# Ashley Walters (actor)

Ashley Anthony Walters (born 30 June 1982), also known by his stage name Asher D, is a British actor and rapper. He first rose to fame as a member of the UK garage group So Solid Crew who hit the top spot on the U.K. charts in 2001 with their second single, "21 Seconds". Walters is best known for portraying drug dealer Dushane in hit British crime drama Top Boy.
Walters has also had an active acting career. After gaining recognition in the early 2000s for his roles in Storm Damage (2000) Bullet Boy (2004), Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005) and Life and Lyrics (2006), Walters achieved nationwide fame in the 2010s for his lead role as Dushane Hill in the British crime series Top Boy, and as Ronnie Pike Jr. in the Sky One police procedural series Bulletproof, which he co-created with Noel Clarke and Nick Love. He has also appeared in British TV shows such as Grange Hill, The Bill, Holby City, Doctor Who, Silent Witness and the 2015 BBC police programme Cuffs.

## Early life

Walters was born in Peckham, south-east London, to Jamaican parents. He was raised by his mother, Pamela Case, a local government officer. He attended St. George's CE Primary School, Camberwell, from the age of four. He then went on to Pimlico School, now known as Pimlico Academy. He completed his GCSEs, receiving good grades in all 10 subjects.
In July 2001, following an argument with a traffic warden, Walters was found to be carrying a loaded Brocock air pistol modified to fire live ammunition. He was arrested and, in 2002, jailed for 18 months, in a young offenders' institute. Having spent the previous nine months in custody, he subsequently served an additional nine months to complete his sentence.

## Music career

Walters joined the group So Solid Crew.
After the group split, in 2006 he recorded In Memory of the Street Fighter, featuring the single "Andrea". He released a studio album in 2008 entitled The Appetiser, a 12-track album produced with Laurence Ezra. In early 2012, Walters signed a recording contract with the independent record label SK Records. His single "How You Like Me Now" was released on 29 July 2012, followed up by "Your Love" released on 12 November 2012, featuring vocals from Alesha Dixon.

## Acting career

Walters is also an actor, appearing under his full name, Ashley Walters. He appeared on television as Omar in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and as Andy in Grange Hill, both at the age of 14. He appeared in Saul Dibb's 2004 feature film Bullet Boy, where he played Ricky, who had just been released from prison and back into living a normal life, a role for which Walters was named Best Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards. He also appeared in 2005's Get Rich or Die Tryin'.
In 2006, he played the role of Wolf in the film Stormbreaker, and Danny in Life and Lyrics, for which he has received many plaudits. In 2007, he starred in WΔZ, alongside Selma Blair and Melissa George, and in Sugarhouse. He played Lacey in the BBC Three drama pilot West 10 LDN. He played the character Billy Bond in five episodes of the fourth series of BBC TV drama Hustle. He also appeared in the MTV series Top Buzzer and played the role of Al B in the 2006 production House of 9, alongside Dennis Hopper.
Walters performed on stage in 2002 at the Royal National Theatre in Roy Williams' Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads and in 2008 at the Royal Court Theatre in Levi David Addai's Oxford Street. Another feature film, Tuesday (2008), sees him playing a jewel thief. He appeared in Bola Agbaje's play Off the Endz at the Royal Court Theatre during February and March 2010.
He made appearances in ITV's police drama The Bill and firefighting drama London's Burning. His Grange Hill history and autobiography was referenced by the comedian Stewart Lee on 16 March 2009, on the BBC Two show Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle in the episode themed on "Toilet Books". Walters also appeared on BBC TV in 2009's adaptation of Andrea Levy's Small Island and as Jack Holt in the short-lived drama Outcasts in February and March 2011.
For the BBC Learning project "Off By Heart Shakespeare", Walters delivered one of Shakespeare's best known speeches — "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?" from Romeo and Juliet. In October 2011, Walters starred in the Arjun Rose slasher Demons Never Die. From 31 October 2011, he played Dushane in Channel 4's four-part drama Top Boy. In February 2012, he played Chris in the BBC drama Inside Men. In 2013, Walters reprised his role as main character Dushane in the second series of Top Boy.
He managed to get in trouble with the producers on the first day of filming the Doctor Who episode "Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS" when he tweeted a picture of himself in his costume in his trailer with the word "space". The picture was immediately removed.
In 2017, Walters received the British Urban Film Festival honorary award from Lisa Maffia & Sheila Nortley at the BT Tower in London for 25 years of outstanding contribution to film and television. Walters reprised his role in 2019 as Dushane in Top Boy again following its revival on streaming service Netflix, appearing in the third series that year, the fourth series of the drama in 2022 and the fifth in 2023.
In 2024, Walters starred in an advertising campaign for PG Tips, directed by Steve McQueen.
Production started on Animol, his feature length directorial debut, in 2025.

