Former Millfield student and rising star, Henry Ashton, who studied with us between 2004-2009 has since gone on to accomplish remarkable things in his chosen field. Henry has begun establishing a name for himself in the world of acting, starring in two TV series: ‘My Lady Jane’ and the upcoming ‘A Good Girls Guide to Murder’.

Prior to the release of these shows, we have been lucky enough to chat with Henry to discuss the latest projects, his journey to get here and his experiences.

Tell us about your latest projects. 

I am lucky enough to have two shows coming out in quick succession. The first being the Prime video series, My Lady Jane, quickly followed by BBC Three's, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.

What did your journey to get to this point look like? 

Acting is something I found a love for at Millfield. We were so lucky to have a drama department that would rival a lot of professional theatres in terms of facilities, and we did some truly amazing shows while I was there. However, I didn't end up pursuing acting after I left school and instead moved to London to start work there. It would end up being ten years of working in retail, hospitality, fashion, music and many other random little jobs, before my burning desire to act outweighed my fear of doing it. So, I quit my job at the time, managing a hotel, and applied to as many drama schools I could think of. I was lucky enough to get into The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and quickly moved to Glasgow for the next 4 years to study, graduating in 2022. There I picked up my agent and, towards the end of my studies, started auditioning for roles. Luckily, I got a job right off the bat in in Outlander, and then from there I got My Lady Jane and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. That brings us up to now!

 

Can you explain to us what these shows are all about? 

My Lady Jane, the series is based on the tragic tale of Lady Jane Grey, the young Tudor noblewoman who was Queen of England for nine days before getting beheaded. But.. My Lady Jane is a swashbuckling, retelling of history, set in an alt-universe of action, history, fantasy, comedy and steamy romance. I am playing the part of Stan Dudley, who can be seen as an arrogant, petulant and somewhat entitled man. Often in competition with his brother for his father’s attention, although he would never admit to that. But behind it all, is an extra-large heart, a deep sense of loyalty and a desire for love and acceptance. He embarks on a journey of self-discovery, becoming a better person, brother and son and, eventually, a bit of a hero.

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, the series is based off the first of three, bestselling books by the amazing Holly Jackson. It follows a schoolgirl named Pip, played by Emma Myers, as she attempts to solve a cold case, in her hometown of Little Kilton, for a school project. It’s full of twists and turns and keeps you on edge the whole way through. If you like true crime then you’ll love it! I'm playing Max Hastings, a young man used to getting his own way. He's confident, wealthy and charming, at least on the surface. Like a lot of people in Little Kilton, he's got secrets, but his may be darker than the most.

 

How did you juggle the responsibility of both roles considering they were so different? 

I loved how different the roles were, they both serve the story in very different ways and I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of going between them. I absolutely loved playing Stan. He wears his heart on his sleeve and allows his emotions to dictate his actions, which freed me up to be very playful, which is always fun! Max was certainly more of a challenge for me. I don't want to give anything away, but there were places I had to go with him that were definitely very uncomfortable. I always want to start from a place of understanding, with any part I play, and this was particularly tricky with playing Max. Despite this though, I really enjoyed the process of discovering a version of him that felt solid and grounded in the world, and I’m very grateful for the challenge. 

 

Where can the audience find the shows to watch? 

My Lady Jane will be available to stream on Prime Video from the 27th June. And A Good Girl's Guide to Murder will be aired on BBC Three in the UK and Netflix internationally on the 1st July.

 

Can you tell us a bit about your experience working with Prime video? 

My experience couldn't have been better. Working with big streamers can be quite intimidating, but the people at Prime were so welcoming and amazing from the start and I look forward to working with them again.

 

What was it about the characters and shows that enticed you to accept the roles? 

To be very honest, it didn't take much "enticing" to accept these roles! Both characters are beautifully written, interesting, flawed and human, and I was honoured to play both of them.

 

During your time filming these projects, what are some of your fondest/funniest memories? 

Myself and Rob Brydon were filming a scene in very thick woodland, walking and talking, navigating our way past trees and over fallen branches. We did the scene about 4 times and Stef, the director, was fairly happy but wanted to do just one more for safety. But this time, halfway through, my foot got caught under a root and I fell flat on my face. I heard the whole crew gasp behind the camera, but I managed to pop up and finish the scene. As soon as they yelled “CUT” everyone burst out laughing. Stef immediately said “YEP, we’re using that one”. So, I guess the funniest thing I did on the show was completely unintentional.

 

What advice would you give to any aspiring actors trying to make a career in the entertainment industry? 

I don't know if I'm in a position to give too much advice, as I'm still learning every day. But I'd say make sure you love it. It can be the best job in the world, but it can be heart breaking too, and if you don't love it, then it'll be harder to bounce back from those moments of heart break. Also, I think it's very important not to ever compare yourself to anyone else, you're not anyone else, you are yourself and your journey through acting will be unique. Worrying about other people will only serve to make you insecure, bitter and detract from your work.

 

 

Do you have any other upcoming projects you would like to share with us? 

...Perhaps, but you'll have to wait and see ;)

 

Don’t forget to catch Henry in his new shows:

My Lady Jane available to stream now on Prime Video.

A Good Girls Guide to Murder coming 1^st July to BBC3 and Netflix internationally.

We look forward to seeing you on our screens!