It wasn’t the viral kiss between Hollywood stars Andrew Garfield and Monica Barbaro that grabbed all the attention at Centre Court this Wimbledon Sunday. Instead, someone quietly stunning on the sidelines stole the show, British-Indian actor Charithra Chandran, who charmed everyone with her style and grace.The quiet star who turned heads at WimbledonAmong all the flashing cameras, Chandran stood calm and elegant in her Wimbledon whites, with lovely curls that reminded fans of her ‘Bridgerton’ character Edwina Sharma. The photographers may have missed her at first, but fashion lovers and people on social media were quick to spot her.Charithra, who is 28, wore a crisp white button-down shirt with a racing green cashmere sweater over it, buttery lambskin shorts and smart Nappa leather pumps. Her look was stylish without trying too hard — full of quiet confidence. She posted her look and wrote,“Edwina inspired hair for Wimbledon today with Ralph Lauren.” That one line was enough to get lots of love online, proving once again that Charithra isn’t just an actor, she’s fast becoming a real style icon.The Oxford brain with a ‘Bridgerton’ heartCharithra was born to Tamil doctor parents from India and grew up in Oxford. From a young age, she balanced two very different worlds the push for academic success and her own love for performing. As the only child of two busy doctors from Tamil Nadu, Charithra spent much of her early life at boarding schools while her parents worked in hospitals. She went to prep school at six and filled her days with county-level hockey and netball, along with many school plays. She also grew up speaking both English and Tamil at home.Looking back, she told the BBC, “Since I was born, I’ve always been a performer, whether it’s little dances, singalongs, plays, and they loved it. So I’m like: what did you guys expect?” Even so, her parents were a bit unsure at first about her acting dreams.From Oxford books to ‘Bridgerton’ fameCharithra didn’t let her love for acting stop her from doing well in school. She studied at a top private girls’ school and then went to Oxford University, where she earned a first-class degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE).After finishing university, she was meant to join an international consultancy firm. But deep down, something didn’t feel right. “I had this niggling feeling,” she shared. “I became introspective about what I wanted to achieve and what I would regret. I was like, ‘I have to give acting a go.’”The pandemic made her rethink life even more. Watching her parents go to hospitals every day during the health crisis pushed her to take a chance. She started emailing agents, carefully choosing Monday mornings at 9:05 AM so they’d see her messages first.It worked. In just two months, she landed a part in ‘Alex Rider’. Even before filming finished, she had already bagged the role that would make her famous around the world — Edwina Sharma in ‘Bridgerton’ Season 2.Winning hearts as Edwina SharmaIn ‘Bridgerton’ season 2, Charithra played Edwina Sharma, the gentle younger sister caught up in love and family drama in London’s high society of the 1800s. Fans loved how sweet and real she made the character. It didn’t take long for people to start wondering what she’d do next.Taking on new worldsSince her big break in ‘Bridgerton’, Charithra has been busy with all sorts of exciting work. She voiced a character in ‘Star Wars: Visions’ and appeared in ‘Dune: Prophecy’.Next, she’ll be in something very different, a Bollywood-inspired musical film called ‘Christmas Karma’. It’s a new take on ‘A Christmas Carol’. The film also stars Eva Longoria, Billy Porter, Hugh Bonneville and Boy George
