How 'My Fault: London' Star Asha Banks Is Creating Her Own Path ...

Currently, Asha Banks is almost always on the go. Between the upcoming release of her highly anticipated EP launch, a set of live performances and the release of her first ever feature film, My Fault: London. Still, she’s found a moment to pause, as she calls me from her childhood home, where she lives with her whole family and chihuahua dog.

‘I still feel back where I’ve always been, it’s strange. It doesn’t feel like there’s been much of a change’ yet, she says. Her star is on the verge of blooming, not just in TV and film – already landing a leading role in Prime Video's English remake of Culpa Mia- but also in music.

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Her acting career is taking off - in My Fault: London, Banks portraying fan favourite Noah, a young woman whose life is suddenly uprooted from Florida to London, where she must adjust to live with her new stepfather and stepbrother. As tensions rise, the attraction between Noah and her stepbrother Nick grows complicated, giving Banks a platform to showcase her depth and versatility as an actor.

Landing her first lead role in a feature film was both thrilling and daunting, ‘It was definitely different from anything I’d done before’, she admits. Stepping into My Fault: London, a project with a built-in fanbase and a major streaming platform behind it, carried a level of responsibility and visibility she wasn’t used to. ‘It was daunting, but at the same time, just so exciting,’ she says, reflecting on how surreal the experience felt. ‘It was pinch-me moments the whole shoot.’

The story of Noah - combined with her sarcastic and strong character, and being a racer - resonated with Asha when she first read the script. ‘I loved her instantly. She’s someone who goes through a lot, and there’s just so much that happens along the way,’ she recalls. But what truly sealed the deal for her taking on the project was learning that the film would be directed by Dani Girdwood and Charlotte Fassler.

While the onscreen chemistry with her co-star Matthew Broome was nothing short of magnetic, their authenticity carried off off-screen. ‘We just clicked immediately,’ Banks says. ‘We both had this nervous energy, so we were kind of chaos together, but in the best way possible.’

Simultaneously, Banks is carving out her own path in music. She describes her upcoming EP, set for release on March 7, as a personal project, one that blends inspirations from indie-folk genres and emotional soundscapes with intimate moments. ‘Music has always been my outlet for my emotions,’ she explains, ‘It’s where I’m most vulnerable’, and working with her personal hero, Olivia Broadfield, helped her find her sound.

Both her music and acting careers are deeply connected, with each inspiring the other, ‘They both occupy different spaces in me, she shares. ‘With acting, I get to explore a character, while in music I get to tell my own story. But they influence each other in ways I can’t fully explain.'

A testament to this is her latest single, ‘Feel The Rush’, a soothing track with soft percussions that creates a sense of warmth and introspection. Upon first listening, I was so convinced I had heard it in My Fault: London, which is exactly what Banks aimed for when creating the song: ‘I drew inspiration from Noah and Nick’s relationship, as well my own.’

Looking ahead, Banks has a lot planned - she's still reeling from a recent live show with BBC Introducing and a London show at The Lower Third, and now warming up for her biggest performance to date with the launch of her upcoming EP. She’s also open to new possibilities, including exploring directing, ‘I’d love to try different things, maybe even direct a short film with my music’, she says, her ambition clear. ‘I think it all comes back to storytelling.'

For now, Banks is honed in on un-layering back the layers and levels to her creativity – one project at a time, and there’s no doubt that she’s on the path to becoming a multi-hyphenate to watch.

My Fault: London will premiere exclusively on Prime on February 13 2025.

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