Most of you will know him as Bashy, the very talented MC but watch this space because he’s going from MC to leading actor in his new film ‘The Man Inside’. Having a few minor roles movies and TV already under his belt Ashley Thomas aka Bashy is set to stamp his mark on the acting world equally as he has with his music. “I don’t want to turn around in twenty years and just be like I should have done more, and that’s one advice I would give to anyone, just work at your dreams.”
Dressed for the part in a Ralph Lauren shirt and some bright red jeans Ashley Thomas joins Flavour to talk music, acting and girls!
We haven’t been seeing much of you on the music scene but that’s because you’ve been busy acting films, how did that come about?
I was just acting before; I went to The Brit School and studied theatre there. That was really my first love before I even got introduced to music and recently I got the opportunity to get back into acting because when you do music you’re a brand and people buy into it and then film people wanna exploit the brand so its cool, it’s worked out for the best.
And you just happen to be good at both so why not?
Yeah I mean it was more like just wanting to do something, rather than hanging about in the street my parents just didn’t think that was cool so they put me in little activities and just set me on a good path really and of course music has always been there.
How are you finding the transition from music to acting?
Cool, I thought I was going to be up against a lot more hurdles if I’m honest cause I thought people are going to say he’s a rapper because they’re not going to know my acting background but it hasn’t been like that at all, and one thing I really like about the acting world is that you’re more so judged on your talent and the work you can do. There’s just less politics because in music it isn’t always just on your talent people focus on.
“One thing I really like about the acting world is that you’re more so judged on your talent”
Your new film ‘The Man Inside’ is your first major lead role, tell us more about it and the character you play Clayton Murdoch.
Clayton Murdoch is a young amateur boxer; he’s had a violent up bringing via of his father, been exposed to violence having to see his dad hitting on his mum and committing various crimes and bringing his son along to see these things rather than protecting him from it all so my character basically grows up with a load of anger and it sheds light on things that happen in children’s lives when there younger because they don’t really know how things affect them until there older and things manifest and for instance they would have grown up saying ‘I don’t want to be like my dad’ and then you just end up tuning to be exactly like your dad because that’s all u’ve ever been exposed to and that’s basically what the film explores, and my character just finding solace in boxing and you see the relationship he builds and how he handles certain situations along the way.
Because its sick! [Laughs] I’m playing. I think people should go watch this film because it’s different to what everyone else is seen. I think its shot beautifully, there are some really powerful performances in it, great actors such as Peter Mullen, I’m not sure if a lot of people will be aware of him but he’s done so much good and just well respected work, some of the fight scenes are really good, the boxing scenes are really cool. Just a very good dramatic film.
Did you have to train for the role?
Yeah I did, I was training anyway because I like to keep fit, I don’t think there’s anything worse than a skinny guy with a pop belly [Laughs] and I felt like I was developing that from the mc Donald’s [Laughs] so I had started training a few months prior so for the role I just picked it up even harder and started doing boxing training. I would have loved it if we would have had longer to train but I still don’t think that took anything away from my performance, I think we made do with the time we had and we got a really good out come.
And now just some quick fire questions for you; what is your favorite film and why?
I have two, can I have two?
You can have two
My favorite film is ‘The Godfather II’ and ‘Braveheart’. I just proper like those films. I love the stories, I love the way the Godfathers are shot. I like the plot, and with Brave heart I like the cinematography, how everything is big, I like the acting and Peter Mullen who’s in this film is actually in Brave heart.
Favorite thing to cook?
[Laughs] Me personally cook, Scrambled eggs on toast, Turkey rachers. Love that.
Best memory?
My best memory so far is the Gorillaz World Tour that I done. We were on tour for three months, travelled to so many places so that was really cool.
Last time you told a female you loved them? And you’re not allowed to say your mum?
[Laughs] Last time I told a girl that I loved them…I said it on a song recently but it hasn’t been released yet, it’s a beautiful song.
What is your favorite word?
Pagan, I think that’s just the best word. I chuckle at it cause I just think its funny.
What is your least favorite word?
Can’t. I don’t like that word. “Can’t, I can’t, I can’t do it, can’t’
It can always be done. ‘You can’t shoot a video like that bruv’ Yes you can or ‘I can’t edit it for Tuesday,’ yes you can you just don’t want to. Anything can be done if you want it to.
What turns you on in a woman?
I like girls that are witty and just sharp and got a good sense of humor. Nice smile, big eyes not huge just you know nice big eyes. Full lips, banging body, pretty feet [Laughs]. Just someone who takes care of themselves and intelligence.
“Shallow girls really turn me off”
What turns you off?
Shallow girls really turn me off, you could be really pretty, beautiful every guys sort of desire but if you’re just mad shallow that just gets on my nerves like some of the things you prioritize or idolize that’s just not cool, and name dropping girls ‘’I was just with…’’ and girls that aint smart, yeah I don’t like that, that don’t have an opinion and aren’t trying to learn.
What makes you happy?
In all honesty I’m happy when the people around me are happy. I’m happy when my mums happy, my sister my dad my cousins, friends. When there happy I’m cool, and I’m happy when things are just going well getting roles, music’s being well received then I’m good.
I don’t like bullies, I don’t like racism that gets me proper angry.
Where is your favorite place in the world?
I would say Australia, I went there on the Gorillaz World Tour and probably one of the best times I’ve ever had and I was with Kano and he’s one of my boys so it was cool. The flight is long but I would advice anyone just to explore the world and Australia is one of the places that I would say is worth going to.
And lastly for all your music fans, will we still be seeing you do music?
Yeah for sure, I got some stuff out at the moment, I got an EP that’s coming out called The Great Escape Features Wretch 32, Giggs, Dot Rotten, Omar I got a song out now called London Town that features Omar so yea I’m just recording at the moment, I love music so I enjoy just doing music, being creative and the stuff that I’m recording in the studio right now I’m very confident and very happy with and for some reason I’ve got this new found confidence and I’m just ready to go. I’m recording, I’m acting, I just wrote my own film and I’m just enjoying it all really trying to keep busy because I don’t want to turn around in twenty years and just be like I should have done more, and that’s one advice I would give to anyone, just work at your dreams.
The Man Inside is released in cinemas nationwide on July 27, 2012.