Top Boy legend Ashley Walters reveals why new film Animol is less about "queerness" and more about "authenticity"

Big screen, subwoofer and speakers – and that’s only for football! I use my iPad for everything else. I’m decorating my son’s room at the moment and I asked him the other day, “Do you want me to put a TV in?” He said, “What for?” Maybe live TV is slowly declining, but I still enjoy it!

What have you been watching recently?

A lot of football-related YouTube stuff – I’m an Arsenal fan. Then piling on the films. Trying to open myself up to stuff I don’t usually watch, creating a watchlist with other directors. On TV, I’m enjoying War. And Lioness is one of my favourites.

Your new film Animol is your first as director, though you’ve directed episodes of TV. What’s the biggest difference?

On a TV show you’re facilitating someone else’s vision. You’re watched a lot more to make sure you’re maintaining the overall vision of the writers’ idea. It was a big shock to my system having the producers say, “Go, make your film.” It’s very intense. It’s a lot more responsibility.

You were discouraged from directing in the past. How did you respond to that?

It was awkward, but nothing I’ve gained has been easy. I enjoy the fight. I think that’s how you make great things happen, where people are interrogating every decision you make. Someone saying no to me is like a trigger. I’m going to prove you wrong!

Creatively, what do you get out of directing that you don’t get out of acting?

Control. As fulfilling as acting is, you’re a pawn in a huge game. And as much as they prioritise you, you’re still being moved around by other people. What I love about directing is I’m moving the pieces!

Animol tells a Black, queer story set in a young offenders’ institute. What conversations do you hope it opens up?

I don’t want people to think they’re going to see one thing. The major theme is less about queerness and more about authenticity. We’re all wearing masks every now and again, and it’s about how many of those masks are about survival. It deals with shame and being your authentic self.

You spent time in a young offenders’ institute when you were a teenager. How have they changed since then?

When we did research, it was very clear to me that the prisons and the environment hadn’t changed much. What I saw was people really trying as hard as they could to mentor and support these kids, but without the resources they need to be able to do so.

Before Adolescence, you almost gave up acting. Is it still hard to feel like you’ve made it?

I’ve had a brilliant career, but as an actor I may have hit a ceiling a few times. Then something like Adolescence comes around that changes the game, and all of these new things are happening. So I’m back! Next year’s going to be really weird for people because I’m bouncing from playing an alien to an American billionaire…

Has Adolescence changed the way you think about screen time, especially for your kids?

It’s changed all of us, really. I’m sitting here pretty much losing my eyesight because of small screens, so I can’t imagine what it’s doing to younger people. Definitely in my house we are monitoring screen time. It’s tough for a lot of parents – to take an iPad away from a kid is like taking away their liberty, because they’ve grown up with them. But something needs to be done.

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Animol is available to watch now in cinemas across the UK.

Adolescence and Top Boy are available to stream now on Netflix. You can sign up to Netflix from £7.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky TV and Virgin Media.

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