“I didn’t really watch period dramas much, because I felt like I couldn’t relate to them.”

This spring Simone Ashley is trading in her Moordale uniform for a corset and gown. But even though she’s a natural in the ton — just watch the Bridgerton Season 2 trailer, or just ask Shonda Rhimes — Ashley told Glamour UK that she never imagined she’d star in a regency series. “I didn’t really watch period dramas much because I felt like I couldn’t relate to them, maybe because I couldn’t see myself within one,” she said in a March 10 interview. “And then, Bridgerton came along.”

Ashley, who is Tamil Indian, added that she “felt very typecast sometimes” in the earlier days of her career. In an interview with the US edition of Glamour, also published March 10, she said she’s interested in “culturally specific roles, but also very much so non-culturally specific” projects. “I want to take roles that maybe people wouldn’t expect me to play,” Ashley explained. “I want to go up for roles that anyone can relate to. I want to be seen for my talent. I think I’m very smart and I’ve got great ideas, and I want to be seen for that and not for how I look.”

Ashley plays Kate, a fiery, loyal and fiercely protective newcomer to the Bridgerton universe. Her character instantly clashes with rakish viscount Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), but what begins as animosity turns into a slow-burn friendship and mutual respect — and, ultimately, something much steamier.

You can watch Kate and Anthony’s palpable chemistry for yourself in the sizzling Season 2 trailer — just try not to swoon when they almost brush hands. Ashley may not have always been a fan of period pieces, but come March 25, she’s a shoo-in for this season’s diamond.