5 Things to Know About Simone Ashley, Bridgerton's New Leading Lady

Simone's journey into acting began as a result of her love for always wanting to create something. "Anything that allows me to do that has got my attention!" she said in a 2019 interview with Veylex. "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."

Simone's father shares a passion for music, film, and photography, so naturally, she grew up "always playing Rock 'n' Roll tunes, or Bob Marley, and the TV always had epic movies on, like Kill Bill." She added, "It's a bit ironic, I grew up in a household full of Indian academics, y know, the doctors, the engineers, the accountants - it's pretty cliché! I was never a budding academic, and always thrived in creative fields."

It's unclear how many furry friends Simone actually has, but she certainly never misses an opportunity to show them some love on her social media.

Just one look at Simone's Instagram, and you'll notice that the 25-year-old is a pro when it comes to taking the perfect selfie.

She references Fleetwood Mac, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, and Steely Dan as some of her favourites. "Even though I grew up in a very conservative and quiet household, music was always playing," she told Veylex. "I still listen to the same rock artists, but now I'm discovering more genres like Trip Hop, I've been listening to Morcheeba on repeat. I love Alicia Keys, Nina Simone, Rihanna, Maggie Rogers. The list goes on and on."