<\/p>\n
Freida Pinto \u201cnever thought it was possible\u201d for her to star in a period drama.<\/p>\n
The 37-year-old actress stars in \u201cMr Malcolm\u2019s List\u201d as Selina Dalton, a young woman in 1800s England who helps her friend to get revenge on a suitor when she fails to meet his requirements for a potential bride and she attributes the success of Netflix\u2019s \u201cBridgerton\u201d to allow people to \u201cbroaden their minds\u201d to diversity in casting.<\/p>\n
Speaking about the film \u2013 which she first saw a script for four years ago \u2013 she said: \u201cI thought, \u2018You don\u2019t see brown people falling in love in period movies \u2013 what\u2019s the catch?\u2019<\/p>\n
Watch video:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always dreamed of being a part of a project like this, but I never thought it was actually going to be possible in my lifetime, or even next\u2026. (but then) \u2018Bridgerton\u2019 came along and immediately gave people almost permission to broaden their minds.\u201d<\/p>\n The movie is influenced by more modern romantic films, including Pinto\u2019s favourite movie, \u201cNotting Hill\u201d.<\/p>\n She told Britain\u2019s Marie Claire magazine: \u201cIt was all of the \u201990s rom-coms: \u2018Bridget Jones\u2019s Diary\u2019, \u2018Four Weddings and a Funeral\u2019, \u2018Notting Hill\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything about (\u2018Notting Hill\u2019) is just perfect, in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n The \u201cSlumdog Millionaire\u201d star is thankful things have changed since the early days of her career, when women of colour felt in competition with one another and so Pinto\u2019s early success was \u201cvery lonely\u201d.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cI had to be ever so grateful that I was even cast in those movies, because where were the South Asian brown girls getting lead roles in commercial hits back in the day? It was a very lonely time.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were so few parts for us that we were made to feel we were competing with each other. Or we just thought that there was only this much for all of us to have.<\/p>\n \u201cNow it doesn\u2019t feel so lonely. I\u2019m so happy that the generation of actresses of colour coming up today are not feeling that much anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n