Bridgerton star Simone Ashley is joining the rom-com world this year, with upcoming Amazon Prime movie Picture This. Like many women in Hollywood, she's taking charge of the stories she tells.
“Growing up, I have never really seen women that looked like me in these kinds of movies," she told Variety. "This one meant a lot to me – also because I am a part of the producing team.”
Simone added that rom-coms are “making a comeback”, referencing the success of Anne Hathaway's The Idea of You and Anyone But You, starring Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney.
It's based on a novel, as well as two real-life murders in the 1960s.
"The world is becoming more hopeful about the idea of love and romance,” she said. A top priority was making sure all kinds of audiences would be able to relate to the story. “I think many people are going to relate to it, no matter where they are from,” Simone said, adding that producing movies means that she can affect change when it comes to rom-com representation and help never-before-seen love stories come to screen.
“The more experience I have, the more I am learning that producing your own work can really change things. You can tell stories that otherwise would never see the light of day,” she said.
Okay, we officially can't wait. Here's everything we know so far about Picture This.
Picture This plot
“Single and without a man on the horizon, Pia (Simone Ashley) runs a failing photography studio in London with her best friend Jay (Luke Fetherston),” the film's plot synopsis reads.
"As her sister Sonal (Anoushka Chadha) prepares to get married and her mother Laxmi (Sindhu Vee) urges the resolutely independent Pia to partner up, a spiritual guru at Sonal’s engagement party predicts Pia will meet the love of her life among the next five dates she goes on.
"As her family intervene, setting her up on a series of increasingly desperate blind dates, Pia begins a hilarious but heartfelt quest for real love."
Picture This is inspired by Australian rom-com Five Blind Dates, which has a similar premise. After its release in February, Picture This was announced as a British adaptation.
Picture This cast
Joining Simone will be Hero Fiennes Tiffin (After), Ted Lasso star Phil Dunster, Starstruck’s Nikesh Patel, comedian Adil Ray, Sindhu Vee, Anoushka Chadha, Kulvinder Ghir and Luke Fetherston.
Picture This release date
We don't have a specific release date yet, but the film is already in post production – so we're hoping it will drop later this year.
Picture This trailer
We'll update this article as soon as a trailer drops!