Who Is Gunasekharan Pillai? Meet Bridgerton Actress Simone Ashley's Father

Gunasekharan Pillai is a Surrey-based Indian Tamil pharmacist who rose to fame as the father of Simone Ashley.

Simone Ashley is a British actress for her role as Kate Sharma in the hit historical romance series Bridgerton based on Julia Quinn's collection of novels.

Her other popular appearances include roles in movies and tv shows such as Detective Pikachu, S*x Education, and The Sister.

Ashley has frequently mentioned that her father Pillai inspired her love for the Arts. 

Who Is Gunasekharan Pillai? Meet Actress Simone Ashley's Father

Gunasekharan Pillai was born in India and is from the Tamil community, a Dravidian ethnolinguistic group in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu.

He moved to Surrey for better Opportunities and settled in  Camberley, Surrey.

Pillai is married to Latha Pillai, and the couple has two children; a son and a daughter named Simone Ashley.

Ashley, in an interview, revealed that her dad inspired her to work on her artistic skills.

Gunasekharan worked as a pharmacist but had a huge passion for photography, film, and music.

The actress stated:

"My dad had this really cool record player. He would always have Bob Marley playing, Fleetwood Mac or The Doors or The Rolling Stones. Really great bands, great artists."

However, Pillai was slightly unsettled by his daughter's ambitions as he was very protective of her.

Ashley, in an interview, said:

"My parents were quite protective over me. They're the first generation. They came from India to this country, so they didn't really have a life where they could choose to be whatever they wanted to be".

Still, they encouraged her and even helped her achieve her dream. 

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Simone Ashley-Age & Height

Simone Ashley was born Simone Ashwini Pillai on 30 March 1995 in Camberley, Surrey, England. She is 26 years old and stands tall at 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm).

Unlike her academic family, British-Srilankan beauty was into the creative world since childhood. 

She learned classical music and piano. Later, she attended Arts Educational School in London to study acting.

She attended Redroofs School for the Performing Arts in Berkshire, the alma mater of Dani Harmer and Kate Winslet.

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Plays Kate Sharma In Bridgeton season 2

Simone Ashley made her acting role in 2016 in the teen drama Wolfblood as Zuhra. Later, she appeared in the thriller series Guilt and Broadchurch.

Likewise, she made her big-screen debut in 2018 in Boogie Man as Aarti and Kill Ben Lyk.

Her first breakthrough was in another hit Netflix show, Sex Education, as Olivia Hanan. She was one of the members of the Untouchables.

Similarly, her other TV shows include Broadchurch, A Working Mom's Nightmare, and The Sister.

However, Ashley's most popular role, which made her a household name, is Kate Sharma. 

Ashley appeared in the sequel of the hit Bridgerton series. The show based on the famous novel by Julia Quinn was the most-watched series on Netflix upon its release.

While season one was focused on the romance of Daphne Basset (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page), season two explored the love triangle between Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Viscount Bridgerton, Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma, and Charithra Chandran as Edwina Sharma.

Kate is an intelligent and headstrong woman who will challenge quintessential English nobleman Anthony-their banter and romance will be the show's highlight. The show was aired on 25th March 2022.

In addition, she has appeared in a few films such as Boogie Man, Detective Pikachu, and the upcoming The Little Mermaid and Bulldog.

The 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 list featured Ashley in European entertainment. 

How Much Is Her Net Worth?

Simone is on the road to stardom with a handful of work, and there is no doubt that it brings considerable fortune along the way.

As per the sources, her net worth is around $500k.

Though her exact salary on the show is not revealed to the media, it was reportedly around 20k per episode. 

The earlier cast members were also paid a similar amount; however, their payments have risen for season two at least up to $50k.

Additionally, the Detective Pikachu actress also earns from endorsements and sponsorship. 

She currently has 3.3 million followers on her official Instagram account. As per the reports, Ashley can earn $6,740.25-$11,233.75 per sponsored post from her account.

Is Simone Ashley Dating Someone?

While many of us loved to witness her reel-life romance with Bridgerton co-star Jonathan Bailey, one can also wonder about her real life.

If sources are to be believed, the 26-year-old rising star is single at the moment. 

A close source stated that Ashley does not have a boyfriend and is busy with her ongoing and upcoming projects.