Percelle Ascott

Percelle Ascott
Ascott in 2018
Born (1993-06-10) 10 June 1993 (age 31)
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
NationalityZimbabwean, British
Occupation(s)Actor, writer
Years active2010–present

Percelle Ascott (born 10 June 1993) is a Zimbabwean-British actor and writer.[1] He is known for his roles in the CBBC series Wizards vs Aliens (2012–2014) and the Netflix series The Innocents (2018). As a trio, Ascott collaborated with Joivan Wade and Dee Kaate on the web comedy Mandem on the Wall (2011–2013), the E4 series Youngers (2013–2014), and the film The Weekend (2016).

Early life and education

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Ascott was born in Bulawayo,[2] Zimbabwe and moved to England with his family when he was three[3][4] where he grew up in Penge, South London.[5][6] He first discovered acting at the age of 11 through a school production of The Jungle Book. Ascott's drama teacher at Woodcote High School helped him get into the BRIT School when he was 16.[7] It was here Ascott met his Mandem on the Wall collaborator Joivan Wade.[8]

Career

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Ascott made his television debut as Wayne in the 2010 BBC Two television film Excluded and appeared as a guest lead in two episodes of Silent Witness.

In 2010, Ascott and Wade were approached by Glen Murphy of Twist and Pulse to perform a comedy sketch at one of the duo's live shows. Here they met another act Dee Kaate, with whom they created the web series Mandem on the Wall. The trio were then cast in the E4 series Youngers with their Mandem on the Wall characters incorporated into the story.[9] Mandem on the Wall culminated in a live performance at the Hackney Empire in 2015.[10]

From 2012 to 2014, Ascott starred in Russell T Davies and Phil Ford's CBBC science fiction series Wizards vs Aliens as Benny Sherwood, best friend of the main character Tom, who defends wizardkind and Earth against the Nekross.[11][12] He made his feature film debut as Mike in the 2013 musical Beat Girl. He then had a supporting role as Ben in the drama film X+Y.[13] He reunited with Wade and Kaate for The Weekend[14] and the interactive online sci-fi Genesis.[15]

Ascott starred in the 2018 Netflix supernatural series The Innocents alongside Sorcha Groundsell and Guy Pearce. That same year, he appeared in the Doctor Who episode "The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos" and Rapman's web trilogy Shiro's Story with Wade. Ascott played Cleveland in Julian Kostov's The Dare and Jesse in series 3 of the Sky Atlantic police procedural Tin Star.

Ascott has upcoming film roles in I Came By, Inner Bull, and Kukeri.[16]

Filmography

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Key
Denotes projects that have not yet been released

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2010 Electric Percy Short film
2012 Callum Jerome Short film
Sunroof Adam Short film
2013 Beat Girl Mike
2014 X+Y Ben
2016 The Weekend Malcolm
Deep It Kadz Short film
2019 The Dare Cleveland
Dawn in the Dark Uncle Nate Short film
2020 My Favourite Place Alex Short film
2022 Colby Lace Short film
I Came By Jameel "Jay" Agassi Netflix film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2010 Excluded Wayne TV movie
2012 Silent Witness Joel Baron 2 episodes
2012–2014 Wizards vs Aliens Banjamín "Benny" Sherwood Main cast
2013–2014 Youngers Yungah Baby Main cast
2015 The Dog Ate My Homework Panelist 1 episode
2016 The Coroner Jake Taylor Episode: "Those in Peril"
2017 Casualty Kalen Gardner Episode: "When the Whistle Blows"
2018 The Innocents Harry Main cast
Doctor Who Delph Episode: "The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos"
2020 Tin Star Jesse 3 episodes
2024 Domino Day Leon Recurring role
2025 I, Jack Wright Reuben[17] Post-production

Web

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Year Title Role Notes
2011–2013 Mandem on the Wall Yungah Baby Co-writer
2016 Genesis Interactive
2018 Shiro's Story Kyle Part 1-3 (Short YouTube Series)

Stage

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Year Title Role Notes
2015 Mandem on the Wall Live Yungah Baby Hackney Empire, London[18]

References

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  1. ^ "Netflix star: 'I owe it all to my mum'". BBC Sounds. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  2. ^ Mabuza, Sipho (27 August 2018). "Zimbabwe star bursts onto international acting scene". Zim Live. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  3. ^ Greenwood Lassman, Chelsea (24 August 2018). ""The Innocents" Star Percelle Ascott on Playing a Teen Caught Up in a Supernatural Romance". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Percelle Ascott, the Zimbabwe-born actor, who's on a roll on Netflix". Forbes Africa. 5 January 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  5. ^ Adegunle, Samuel (4 December 2018). "Against the wall with Percelle Ascott". Nation of Billions. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  6. ^ Nguyen, Merk; Turner, Nyge (26 October 2018). "Momma, I Made It: Actor Percelle Ascott". YR. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  7. ^ Hedley, Mark (12 September 2018). "Meet Percelle Ascott: co-founder of the Wall of Comedy and star of The Innocents". Square Mile. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  8. ^ ""It all started here" Percelle Ascott, Careers Day 2019". The BRIT School. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  9. ^ Jones, Wil (29 November 2016). "Interview: How 'Mandem on the Wall' Are Changing British TV". Complex. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  10. ^ "UK Comedians Mandem on the Wall Talk About Their New Show 'Mandem Live' at the Hackney Empire". Trapped Magazine. 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  11. ^ Connelly, Brendan (28 April 2012). "Official Blurb And First Look At Wizards Vs. Aliens From Doctor Who's Russell T Davies". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  12. ^ "Wizards Vs Aliens interview with Scott Haran and Percelle Ascott". Geeks of Oz. July 2013.
  13. ^ "Moving portrayal of an autistic mind in X+Y". 12 March 2015. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  14. ^ Paskett, Zoe (2 December 2016). "Mandem on the Wall star in new Hackney comedy The Weekend". Hackney Gazette. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  15. ^ Jeffery, Morgan; Fletcher, Rosie (24 August 2016). "Genesis is a British sci-fi film that'll let you decide the ending". Digital Spy. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  16. ^ "George Mackay, Kelly Macdonald & Hugh Bonneville Lead Cast In Netflix Thriller 'I Came By' For Director Babak Anvari". 20 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  17. ^ "Further cast confirmed in Chris Lang drama I, Jack Wright for Alibi". UKTV. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Percelle Ascott". Sainou. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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