Charithra Chandran has opened up about the difficulties of finding overnight fame on Bridgerton and how she’s staying “sane” despite the attention.
The 26-year-old actress has quickly become a household name after playing the role of Edwina Sharma in the second season of the hit Netflix period drama last year.
Now she’s opened up about how she’s coped with the late-night fame that came with the show, admitting in a candid conversation with Cosmopolitan UK that she felt “vulnerable”.
Charithra, who appeared as the magazine’s cover star in June/July, said she was told by her “Bridgerton” peers to see a therapist to help her deal with the “crazy” attention.
She said: “I think when someone is confronted with it for the first time.” [fame] At the level I was at, they read the comments, they google themselves.
Celebrity: Charithra Chandran has opened up about the difficulties of finding overnight fame on Bridgerton and how she’s staying “sensible” despite the attention
“And when you read the really aggressive ones — I know that sounds dramatic — you feel really vulnerable though.”
Charithra admitted she was terrified at the thought of a “disturbed” fan “hunting” her for a few months before adjusting to her new life in the public eye.
She said her everyday life now feels very “normal” and admitted the only thing keeping her sane is not having close friends her age in the industry.
Charithra opened up about how she instead befriended her co-stars Golda Rosheuvel, 53, and Shelley Conn, 46, who starred on the series as her mother.
She said, “My life just feels so… normal?” I think it’s because I don’t have close friends my age in the industry. That’s the main reason I felt healthy.”
Charithra said she spends a lot of time with Golda, who plays Queen Charlotte, and the two often go to shows or have dinner together.
She also shared how both Golda and Shelley gave her advice on how to “stay” in the industry and gushed that she relied on her words of wisdom.
Looking ahead, Charithra said she wants to take on roles that spark important conversations, but admitted she doesn’t just want to portray characters whose storyline revolves solely around her Indian heritage.
Adaptation: Charithra, who appeared as Cosmopolitan cover star in June/July, said she was told by her Bridgerton co-stars to see a therapist to help her deal with the “crazy” attention
Achievement: The 26-year-old actress has quickly become a household name after starring as Edwina Sharma in the second season of the hit Netflix period drama last year
Struggles: She spoke openly about how she was coping with the late-night fame that came with Bridgerton and admitted that at one point she had felt “vulnerable”.
Friends: She said her life feels very “normal” now and the only thing keeping her sane is not having close friends her age in the industry
Mentors: Charithra shared how she instead became friends with her co-stars Golda Rosheuvel (pictured as Queen Charlotte), 53, and Shelley Conn, 46, who played her mother
She shared how she used to turn down roles because she pushed “bad or lazy” stereotypes about Indian culture while speaking about what’s important to her in her career.
She said: “I love representing my culture and I love playing characters that are culturally specific to me, but on the other hand I also enjoy playing a normal person whose story isn’t just about that that she is Indian.”
“It’s also what I want for my career: I want to do things about race that spark important conversations and things about love and friendship: I don’t want to be a one-trick pony.”
“The times I said no.” [to a role] is when it perpetuates bad or lazy stereotypes when it’s about a character I’ve seen before.’
Charithra has previously spoken about putting pressure on herself on the set of Bridgerton over fears of “making things messy for future Indian actors”.
She shared that there are “so few options when you’re tan” and said she went through “an extreme thought process” filming her breakout film.
She told Grazia about her character: “Her life situation is one with which I, as an Indian, probably also many Indian women are confronted – namely the upbringing to the perfect daughter, mother, wife, sister.”
Career: Charithra said she wants to take on acting roles that spark conversations, but she doesn’t just want to portray characters whose storyline revolves solely around her Indian heritage
Stereotypes: She shared how she used to turn down roles because she pushed “bad or lazy” stereotypes about Indian culture while speaking about what’s important to her in her career
Praised: Bridgerton was praised for his portrayal and introduction of the Sharma family, with the sisters being played by Charithra and Sex Education star Simone Ashley
“Of course, all of these things are so important that family always comes first.” But that often means there’s very little room for yourself, for your own desires.
“When you’re brown there are so few options – that’s changing fast – but I got stressed if I didn’t do a good job … what if I screwed up for future Indian actors?”
Bridgerton was praised for his portrayal and introduction of the Sharma family, with the sisters being played by Charithra and Sex Education star Simone Ashley.
The full interview with Charithra Chandran can be read in the June/July issue of Cosmopolitan UK, available from 30th May.