Asher D

Ashley Walters (born 30 June 1982), also known by his stage name Asher D, is an English rapper, songwriter and actor best known for his star role as Ricky in Bullet Boy (2004), his lead role as Dushane in Top Boy, and his role as Antoine in Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005). He has also appeared in prominent 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. Georges CE Primary School, Camberwell, from the age of four. He then went on to Pimlico School, now known as Pimlico Academy.
Having undertaken classes at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, after leaving school Walters starred in some stage productions.
==Music career==
Walters joined the group So Solid Crew, where under the moniker Asher D he both performed and acted as lyricist, particularly for their number-one hit "21 Seconds".
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 at the age of 10, and as Andy in Grange Hill 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 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 outstanding contribution to film and television.
==Personal life==
Ashley married Danielle Isaie on 22 June 2013; they had a daughter in late August 2014, Amiaya-Love Walters. In early October 2016 they had a son, River Leslie Walters. With ex-partner Natalie, Walters has two sons Shayon Perry (born 2000), Paniro Ashley (born 2003) and one daughter China Shereece (born 2001). He also has two young daughters Antonia and Ashleigh Walters.
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. 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 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==
===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	Tu£sday 	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	The Charlatans 	 	Writer and director
2014	Montana 	Ryan 	
2016	Billionaire Ransom 	Danny Dorsey 	
2016	Demain tout commence 	Lowell 	
===Television===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1997 	Grange Hill 	Andy Phillips 	12 episodes
1999 	The Murder of Stephen Lawrence 	Stuart Lawrence 	
2000 	The Coral Island 	Jack 	
2000 	The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones	Omar 	Episode: "My First Adventure"
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–present	Top Boy 	Dushane 	Main Role
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—present	Bulletproof 	NCA Officer Ronnie Pike	Main Role - 6 episodes 
Also Co-Creator
==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
==References==
==External links==
* 
* Official Ashley Walters website
* Official Asher D Myspace
Category:1982 births
Category:Living people
Category:Rappers from London
Category:Black British male rappers
Category:Grime music artists
Category:Male actors from London
Category:So Solid Crew members
Category:UK garage musicians
Category:BBC people
Category:People from Peckham
Category:Alumni of the Sylvia Young Theatre School