Percelle Ascott has been making potent strides for over a decade and continues to impact across a multitude of mediums.

With an impressively diverse array of roles under his belt, the 29-year-old actor’s latest sees him star in new Netflix thriller, ‘I Came By.’

Directed by Babak Anvari, the narrative centers on a graffiti artist who targets the homes of the elite. The discovery of a twisted secret in a hidden basement sets off a chain of events that threatens to change the course of his life – and those around him – forever.

That Grape Juice caught up with Ascott, who opened up about the role, his career journey, and much more.

Check it our interview below…

That Grape Juice (Sam): ‘I Came By.’ What a film! What drew you to the role of Jay?

Percelle Ascott: Good question. I was intrigued. When I picked up the script, I didn’t know where the character was gonna go in terms of its journey. I guess all the characters have their own individual journey. I think, as an actor, there’s so much to play with just the relationship between Jay and Toby and just everything that Jay has to navigate.

I’ve also never done a thriller before. Working with Babak, working with Kelly, and Hugh and George, everything was just sort of lined up really. And I think the experience of filming was amazing. I just learned so much. So, I’m really, really, grateful to definitely have taken on the role and to be part of the experience.

That Grape Juice: What was the most enjoyable and challenging aspect of shooting the film?

Percelle Ascott: Another great question. The characters Jay and Toby, they’re both two guys who are from the world of graffiti, graffiti artists. So beforehand, me and George were talking about how we can just do more research. So, I remember Babak put us in a WhatsApp group chat and was talking about just the research and just trying to understand like, the kind of the history and the background of just graffiti in London and the UK, and kind of going on that journey and learning how to actually do it.

So, beforehand, we actually prepped with a consultant and learned exactly how to do the technique and stuff. So just learning something new, like a different world. That was like really, really cool. And then I think just working with George.  I remember just doing the chemistry tapes with him, and we just got on so, so well. And I’ve learned so much from him. And really, I feel like I’ve got a good friend in him, past just the job. So for me as an actor, every time you’re working on a project, you get to meet cool people. So, it’s nice where you get to meet and make some sort of long-life friends.

I think in terms of challenge, as the film progresses, Jay’s journey, it just gets really sort of bigger for him in terms of the pressures and the stakes. And I think there were quite a few scenes that are quite emotional. And so, doing those scenes, and sometimes as it happens, when you’re filming, you might get, say, an hour to do a take, half an hour sometimes. And you just have to just go for it.

There were a couple of days where, time was really against us. And so, definitely just having to push myself as an actor and get to those levels of emotion (quickly). Hopefully, when people watch the film, it pays off.

That Grape Juice: One of the things I really enjoyed was how layered both the story and the characters are. From Toby to Hector to even Naz. If you could play any character other than Jay who would it be and why?

Percelle Ascott: Yes. I definitely think I’d play Hugh’s character. I met Hugh in the beginning part of the process. But I didn’t actually have my scenes with him until the last part of filming. People on set were talking about Hugh’s character and just what he was doing, but I guess I just didn’t have the opportunity yet to kind of see and witness it for myself. So, when I got to work with him, and to see just how sinister he was and the edge he brings…I was blown away. I’ve seen Hugh in terms of ‘Downton Abbey’ and previous performances and previous work that he’s done. But I’ve not seen him in this type of role before. It definitely felt like there was an air of tension in the room because of his character – and I really liked that.

And I think just as a character, I think there’s so much stuff that I would like to play with. I starred in ‘Shiro’s Story’ a couple of years ago and I got to play a character with a similar type of edge and a lot of layers to it. So, I think I definitely would love to like play Hugh’s character beyond my own.

That Grape Juice: You’ve been on quite the journey. It’s been 11 years since the first episode of Mandem on the Wall and your incredible ascend continues. If we fast forward another 11 years, what are some things you will want to have achieved?

Percelle Ascott: I think just to keep doing what I’m doing now.

 I started acting at 18 years old, creating my own web series on YouTube. For me, it was always about just creating your own opportunities and (being) DIY, doing it yourself. And I think just having that freedom of expression, and that freedom of creativity. So now, I’m fortunate enough to be in a position where I’ve got a production company. I’ve got like a platform called the Wall of Comedy, Wall of Productions, and we’re constantly creating content all the time. So, we work with people like Yung Filly and Chunkz, and Harry (Pinero), Nella (Rose).

We’re making all kinds of stuff like ‘Does The Shoe Fit.’ And I think for the next 10 years, I think we would love to just be able to work on films, and we’ve got some other amazing stuff in the pipeline, that will be released soon. I’m definitely looking at Kevin Hart, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Those are my sort of my inspirations when it comes to just how they as performers and as actors have built a business around what they’re doing. And I guess now, they get to sort of create their own work and sort of pick and choose, also who they want to work with. And I think, here in the UK, we’ve got so much, so much talent. There’s so much talent everywhere. So, I’d love to be able to bridge the gap and be able to get everyone to work together.

Hopefully, the next 10 years looks like myself and my business partner Joivan Wade working with the likes of Daniel Kaluuya and Damson Idris and everybody, really. Everyone who are our peers, who are our friends. We’ve kind of grown up with a lot of people over the years. And so, I kind of just say, fingers crossed, I can keep doing what I’m doing now. But definitely, just keep making and telling stories. Just telling stories and just doing what you love.

That Grape Juice: You’ve been making a mark in entertainment for years. From your BRIT School days to now: what would you say has been the best advice you’ve received on your journey?

Percelle Ascott: Wow! Definitely, the first one I’d start off with is, when I was I think about 18 years old, when we were doing Mandem on the Wall and it was really hard to kind of, like, keep it going, because I mean, back then, it wasn’t what it is now, in terms of the industry. Like, we weren’t making money. And a lot of the things we were doing was sort of volunteering and just investing in this idea that we had. So, I think just simply knowing that hard ‘work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.’

I think I’ve always believed in that so much. And so, everything we’ve ever done, all the projects that we worked on whether it be our own projects, or projects that we’ve been in, we’ve always tried to, just always tried to give it our all.

And I think another big thing would just be just to not give up. I think there have been times as an actor and as a business person within the industry, it’s like, it’s very hard sometimes to keep going. So, I think simply just not giving up as well has helped us get to where we got to. Definitely, those two will be the kind of the bigger advice points I’ve received.

That Grape Juice: The film is so layered and there are multiple themes explored. What do you want viewers to take away from ‘I Came By’?

Percelle Ascott: I think for me, the film is such an experience. And I think that’s what the beauty of film and cinema is. I think, it’s always that thing about, whether or not you go to the cinema, or you’re watching it on a shooting platform. You’re there to watch something for an experience, a form of escapism, and I think I just want people to go on a journey. I want people to go on a ride. I want – I can’t wait to be sat at the premiere and feeling like, everyone’s kind of emotions, as the twists and turns come through the story.

So, I think I’m excited to see and hear people’s reactions to what they might have expected the film to go or where they think the film might have gone down in terms of like the story route. And of course, there are a lot of dark secrets to the film. I don’t want to say too much to reveal everything. But definitely, I just can’t wait for people to go on a ride with this film and just, yeah, just enjoy it.

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‘I Came By’ is Streaming Now on Netflix

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