Simone Ashley on reuniting with Aishwarya Rai at Paris Fashion Week: ‘It’s the moments we have backstage’
Here's the latest fashion moment turning heads:
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hollywood star Simone Ashley shared some warm moments at Loreal Paris’ Le Defile 2026 during Paris Fashion Week . The two actors, who are among the brand’s global ambassadors, were seen greeting each other warmly, holding hands and posing together backstage.
Adding to this, Aishwarya Rai and Simone Ashley's reunion broke the internet. Simone, who was walking for Loreal Paris for the third time, of late spoke about reuniting with Aishwarya and other ambassadors, including Eva Longoria, Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne.
Meanwhile, In conversation with Variety India, Simone shared, “I think it’s the moments we have backstage when we see each other. We don’t get to spend much time together throughout the year, so it’s always really nice when we’re reunited and can catch up with each other. It’s so exciting. This is my third year walking for them, so I know a little bit more of what to expect. I’m just super excited. It’s always one of the most fun days of the year."
Notably, Simone is best known for playing Kate Sharma in the Netflix series Bridgerton, a role that brought her international recognition. Before that, she appeared as Olivia Hanan in Sex Education. Her movie credits include The Little Mermaid, Picture This and The Devil Wears Prada 2, in which she plays Amari, an assistant to Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly. The sequel also stars Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci.
As per the latest buzz, Reflecting on what these opportunities mean to her as an artiste, Simone shared, “It means a lot. It’s so wonderful. I feel very privileged that I get to express my creativity and work with a variety of creatives I look up to. And if there’s a positive message conveyed in all of that, then I’m very proud."
In further updates, Earlier, videos of Aishwarya and Simone warmly greeting each other went widely shared on social media. Several behind-the-scenes moments from the event surfaced online. Aishwarya greeted Simone with kisses before taking a seat next to her. The two were also seen holding hands as they chatted, both dressed in black ensembles, and later posed for a picture together. During the final walk on the ramp, the two were again seen holding hands.
On top of that, Aishwarya was last seen on the big screen in Mani Ratnam ’s Ponniyin Selvan: II in 2023, in which she played dual roles including Nandini. The star has not had another theatrical rollout since the movie. She has, however, continued to make prominent international appearances. Aishwarya attended the Cannes Movie Festival in 2025, where she appeared on the red carpet in looks by Manish Malhotra and Gaurav Gupta.
At Paris Fashion Week in 2026, Aishwarya closed L'Oréal Paris’ Le Défilé in a dramatic black couture look by Yara Shoemaker. She also debuted a striking burgundy-red hair colour for the appearance.
Source: Hindustan Times