‘Bridgerton’ Season 2 Cast: Meet the New Characters Kate & Edwina Sharma
Bridgerton is a period drama set in London’s competitive marriage fair.
The wait is finally over! Netflix’s Regency romance Bridgerton returns for season 2 today (March 25). And we encourage you to drink water: This one is going to be slow.
From producer Shonda Rhimes, this hit period drama ditches some of the historical details in favor of indulgence and sexy escapism. Not that we’re complaining. The first season was an instant hit in early 2021, becoming Netflix’s biggest series at the time. This season promises more heart-pounding romance (this time, Daphne’s brother Anthony Bridgerton is starring), exciting new heroines, and even more compelling drama.
The show, which comes from Shondaland, is based on the romance novel series by Julia Quinn. The first season followed a teenage girl as she entered London’s competitive marriage fair, an emotionally unavailable duke who pretended to court her, and an anonymous high-society gossip who knew everyone’s secrets. Season 2 will focus on the enemies-to-lovers romance between Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma.
Although Bridgerton is set in the 1810s, it still has modern ideas. It’s feminist, sex-positive, and refreshingly diverse, as the show imagines an alternate history in which people of color in Britain were also granted titles of nobility. And true to the Shondaland brand, there’s plenty of drama, complex female characters, chiseled jawlines, and intimate relationships to sink your teeth into. (You may not want to watch with your parents.)
If Bridgerton sounds like your thing, check out the cast and characters below.
Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma
Few characters in the Bridgerton book universe are as beloved as Kate, the headstrong young woman who eventually wins Anthony Bridgerton’s heart. Simone Ashley, 26, steps into the coveted role with confidence. The British actor plays Kate Sharma in Season 2, a reimagining of the fiery heroine that better fits Rhimes’ overarching vision for the show. As a result, Kate’s background has been tweaked to reflect Simone’s Indian heritage.
In season two, the upper echelons welcome the Sharma family—sisters Kate and Edwina, and their mother, Lady Mary—as the newest members of London’s elite. With younger sister Edwina constantly making proposals, Kate must protect her to ensure her sister has the best relationship during wedding season. This puts her at odds with Anthony, who sees Edwina as his perfect match, and the two hit it off. But it doesn’t take a whisper to know that the brewing tension between Kate and Anthony is about desire. Kate and Anthony’s enemies-to-lovers romance is the main plot of season two.
This is Simone’s first leading role, having previously appeared as a supporting character in Netflix’s Sex Education. But it certainly won’t be her last. In addition to acting, Simon is trained in classical music, opera, and musical theater—another win for the show’s “Bridgerton musical special”—and she even writes her own songs. The multifaceted talent is also in the process of starting her own production company so she can tell her own stories. “It’s interesting to be in a position where everything is put in front of you, but you’re given a microphone,” she told Glamour. “You can take it and create your own opportunities and raise the volume of your voice.”
In Season 1, Anthony Bridgerton played Daphne’s protective brother, who didn’t think anyone, especially his old friend the Duke of Hastings, was good enough for his sister. It’s hypocritical, considering that Anthony himself was a hotheaded bachelor who was caught between his head and his heart—but even in 1813, single men were given time to figure things out for themselves that single women weren’t.
In Season 2, Anthony decided that he was finally ready for a marriage of convenience, making him the most eligible bachelor of the season. However, when he set his sights on Lady Edwina Sharma, he quickly became enemies. of her sister, Kate, who doesn’t think he’s good enough for her. Oh. Pot, meet kettle. It doesn’t take long for the two of them to develop mutual contempt for each other, turning to attraction.
