'Bridgerton' 's Simone Ashley Says She Felt 'Confident' During Sex Scenes with Costar Jonathan Bailey

"I was very excited to be doing these scenes where we can show a dark-skinned woman and her body and to not be so taboo about it," Simone Ashley said of her sex scenes with Bridgerton costar Jonathan Bailey

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Published on March 25, 2022 11:22 AM

bridgerton season 2 — Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma and Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton. Photo: netflix

Simone Ashley has some thoughts when it comes to her onscreen intimacy with Bridgerton costar Jonathan Bailey.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE ahead of the release of the Netflix series' second season, Ashley opened up about her sex scenes with Bailey — and why she felt so "confident" going into them.

"I was very confident," said Ashley — who plays Kate Sharma, the love interest of Bailey's Anthony Bridgerton. "I felt very safe. I felt very protected. I was very excited to be doing these scenes where we can show a dark-skinned woman and her body and not be so taboo about it. Especially a dark-skinned Indian woman where maybe they're represented in a conservative way sometimes."

She also credited Bailey with making her feel even more comfortable.

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"Johnny was an amazing co-partner to work with," the 25-year-old actress added. "We worked with an amazing intimacy coordinator who ensured that it was choreographed and it was a safe space where we could communicate and make sure that we knew exactly what was going to be happening on the day. And I think that's something that Johnny and I had throughout the whole series. We always had each other's backs and made sure that each other, as much as we were doing our own work and we were on our own journeys, we would always check in with one another and make sure that they were okay."

In an interview with The Sunday Times earlier this month, Bailey expressed similar sentiments.

"For a man, it is less exposing," the 33-year-old actor told the outlet. "I wanted to make sure Simone felt safe as a newcomer on set."

Though the scenes were shot by "the female gaze," meaning that it is portrayed from the woman's point of view, Bailey noted that the actors always knew what they were getting themselves into before filming.

"If you are concerned, you can talk to [the intimacy coordinators]," he explained, adding that the actors were also given consent forms to sign before each scene, detailing "which bit of skin we are going to show in each scene and where we will be touched and how."

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Based on the popular books by Julia Quinn, Bridgerton season 1 followed the esteemed families of British high society and their romantic pursuits through the lens of a mysterious gossip columnist, Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews). The focus of season 2 is set to be on the romances of Anthony Bridgerton as he attempts to find a wife.

Since its premiere, the show has become a massive success, becoming one of the most-watched original series on Netflix to date. In April, Bridgerton was renewed for a third and fourth season.

Bridgerton season 2 is now available on Netflix.