Simone Ashley, best known for her role in Bridgerton, had her part significantly cut from the Formula One film starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris.
Despite being cast in the racing drama directed by Joseph Kosinski, the actress ended up with just a brief on-screen appearance and no dialogue.
Kosinski recently told People magazine that this was a case of having more material than they could use. “It happens on every film,” he said. “There were two or three storylines that ultimately didn’t make it into the final cut.” Unfortunately, Simone’s storyline was one of those that got dropped.
Even though her role didn’t make it to the final version, Kosinski didn’t hold back on his praise. “Simone, she’s an incredible talent, incredible actress, incredible singer, and I would love to work with her again,” he added.
Simone hasn’t directly commented on her role being cut, but she has previously shared how filming the F1 movie was a surreal and unforgettable experience. Speaking at IWC Schaffhausen’s Watches and Wonders booth in Geneva, she called it a “once in a lifetime experience.”
The film, which features a fictional 11th team on the grid called APXGP, sponsored by IWC Schaffhausen, was shot at real Formula One races. Simone described how immersive and intense the shoot was, especially because scenes had to be captured live while actual Grand Prix events were happening.
“We got to experience everything in real time at the real races,” Simone said. “The roar of the crowds, the roar of the engines, the chaos, the energy. I got to travel all over the world.”
To prepare for the role, Simone said she immersed herself with the team and bonded with the cast. “I’m very grateful to be part of this movie,” she said. “My preparation for it was to just be part of the team and to just immerse myself within it all. I made some great friends on this film, which really meant a lot to me.”
She also compared the experience to performing live theater. “It felt just like theatre,” she said, “like waiting in the wings, waiting to be called to go on to the grid or wherever we were filming. Sometimes we only had like five minutes or 10 minutes of access to film a scene.”
Simone even shared that Brad Pitt would play music to get everyone hyped before scenes. “Even talking about it makes me have goosebumps,” she said. “It was just indescribable.”
While her fans won’t get to see much of her in the final cut, Simone’s enthusiasm and professionalism clearly left a lasting impression on the production team, and maybe a door open for future collaborations.
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