Charithra Chandran of Bridgerton and One Piece fame spoke up about her struggle as a woman of color in the entertainment industry. She describes the experience as “being on an island” on her own. Chandran was interviewed on John Smith’s Great Chat Show about her experience being a woman of color in acting.
“Were you surprised about the lack of roles that came your way or the quality of them?” Smith asked. “When we talk about discrimination, it’s not just like someone calling you slurs, right? Or someone being rude about you. It is also apathy,” Chandran explained.
She continued, “With One Piece, I had an experience at the premiere where all of the actors went down a tunnel and, like, the fans cheered. And you know, when you’re an actor of color, you are always stressed that the cheers are going to be way less loud for you. No one’s being disrespectful, but a lot of it is just like—being invisible.” It comes as a surprise that Chandran harbors this insecurity, considering that she’s starred in two hit Netflix series.
Accepting limitations, but breaking the ceiling anyway
Who could forget Chandran’s role as Edwina Sharma in the second season of Bridgerton? All eyes were either on her or Simone Ashley, who played as her older sister. Both are women with Indian roots, and they dominated that season of Bridgerton with their acting prowess.
And with her latest role in One Piece as Princess Vivi, it was shocking to hear her confess that she wasn’t so familiar with the series. It’s unbelievable—she practically owns the live-action version of Princess Vivi. But the issue isn’t about skill—it’s how Chandran perceives people’s reception to her as an actress.
“I know I can give the performances that I wanna give and do the roles that I wanna do. I don’t have access to certain things, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t still have an incredibly fruitful, bountiful career that is really fulfilling,” Chandran says.
She concludes, “I think I sort of accept that certain things aren’t accessible to me. My tempered ambition has actually made me happier. I’m not comparing myself to my white counterparts, because what good is that?” But even so, her career is taking off—and she’s made history with Bridgerton alone.
Hoping for a colorful future on screen
It’s a fictional, regency drama with a diverse cast. There aren’t many Regency dramas of the kind—mainly because Regency England doesn’t give way to diversity in real life. But Bridgerton and its portrayal of high society have broken that expectation. Chandran, who became the ‘Diamond of the Season’ in the second part of the show, made women of color central to the story.
Her stardom didn’t end there, either—and she was offered a role in One Piece. With it, she embodied Princess Vivi’s regal aura.
It’s hopeful—landing a new role for women of color is difficult, even after coming from a major role. One recent case of this is Euphoria. In the series, Cassie, portrayed by Sydney Sweeney, and Maddy, played by Alexa Demie, are often compared. Their characters are on-screen rivals, but both have been equally popular online at the height of the series.
Despite this, Sweeney enjoys more visibility than Demie—a Latina. New, groundbreaking roles are never a guarantee. And even if there are other roles, they’re often shoehorned into stereotypes.
But Netflix’s One Piece is impressive in its casting—just as much as Bridgerton was. Given the success of these shows, their casting may have set a precedent. Perhaps the industry is starting to realize that putting diverse and exceptionally talented actors on screen doesn’t detract from its greatness—it adds to it.
(featured image: Netflix)
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