Simone Ashley to star in 'Bridgerton' season 2

English actress Simone Ashley has been cast in the upcoming second season of the Netflix hit "Bridgerton."

"Get ready to fall in love with Simone Ashley, who will play Kate in Season 2 of Bridgerton," the streaming service posted on social media Monday. "Kate is a smart, headstrong young woman who suffers no fools — Anthony Bridgerton very much included," Netflix said, referring to the eldest of the eight privileged Bridgerton children, played by Jonathan Bailey. Production company Shondaland gave the new character's full name as "Miss Kate Sharma," reflecting Ashley's South Asian heritage.

Based on Julia Quinn's romance-novels series, where the character is named Kate Sheffield, the series is set in a highly stylized version of the United Kingdom's 1811-1820 Regency era, using colorblind casting.

Ashley is best known as Olivia in the Netflix ensemble teen drama "Sex Education." She has no evident social-media accounts. Per trade reports, production begins in London this spring.