## Personal life

Walters has four children with his ex-partner. He lives with his wife, Danielle Walters, and their two children in Herne Bay, Kent. His wife Danielle is an actress featured in Chewing Gum, Top Boy, and EastEnders.
On 31 March 2014, he was fined £600 after he admitted assaulting a security guard in Aberdeen in September 2013. In July 2014, he was fined £1250 for possession of cannabis at Holyhead, Anglesey. In May 2016, Walters was fined £1000 after admitting to using threatening words and behaviour towards staff at the Hilton Hotel, Islington. Walters has said his father's absence while he was growing up contributed to his criminal behaviour.
Walters is an avid supporter of Arsenal F.C.

## Political views

In December 2019, along with 42 other leading cultural figures, Walters signed a letter endorsing the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership in the 2019 general election. The letter stated that "Labour's election manifesto under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership offers a transformative plan that prioritises the needs of people and the planet over private profit and the vested interests of a few."

## Filmography

Key :
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | Take 2 | Bro | Short film |
| 2000 | The Elevator | Young man | Short film |
| 2000 | Some Voices | Kitchen hand | |
| 2000 | Born Romantic | Lee | |
| 2004 | Bullet Boy | Ricky | |
| 2005 | House of 9 | Al B | Credited as Asher D |
| 2005 | Goal! | Carl Francis | |
| 2005 | Get Rich or Die Tryin' | Antoine | |
| 2006 | Stormbreaker | Wolf | |
| 2006 | Cubs | Karl | Short film |
| 2006 | Life and Lyrics | Danny Lewis | |
| 2007 | WΔZ | Daniel Leone | |
| 2007 | Sugarhouse | D | |
| 2008 | Speed Racer | Prince Kabala | |
| 2008 | Tuesday | Billy | |
| 2011 | Fedz | Cherokee Blame | Short film |
| 2011 | Reparations for the Soul | The Entity | Short film |
| 2011 | Anuvahood | Cracks | |
| 2011 | Sket | Trey | |
| 2011 | Demons Never Die | Bates | |
| 2012 | St. George's Day | Kootz | |
| 2013 | Grace and Danger | Felling | |
| 2013 | All Stars | Mark | |
| 2014 | Montana | Ryan | |
| 2016 | Billionaire Ransom | Danny Dorsey | |
| 2016 | Demain tout commence | Lowell | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1992 | The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones | Omar | Episode: "My First Adventure" |
| 1997 | Grange Hill | Andy Phillips | 12 episodes |
| 1999 | The Murder of Stephen Lawrence | Stuart Lawrence | |
| 2000 | The Coral Island | Jack | |
| 2000 | Storm Damage | Stefan | |
| 2000 | Urban Gothic | Leo | Episode: "Dead Meat" |
| 2000 | The Bill | Michael Dexter | Episode: "Search Me" |
| 2000 | Never Never | Lee | 2 episodes |
| 2001 | Shockers: Parent's Night | Brian | |
| 2001 | The Whistle-Blower | Keith Lindo | 2 episodes |
| 2001 | The Bill | Jess Thomas | Episode: "Lick of Paint" |
| 2001 | Dark Realm | Student | Episode: "Castle Keep" |
| 2002 | The Hidden City | Sid | 21 episodes |
| 2003 | Holby City | Roy Woodley | Episode: "One of Our Own" |
| 2004 | Top Buzzer | Bugsy | Episode: "Germination" |
| 2005 | Last Rights | Max | 3 episodes |
| 2007 | Hustle | Billy Bond | 6 episodes |
| 2008 | West 10 LDN | Lacey | |
| 2009 | Small Island | Michael | |
| 2010 | Five Days | Jamal Matthews | 5 episodes |
| 2011 | Bedlam | Mark | Episode: "Committed" |
| 2011 | Outcasts | Jack Holt | 8 episodes |
| 2011–2023 | Top Boy | Dushane | Main Role, also executive producer (Season 4-5) |
| 2012 | Inside Men | Chris | 4 episodes |
| 2012 | True Love | Paul | Episode: "Story Four" |
| 2012 | Sinbad | Abdul-Fahim | Episode: "House of Games" |
| 2013 | Doctor Who | Gregor Van Baalen | Episode: "Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS" |
| 2013 | Truckers | Steven Warley | 5 episodes |
| 2014 | The Musketeers | Charon | Episode: "The Homecoming" |
| 2014 | The Secrets | Ray | Episode: "The Return" |
| 2014 | Silent Witness | DI Dale Carter | Episodes: "Fraternity" Parts 1 & 2 |
| 2015 | Cuffs | PC Ryan Draper | 8 episodes |
| 2016 | The Aliens | Christophe | 6 episodes |
| 2017 | Safe House | John Channing | 4 episodes |
| 2017 | In The Dark | DI Tim Cornish | Episodes: "Time of Death", parts 1 & 2 |
| 2018–2021 | Bulletproof | NCA Officer Ronnie Pike | Main Role – 17 episodes Also co-Creator |
| 2025 | A Thousand Blows | Switch (Hezekiah Moscow's Father) | Episode 2&6: Flashbacks Also Directed several episodes 4,5,6 |
| 2025 | Missing You | Josh Buchanan | 6 episodes |
| 2025 | Adolescence | DI Luke Bascombe | 4 episodes |

