As we wait for Bridgerton season four, Simone Ashley is heading to Wonderland in her new Christmas movie.
Based on the book by Carys Bexington and Kate Hindley, The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland sees St Nick (voiced by Gerard Butler) head to Wonderland to show the Queen of Hearts (voiced by Emilia Clarke) the true meaning of Christmas.
Ashley voiced iconic character Alice for the animated family musical, which premieres this Friday (December 13) on Sky Cinema.
Talking to Digital Spy ahead of the release, the star praised the message of the movie.
Related: First trailer for Simone Ashley’s new Christmas movie
“I think it’s just so aesthetically beautiful, and really carries that simple charm that Christmas is all about,” she explained.
“It has a really positive and profound message about what Christmas should mean to people, and that’s how I feel about Christmas time. I really lean into it.
“I think the holidays can be a hard time for some people. I’ve definitely experienced that before, and I think just practising kindness and having good priorities is what this movie is all about.”
The movie also allows Ashley to show off her singing skills, with Alice’s big number also highlighting the festive message she wants people to take away from the movie.
Related: Best movies on Sky Cinema
“I sang since I was a little girl. I did a lot of classical singing and musical theatre, so [it’s] definitely something that I’m very excited to start sharing,” she noted.
“I love in the song, the lyrics were just so powerful. I want kids to understand that it is such a positive choice – and a really liberating and empowering choice – to be kind, because I think you can bring the beauty out of others by just being kind to them.
“And I think for adults, there’s a lyric that says, ‘Remember to smile like you did as a child’, and I really liked that one.”
The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland is released on Sky Cinema on December 13.
Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
Deputy Movies Editor, Digital Spy
Mireia (she/her) has been working as a movie and TV journalist for over seven years, mostly for the Spanish magazine Fotogramas.
Her work has been published in other outlets such as Esquire and Elle in Spain, and WeLoveCinema in the UK.
She is also a published author, having written the essay Biblioteca Studio Ghibli: Nicky, la aprendiz de bruja about Hayao Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service.
During her years as a freelance journalist and film critic, Mireia has covered festivals around the world, and has interviewed high-profile talents such as Kristen Stewart, Ryan Gosling, Jake Gyllenhaal and many more. She’s also taken part in juries such as the FIPRESCI jury at Venice Film Festival and the short film jury at Kingston International Film Festival in London.
Now based in the UK, Mireia joined Digital Spy in June 2023 as Deputy Movies Editor.
