The British Indian actress made headlines after the new cast additions were announced for Bridgerton’s second season. The 25-year-old has an inspiring journey from a career in politics to a career in acting. Although we just can’t imagine anybody else playing Edwina, Charithra Chandran revealed that she had auditioned for the role of Kate Sharma. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out, but she received a call later that the creators wanted her for the role of Edwina. She didn’t jump at the opportunity because the actress didn’t want a “consolation prize“. 

She explained to Shondaland: “So, I read the book again, and I heard what they had planned for Edwina, and I thought that, actually, this is a very important story to be told because so many young women across the world, particularly brown women, are in Edwina’s situation. And I thought that I could make a difference with this character and with this storyline.”

Shonda Rhimes has always taken creative liberties, and this time she swapped the Sheffields for the Sharmas, immigrants from Bombay. Chandran expressed her gratitude towards the team for giving representation to South Asian actors.

“And I am so excited for all the little brown girls and young women to see the both of us (her and Simone Ashley) on screen. I hope that I can serve as sort of a role model and inspire other South Asian girls to pursue their dreams,” she said. 

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Charithra Chandran enjoyed playing sweet naive Edwina 

To play a character that is exactly her opposite, she used a playlist to get into her character’s mindset. She ended up loving Edwina in Bridgerton after portraying her onscreen. “She chooses to trust people, which you could see as naïveté or immaturity, but it’s a choice that she makes to see the best in others. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone could be a bit more like Edwina?” she questions. 

She found her true love in acting 

A book smart, Charithra Chandran chose a career in the public policy field after graduating from Oxford University. To Shondaland, she admitted the she loved acting but wasn’t ready to take the risk. However, later, she gathered her courage and when she finally did, she found her one “true love.” She now applies the same Mantra to her acting. 

Have you streamed Bridgerton yet? What were your thoughts on Edwina’s character? Share them in the comments.