Ashley Walters on feeling stuck in your career (plus, who killed Sully on Top Boy)
What we learnt this week on Tim Campbell’s podcast reWORKING
Top Boy star and Animol director Ashley Walters is the latest guest to join Tim Campbell on his podcast reWORKING.
Ashley pivoted from being an MC for So Solid Crew, to an actor, and now a director. But along the way he's faced struggles; going to prison, battling with alcoholism, and overcoming anxiety and self-doubt.
Tim and Ashley talk about how he made the jump from one career to the next and what he did to avoid getting stuck in his journey. Together, they share practical advice on how you can turn your setbacks into success, no matter what field you're in.
They also talk about advice Ashley got from Daniel Kaluuya and his relationship with Stephen Graham. Plus, for the first time, Ashley unexpectedly reveals who killed Sully on Top Boy.
Read on for a few things we learnt from Ashley's episode, which you can listen to now on Rayo, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.
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95% of the time, things go wrong. That's normal
Ashley says the success people see is "5%, if that". The rest has been rejection and failure. When Tim asked Ashley for the one piece of advice he wished he'd had earlier, he said: "I wish someone told me that I was going to fail as much as I was going to fail."
This is a handy way to reframe a setback or failure; they're normal, not a verdict on you.
What you say no to matters more than what you say yes to
Actor Daniel Kaluuya once told Ashley: "It's not about the stuff you say yes to. It's about the stuff you say no to."
This inspired Ashley to stop taking jobs out of fear of a dry spell and start picking projects he actually cared about, such as hit Netflix show Adolescence and his new directorial feature debut Animol.
Don't argue with a no; build the proof instead
Have you ever been turned down because of lack of experience?
Earlier in his career, Ashley asked for the option to direct an episode of a show he was starring in. The answer wasn't just no. It was "you haven't got the experience".
He didn't argue; instead, he called his business partner, and they decided to make a short film in order to be taken seriously. They planned to self-fund it for about £13k and ended up raising £194k. He sent the film around to agents, had one the next day, and was working on Ackley Bridge three weeks later.
So, don’t argue with a “no.” Build the evidence instead.
"A dream is only a dream if hard work doesn't follow it"
The bottom line: Ashley says you need to make a plan and actually stick to it. Of course, the plan will change, and you must be prepared for rejection. But you can’t wait around for things to just happen to you.
Who killed Sully on Top Boy
Spoiler warning
In the series finale of Top Boy, we see Sully get shot and killed by a mystery figure, whose identity has been kept a secret until now.
In his episode of reWORKING, Ashley casually reveals the answer to what he says is the "most hated question": who killed Sully? Jacqueline "Jaq" Lawrence, played by Jasmine Jobson.
What is the reWORKING podcast?
reWORKING is hosted by business coach and The Apprentice UK’s first-ever winner Tim Campbell. Every week, Tim and a new guest help you solve your biggest work and money problems, from asking your boss for a pay rise to knowing when it’s time to quit – and everything in between.
Who is Ashley Walters?
Ashley Walters first broke through as a member of So Solid Crew, whose single '21 Seconds' went to number one on the UK singles chart in 2001. He then switched to acting, starting with a breakout role in Bullet Boy, before starring as Dushane in Top Boy.
More recently he played DI Luke Bascombe in Netflix’s Adolescence, which earned him Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. He’s now working behind the camera, having directed episodes of A Thousand Blows and now his first feature film, Animol.
What other guests are joining reWORKING season two?
Other season two guests include Will Storr, Rochelle Humes, Simon Squibb, Elfried Samba, Dean Forbes, Frankie Bridge and Leah Meredith, Jamil Qureshi, Joel Dommett and Ben Shephard, Angela Duckworth, Stacey Duguid and Georgie Barrat.
How can I listen to reWORKING season two?
Listen on Rayo, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.
How can I stay up to date with Tim Campbell and reWORKING season two?
Follow @reworkingpodcast on Instagram and TikTok and @reWORKINGwithTimCampbellpod on YouTube.