Ambika ’s brutally reliable reaction has prompted fans to play up other examples of times ashen actors shot to success while their POC costars did n’t after starring in the same breakout role .
Last week, actor Ambika Mod wasquestionedabout her and Leo Woodall’s contrasting career trajectories post-One Day.
If you watched the heartbreaking Netflix series, you’ll know that Ambika delivered an excellent performance as Emma Morley alongside Leo, who played Dexter Mayhew. However, while Leo has been pretty booked and busy sinceOne Dayaired in February, Ambika hasn’t had as much time in the limelight.
For circumstance , Leo most notably featured in Season 2 ofThe White LotusbeforeOne Day , while Ambika succeed congratulations for her incredible functioning in the BBC seriesThis Is expire to Hurt .
Post-One Day, Leo starred in the latestBridget Jonesfilm, and played the protagonist in the Apple TV+ thriller seriesPrime Target. He is also set to star in an upcoming crime film calledTuneralongside Dustin Hoffman, and true-life thrillerBurning Rainbow Farmwith Sebastian Stan.
When asked about the difference between her and Leo’s careers at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Ambikaheartbreakingly said, “I think we’re going to have very different careers. If I compare myself to someone like Leo, I’m always going to come up short, because there’s a privilege there that I don’t have access to.”
Ambika, who is ofIndian heritage, continued: “Being brown is not particularly easy in this industry. You don’t get the same opportunities. You don’t get the same ascension. I’ve been the lead of two very successful, critically-acclaimed TV shows and I still feel like I have to keep on proving myself. A lot of my white peers don’t really have to tackle that.”
“ At the same time , I ’m so favorable to be here . So few people who bet like me get to be in this positioning and do this . So it ’s a real double - edged steel . And I suppose the Leslie Townes Hope is that my being here makes it easier for a girl 10 or 20 year young than me , ” sheadded .
Highlighting the difference in Lana Condor and Noah Centineo’s careers post-To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, someone wrote, “lana has been in barely anything since but noah has been in about 500 different films.”
Other fans mentionedBridgerton, pointing out that Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey’s careers have taken different turns despite the fact that they delivered equally powerful performances as the leads of Season 2. Jonathan has starred in hits likeWickedandFellow Travelers, while Simone recently bagged her first leading role in years in the Prime Video moviePicture This, which she co-produced.
More fans went on to refer Maitreyi Ramakrishnan post - Never Have I Ever , India Amarteifio post - Bridgerton , Taylor Zakhar Perez post - Red , White & Royal Blue , and John Boyega post - Star Warsas other example of actors they ’d expected far more achiever from after seeing them on filmdom .
As these examples reflect , the struggle that POC actor confront when it comes to bagging major roles in the industry is sadly nothing new . Think aboutMonique Coleman’scareer afterHigh School Musical , or even Mindy Kaling ’s career postal service - The Officecompared to her costars John Krasinski or Steve Carell .
And on the contrary, some fans highlighted white actors who have had “more similar” career trajectories after starring in the same breakout role, citing Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones’s similar success after starring inNormal People.
