about how successful Bridgerton is, they often don't mention her name. To make things worse, the show's marketing team put out an ad that showed Kate as an animal. Fans of Bridgerton were even more shocked to find out that Simone and her co-star Jonathan Bailey had to pay for their party at the end of filming. Usually, the main actors of a popular show don't have to do that.

Let's look into this issue more closely to understand what's happening with Simone's character and what it means for Hollywood.

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Simone Ashley’s exclusion from key Bridgerton promos

Fans of Bridgerton were concerned when they noticed that Simone Ashley was not in the announcement videos for Seasons 3 and 4. She played a big part in Season 2, so her absence was surprising.

In the videos, almost every other main actor was shown, but not her. This made people wonder if she would be left out of future promotions. After Season 2 became very popular, the characters Kate, Edwina, and Mary Sharma were not talked about much.

In contrast, the other main characters from earlier seasons, like Simon and Penelope, had been discussed. Kate had an important role in Season 2, but some felt she didn't get the same depth of story as they did.

Also, unlike the other leads, Kate's story didn't get fully explored, as she was involved in a love triangle that some fans thought was not needed. During her time on the show, Kate had to deal with having a baby, and her story was not as central as the others as she was shipped off to India for it.

Some fans argue that even though Daphne's role got smaller after her main season, she still had meaningful scenes in later seasons. However, Kate was hardly seen in Season 3, which made people suspicious about her importance in the show. To make the show more balanced, fans are asking for Kate to get more screen time and not have her story sidelined.

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The Bridgerton costuming and marketing controversy about Kate Sharma's character

A key issue that has caused disagreement is how Bridgerton has presented Kate Sharma's character through costume and promotional choices. The show's costume designer mentioned in an interview that Kate's clothing was influenced by "the color of spice." Some took this as a negative portrayal, as it might suggest that Kate's South Asian background is being used as an exotic stereotype.

This problem got worse when a promotional ad showed Kate in a way that made her look like an animal. This sparked a lot of criticism from viewers. Due to the strong backlash, the show had to change the image and remove Kate's character from the advertisement.

@ZendayasDriving shared on June 12, 2024,

This marketing mistake and ignoring Kate's cultural background in the show have made people think Bridgerton hasn't treated its South Asian lead well.

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Was Kate Sharma’s cultural identity almost entirely erased from the plot of Bridgerton?

When Simone Ashley tried out for her role, she was drawn to Kate Sharma because the show promised to explore the character’s South Asian background deeply. But fans think this didn’t happen. Kate’s personal life and family history weren’t looked into much.

Some fans were sad because the show didn’t talk about the Sharmas’ mix of South and North Indian heritage or their past in India. They also thought it was important to show Kate’s time as someone moving to a new country.

Even more, Kate and Anthony didn’t get a wedding scene in Season 2. Other main couples on the show had this. Many fans believe that the show focused too much on a love triangle that wasn’t in the books instead of their full story. This stopped people from seeing how Kate and Anthony grew as a couple.

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Bridgerton can still be watched on Netflix.

Fans are interested to find out if the show's creators will deal with how Simone Ashley is treated. If they make changes, it would sure be good to see!

Next up: Netflix drops an exclusive teaser for Bridgerton Season 4