- Ashley Walters , a star of the crime drama Top Boy , revealed he was confronted by parents who believed the show glamourised violence, prompting him to question its impact.
- Walters stated that despite these concerns, the show's core objective was to authentically represent the lives of drug dealers and gang violence in a fictional Hackney estate.
- He emphasised that Top Boy aimed for a truthful portrayal, believing it had a significant impact and raised awareness about this often-underrepresented aspect of British culture.
- Walters highlighted the show's role in facilitating British actors' and musicians' success in the US by providing a reference point for a more diverse understanding of the UK beyond stereotypes like Downton Abbey .
- The actor previously acknowledged that while he scrutinised creator Ronan Bennett, it would have been ideal for a Black writer to tell the stories featured in Top Boy , which predominantly featured a Black cast.
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