Going to the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London, aged five. At first it was a way for my mum to have her weekends to herself. Then performing just clicked with me.
What was your big breakthrough?
Making Storm Damage for BBC2 in 2000 with [actors] Adrian Lester and Lennie James. Both became great mentors to me.
Are there any similarities between rapping and acting?
Yes - with both, you're assuming a persona. When I'm gigging, as Asher D, I'm playing up to the hype. As an actor, you're different in every role.
Who or what have you sacrificed for your art?
Seeing my children being born. But I think the benefits of having Asher D as your dad make up for it.
Do you suffer for your art?
Definitely - especially when I have to do my own stunts. Most of the fight scenes in [the 2007 film] Sugarhouse, for instance, were real. I was left covered in cuts and bruises.
What's the greatest threat to music today?
British radio stations not giving playtime to UK urban artists. They're always on the side of the Americans.
A track might not be that great, but if it's by Pharrell, they'll play it.
What's the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Lennie James once said that, as an actor, you get knocked back about 80% of the time. But you live for the other 20%.
Is all art political?
Yes - politics is about more than just the annual budget. When I was in So Solid Crew, people were always asking if we were associated with the rise in gun crime. And I've made a lot of controversial movies, and had to consider their influence on society.
Describe your most controversial role.
Playing a gay man in [the 2007 film] Waz. It was tough: I had to kiss a man, and I got a mixed reaction from the black community. But I have to be ready to play any role, or I can't call myself an actor.
Is there an art form you don't enjoy?
Painting. I know what I like when I see it, but I'm wack at it myself.
What's the biggest myth about acting?
That it's glamorous. It might be if you're Will Smith, but if you're Ashley Walters, you spend the majority of your time in the middle of nowhere, cold, in a trailer with holes in the roof.
In short
Born: London, 1982
Career: A former member of So Solid Crew, he raps under the name Asher D. Broke into acting with the film Bullet Boy in 2004, and is currently starring in Oxford Street at the Royal Court, London SW1 (020-7565 5000).
High point: "Winning best newcomer for Bullet Boy at the British independent film awards in 2004."
Low point: "Spending seven months in jail in 2002 [for carrying a gun]. It took years to turn my career around."
See Also
