Charithra Chandran, the British actress who played Edwina Sharma in Bridgerton season two, said South Asian representation in the entertainment industry has gone backwards since the Netflix period drama aired in 2022, speaking at the Middle East Film and Comic Con in Abu Dhabi last month.
‘Truthfully, no, I don’t,’ she said when asked whether the industry had genuinely changed. ‘I think that when Bridgerton season two was happening, there was a lot of change. And I think that across the world, we’ve maybe seen things go backwards a little bit.’
The 29-year-old, born in Perth, Scotland, to Tamil Indian parents, said Bridgerton still holds personal significance for the sense of optimism it carried at the time. ‘It just felt like a really hopeful time in so many different ways,’ she said. ‘I know it’s not the answer everyone wants, but it’s the truthful answer.’
First visit to the UAE
The appearance at MEFCC 2026, which ran from 11 to 13 September at the ADNEC Centre in Abu Dhabi, was Chandran’s first visit to the UAE and her first comic convention. The event’s celebrity lineup also included John Cena, Simu Liu, Pom Klementieff, and Mackenyu. Autograph vouchers for Chandran were priced at Dh380 through the MEFCC guest booking page.
‘I didn’t know anything about the UAE, really, and everyone has been so lovely,’ she said. ‘It has been such a pleasant experience and a great way to meet people.’
Chandran also spoke about the reach of both Bridgerton and her second major Netflix project, the live-action adaptation of One Piece, in which she plays Nefertari Vivi. ‘You travel to such different parts of the world, and it is so humbling that no matter where I go, people connect with both these shows,’ she said. ‘I feel very lucky, and I feel like part of a community.’
One Piece and the Oda factor
Chandran said she was unfamiliar with One Piece before joining the series. She has since become, by her own description, obsessed with it, with her home now filled with merchandise from the franchise.
‘Looking back on that, I feel so ignorant because it’s one of the biggest IPs in the world. It’s not niche,’ she said.
Her confidence in taking on the role came largely from knowing that manga creator Eiichiro Oda was closely involved in the production. According to a report citing the series, Oda personally selected the cast for both seasons of the live-action One Piece adaptation. ‘When the person who created the character you’re going to play wants you to play the role, I think that gives you a level of confidence,’ Chandran said.
Her casting drew backlash from some fans before the season aired. She said she stayed focused on the performance itself. ‘In my head, I kept thinking, “Just watch it. I promise you, just watch it,”‘ she said. ‘Luckily, people have seen it, and they’re very supportive now.’
She described the upcoming Alabasta storyline as ‘bigger and bolder’ and ‘season two on steroids.’
On representation, Chandran said events such as MEFCC being held outside North America and Europe matter because they demonstrate to producers where audiences exist. ‘There are people who look like us who connect with these projects,’ she said. ‘When they know there is an audience for it and a hunger for it, I hope that translates into our stories being told and people like us being on screen.’
