Director explains the real reason Simone Ashley’s role was cut from the new F1 movie

Simone Ashley was supposed to be in the new F1 movie with Brad Pitt, but her part didn’t make it into the final version.

The Bridgerton actress, known for playing Kate Sharma, was announced as part of the cast last year. People were excited to see her in the film with big stars like Brad Pitt and Damson Idris. She was even seen filming at real Formula One races. So, many expected her to have a big role.

But now, as the film gets ready to hit cinemas next week, it turns out Simone’s part was ultimately cut from the final film.

So, why was Simone Ashley’s role cut from the F1 movie?

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Director Joseph Kosinski spoke to PEOPLE about the change. He said, “It happens on every film, where you have to shoot more than you can use. There were two or three storylines that ultimately didn’t make into the final cut.”

He also said how much he respects Simone as an actress, and added, “But Simone, she’s an incredible talent, incredible actress, incredible singer, and I would love to work with her again.”

So, has Simone said anything?

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A post shared by Simone Ashley (@simoneashley)

Simone hasn’t spoken directly about her part being cut. But in interviews, she’s still spoken happily about the experience.

Earlier this month, she told ELLE that making F1 was a “crazy” experience. She said, “I have a very small part, but I’m grateful to be in that movie. I got to experience many Grands Prix. I don’t think I’ll ever do anything like that again.”

In March, she told Who What Wear that she joined the film a long time ago. “I met for this movie, I think, before Bridgerton even came out.”

Even though her role ended up being small, she really enjoyed the filming process. Because the team was filming at real races, they had to move quickly.

“Sometimes we literally had one take for certain shots,” she said. “It was amazing, the adrenaline. It was kind of like theatre, it felt so live.”

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