Simone Ashley’s casting in the upcoming F1 movie made headlines recently, amidst reports from early screenings suggesting her role had been significantly cut. The Formula 1 racing film, starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, has been in the works since 2021, with Ashley’s casting being announced in June 2024. In March this year, she revealed to Who What Wear that she had been meeting for the role since before the release of her Bridgerton season.
The actress has been involved in early promotions for the film, and just as recently as three weeks ago, she spoke to Elle about the role. “I have a very small part, but I’m grateful to be in that movie”, she told the outlet. “I don’t think I’ll ever do anything like that again.”
Which is why it came as a surprise to many when early viewers of F1 revealed her role had been cut to seconds, with no speaking moments. The director of the film, Joseph Kosinski, has now confirmed this in a talk with People. “It happens on every film, where you have to shoot more than you can use,” he explained. “But Simone, she’s an incredible talent, incredible actress, incredible singer, and I would love to work with her again.”
Despite his flattering words, many fans have condemned the treatment of the actress, especially as it mirrors the experience of Manny Jacinto (The Good Place and Star Wars: The Acolyte), who was set to star in Top Gun: Maverick, another of Kosinski’s films.
Jacinto’s role, which required arduous fitness training, was also sizably reduced to a non-speaking role. On this, Kosinski commented similarly, telling IndieWire, “You just don’t have room to fit everything in.”
However, many fans see these moments as symptomatic of a larger issue, where actors of colour are sidelined, cutting down representation. Jacinto spoke on this and his experience last year, revealing to GQ that it was disappointing yet, “it kind of fuels you.” He explained, “If we [people of colour] want bigger stories out there, we have to make them for ourselves.” Ashley has yet to comment on the F1 cuts; nonetheless, we’re sure we will see the talented actress in many more projects.
This story originally appeared on GRAZIA International.
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