Simone Ashley’s appearance in F1 is nearly invisible despite early buzz. So, what caused the major cut? From on-set edits to character reshuffling, here’s what we found.
Simone Ashley, known for her breakout role in Bridgerton, appears only briefly in F1, the new racing drama directed by Joseph Kosinski. Despite earlier reports and interviews suggesting she had a role in the film, Ashley’s presence in the final cut is minimal. What happened? Let’s break it down.
Simone Ashley had previously set expectations low on her breakout role, telling Elle, “I have a very small part, but I’m grateful to be in that movie.” She also noted the once-in-a-lifetime experience of attending multiple real-life Grand Prix races while filming. But “small” apparently meant “blink and you’ll miss it.”
Director Joseph Kosinski, also the man behind Top Gun: Maverick, explained it away in a chat with People. “It happens on every film,” he said, citing how a few storylines were filmed but eventually left out of the theatrical cut. He didn’t call out Ashley’s storyline specifically, but confirmed: “You have to shoot more than you can use. “She’s an incredible talent, incredible actress, incredible singer, and I would love to work with her again.” A nice save, but the internet isn’t fully buying it.
Adding to the story, Damson Idris revealed that Ashley was actually meant to play his character’s love interest. Speaking to BuzzFeed UK, he said, “I’ve been cut out of movies, and these things happen. But the joy of it is that, I know she’s gonna work with not only [director] Joseph Kosinski again, but definitely with me again.” Still, many wondered why her role wasn’t scaled back but erased.
Ashley has stayed classy and silent about her near-absence in F1, only posting on Instagram after the premiere to say how proud she was of her castmates. “I couldn’t have been prouder watching everyone shine on screen and on the carpet. I’ve come away with friendships and memories that I’ll treasure forever,” she wrote. Looks like the 30-year-old doesn’t have any hard feelings about it!