### Web

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2018 | Shiro's Story | Ty | Part 3 (Short YouTube Series); Cameo |

## Discography
### Studio albums

| Date | Title | Chart positions | Credit |
| Date | Title | UK | Credit |
| 2002 | Why Me? Unreleased debut studio album | – | Asher D |
| 14 June 2004 | Street Sibling Second studio album | – | Asher D |
| 9 October 2006 | In Memory of the Street Fighter Third studio album | – | Asher D |
| 26 February 2009 | Ashley Walters Fourth studio album | – | Ashley Walters |

### Mixtapes

| Date | Title | Chart positions | Credit |
| Date | Title | UK | Credit |
| June 2006 | Cure 4 Cancer First mixtape | – | Asher D |
| 4 February 2007 | The Appetiser Second mixtape | – | Asher D |
| 15 December 2011 | Forgotten Treasures Vol. 1 Third mixtape | – | Ashley Walters |
| 31 December 2011 | Forgotten Treasures Vol. 2 Forth mixtape | – | Ashley Walters |
| 31 December 2011 | Forgotten Treasures Vol. 3 Fifth mixtape | – | Ashley Walters |
| 2 January 2012 | Forgotten Treasures Vol. 4 Sixth mixtape | –– | Ashley Walters |
| 16 February 2012 | Forgotten Treasures: The Complete Legacy Compilation mixtape | – | Ashley Walters |

### Singles

| Date | Title | Chart positions | Album | Credit |
| Date | Title | UK | Album | Credit |
| 27 May 2002 | "Back in the Day"/"Why Me?" | #43 | Why Me? | Asher D |
| 14 February 2006 | "This is Real" | – | In Memory of the Street Fighter | Asher D |
| 1 August 2006 | "Andrea" | – | In Memory of the Street Fighter | Asher D |
| 9 July 2007 | "Still Here" | – | In Memory of the Street Fighter | Asher D |
| 5 November 2007 | "Inside Out" | – | Non-album single | Asher D featuring Ghetto |
| 28 July 2008 | "Lies" | – | Non-album single | Baby J featuring Ashley Walters |
| 28 October 2008 | "M.O. (Pt. 2)" | – | Ashley Walters | Ashley Walters |
| 12 January 2009 | "With You" | – | Ashley Walters | Ashley Walters featuring Mutya Buena |
| 18 May 2009 | "Own Two Feet" | – | Ashley Walters | Ashley Walters featuring Chipmunk |
| 29 July 2012 | "How You Like Me Now" | – | TBC | Ashley Walters featuring Lisa Moorish |
| 11 November 2012 | "Your Love" | – | TBC | Ashley Walters featuring Alesha Dixon |