A-list names, roaring engines, and millions spent—but Bridgerton star Simone Ashley barely makes the final cut in Apple’s most ambitious blockbuster yet.
Simone Ashley was supposed to have a notable role in F1, Apple’s mega-budget racing film starring Brad Pitt and directed by Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski. Instead, she wound up almost invisible. Fans noticed. And they’re not happy.
From On-Screen Co-Star to Blink-and-Miss
Ashley’s casting in F1 raised eyebrows in the best way. Her star had soared after Bridgerton season 2, and being attached to a $300 million racing drama with Pitt, Javier Bardem, and Damson Idris looked like her big cinematic leap.
But in the theatrical cut that hit global cinemas last week, she appears for just a few seconds. No lines. No arc. Just a face in the paddock.
Kosinski, speaking to People, didn’t dodge the question. “It happens on every film,” he said. “You have to shoot more than you can use.” He added that two or three storylines were removed entirely in post-production, including Ashley’s.
Her fans feel blindsided. “They put her on the cast list and in early promos,” said one user on X. “How do you go from Bridgerton lead to silent extra?” That question echoed across fan forums all weekend.
A Production Too Big For Its Own Good?
Let’s be clear—F1 is a monster of a movie. Shot during real Grand Prix weekends, it was a logistical circus. With Apple spending hundreds of millions, Kosinski filmed on-location at Silverstone, Spa, and Monaco using state-of-the-art camera rigs, including tech from the Top Gun sequel.
When a film goes that big, stuff inevitably gets left behind.
And Ashley wasn’t alone. “We lost multiple full storylines,” said a source close to the editing team. “Simone’s character was part of a subplot around the team’s PR and management. It played well in early rough cuts, but once they tightened the race narrative, it didn’t fit anymore.”
Basically:
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The script was revised during post-production to focus on Pitt and Idris’ racing partnership.
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Supporting roles not directly tied to the on-track drama were slashed or removed.
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Ashley’s performance reportedly remained strong but “didn’t serve the final pace.”
So it wasn’t personal—it was structural.
Ashley’s Perspective: Classy, Even in the Silence
Ashley, for her part, handled it like a pro. “I have a very small part,” she told Elle. “But I’m grateful to be in that movie.” She also added something telling: “I got to experience many Grands Prix. I don’t think I’ll ever do anything like that again.”
That right there says a lot.
She was on-set at multiple races. She had lines. She filmed full scenes. None of it made it in. Yet she’s staying gracious, saying she’d still do it again. Fans admired that attitude. But they’re still gutted.
“She deserves better,” one Redditor wrote. “She’s too good to be a footnote.”
A Growing Pattern in Big-Budget Films?
This isn’t an isolated thing. High-profile actors getting chopped out of tentpoles has become more frequent lately, especially as streamers and studios tighten runtimes to fit theatrical demands.
In the last 12 months alone:
| Film Title | Star Cut or Minimized | Reason Given |
|---|---|---|
| Dune: Part Two | Tim Blake Nelson | “Too long” |
| Barbie | Bowen Yang, Ana Cruz Kayne | “Pacing” |
| Oppenheimer | David Dastmalchian | “Didn’t test well” |
| F1 | Simone Ashley | “Storyline didn’t survive the edit” |
Studios have massive stakes riding on global box office appeal. That means trimming down anything that might slow the ride, even if it means burning good material.
One studio exec put it plainly: “We can’t always serve character. Sometimes we have to serve momentum.”
Still a Net Win for Apple?
Here’s the thing—F1 is doing numbers. Early projections show it could cross $500 million globally. For Apple, still proving its theatrical chops after Killers of the Flower Moon and Napoleon, that’s a big deal.
So while Simone Ashley fans are annoyed, the movie’s buzz isn’t hurt. If anything, it adds intrigue. People are now going to the theater to play “spot Simone” as a kind of celebrity Easter egg.
Funny how the industry works sometimes.
What’s Next for Simone?
Ashley isn’t slowing down. She’s returning for Bridgerton season 4 and is rumored to be in talks for a major role in a Sony rom-com.
A rep close to her said she was “disappointed but understanding” about the cut and had already moved on. She’s also reportedly lined up for a limited series at HBO—more prestige, more depth, more screen time.
Sometimes, getting snubbed is a weird kind of upgrade. It reminds people you’re in demand.
And one thing’s for sure: the next time she headlines a film, nobody’s cutting her to background.
