Category: Simone Ashley

As we discussed, Simone Ashley’s role was almost entirely cut from F1, the Joseph Kosinski-directed vroom-vroom movie. It’s looking more and more like Apple and Kosinski decided that if they were spending $300 million-plus on this stupid production, they needed to center everything on Brad Pitt rather than the actors of color. It would not surprise me at all if Damson Idris’s role was dramatically downsized from what it was originally supposed to be as well. Simone filmed a supporting role as Idris’s character’s girlfriend. She was on set filming off-and-on for months on the two-year production. What’s even more galling is that Simone was already promoting F1 as well – she’s been promoting multiple projects for months, and she’s talked up F1 and even done F1-specific appearances. All of that to see her role cut down to the point where she doesn’t even have any lines in the movie. Joseph Kosinski confirmed the drastic cut to People Mag:

Simone Ashley’s part in F1 was ultimately cut from the final film. It was announced in July 2024 that the Bridgerton star had been cast in the high-octane Formula One racing drama alongside Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, and she was later photographed filming scenes for the project.

However, her role was removed from the film, which also stars Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Kim Bodnia and Javier Bardem. (She briefly appears onscreen but has no lines of dialogue.)

When asked about the change to Ashley’s part, director Joseph Kosinski tells PEOPLE, “It happens on every film, where you have to shoot more than you can use. There were two or three storylines that ultimately didn’t make into the final cut.”

“But Simone, she’s an incredible talent, incredible actress, incredible singer, and I would love to work with her again,” Kosinski adds.

The actress has not spoken out about how her role was reduced in the film as of yet.

Speaking to ELLE earlier this month, Ashley, 30, said making F1 was a “crazy” experience. “I have a very small part, but I’m grateful to be in that movie,” she said at the time. “I got to experience many Grands Prix. I don’t think I’ll ever do anything like that again.”

[From People]

I hope it’s clear that I’m waging a little “don’t watch this movie” campaign. I was already waging that campaign before this Simone Ashley news, mostly because Brad Pitt is trash and Apple needs to stop investing obscene amounts of money platforming his abusive ass. But this Simone story is galling, and it really pisses me off that she was almost entirely cut out of this movie. Ten bucks says that there are lots and lots of lingering shots of Brad’s janky facelift and a lot of attention paid to HIS storyline.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

While Tom Cruise has a reputation as someone who mentors younger actors and hypes them up within productions and in the promotion, Cruise still has younger actors’ performances cut so that his films are centered on him and his sh-t. It happened with Manny Jacinto on Top Gun: Maverick – almost all of his scenes were cut. Well, the same thing has now happened with Brad Pitt and his dumbass vroom-vroom movie, F1. The basics of the story: Pitt’s character Sonny comes out of retirement to drive for an F1 team owned by Kerry Condon and managed by Javier Bardem. The team already has a hotshot young driver played by Damson Idris, and Sonny is supposed to compete with and mentor Damson’s character, Joshua.

They filmed this f–king movie for the better part of two years, and there are tons of photos from the international sets and races, so much so that people were well aware that Simone Ashley was cast in the role of Joshua’s girlfriend. There are photos of Damson and Simone at various races and looking coupled-up on set. Simone was also announced as part of the cast, and she’s been promoting the film for months as one of her many upcoming projects. She spent months on set, shooting scenes too. She even posted wrap photos on her Instagram!!

Well, now that F1 is being screened and premiered, people are talking a lot about how Simone’s role was massively cut back. She’s apparently only seen in one or two scenes. My guess? F1 director Joseph Kosinski (who also directed Top Gun: Maverick) and Brad Pitt decided that the movie needed to be more about Pitt trying to emote through his facelift and going vroom-vroom in fast cars, and why not cut out the woman of color?

Manny Jacinto’s involvement was publicized but his scenes in Top Gun: Maverick were cut without warning. He only found out when he sat in the theater.

Now it’s happening again. Simone Ashley’s casting in the F1 movie was pushed everywhere. Major publications ran it and so did… pic.twitter.com/ulCrh4z6eO

— did oscar score points in f1 today? (@oscarpiastri81) June 13, 2025

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.