Hostage's Ashley Thomas: "I want things that I do to be seminal and meaningful, have an impact"

The body of work – which is a compelling tribute to his upbringing in North West London – went on to be widely critically acclaimed, with Thomas himself being nominated for an Ivor Novello award and then bagging both the Album of the Year and Best Hip Hop Act accolades at the 2025 MOBO Awards.

All of that to say, Thomas is more than a little busy these days straddling both worlds of acting and music. Surely, sitting down to do press interviews for a Netflix thriller must feel slightly surreal, I suggest.

"It feels good. I feel very fortunate and blessed that both my core disciplines are running at the same time," he says.

"I’m able to showcase my art and my creativity through my two disciplines. The response to everything has just been really positive, whether it be music or acting. I guess that’s all I’ve ever worked for and prayed for."

Starring in the new Netflix thriller as Dr Alex Anderson, Thomas's character is pretty integral not just to the general plot of the drama, but in terms of the literal title of the series. Married to Suranne Jones's Abigail Dalton, Alex works for Médecins Sans Frontières and is abroad in French Guiana when he is kidnapped.

Used as a pawn in a wider plot to disarm his prime minister wife, Alex is simply a well-intentioned man trying to do good by his family and those around him. It's something that stuck out to Thomas when he first read for the role, with Thomas revealing that it was Alex's "heart" that really struck a chord for him.

"To see a good man on the television, for me, it’s just important to see this guy’s heart. This father, this husband, this good man. He’s a good person and his care – he cares for his wife, his daughter but he also cares for his colleagues. So, for me, seeing that was like, 'OK, cool.' It’s another type of character. I’ve played good men before, but this is a different type."

As well as the series boasting "exceptional writing from Matt Charman", Thomas also takes a moment to praise his co-star and Hostage executive producer Suranne Jones. Obviously, due to the very nature of the plot, Jones and Thomas don't share loads of scenes together, so for Thomas, it was important and necessary "to buy the relationship in that short space".

Thomas continues: "Working with Suranne was easy. We just had such a vibe on set, she’s so friendly and just banter-y, always smiling and laughing – it made it a joy to work with her and go to set. I was happy waking up every morning and going to work with Suranne.

"The opening scene, where you see them walking through the woods, that was our first day on set. Usually, that’s a difficult day for a lot of people – first day on set, taking a moment to warm up... but we just got straight into it."

While the series doesn't explicitly name political parties, it is very much rooted in current affairs, with discussions around immigration, riots and the NHS alongside all the twists and turns you expect from any fast-paced Netflix series.

"It’s relevant and it feels current, I think people will be able to resonate with it. I think it’s entertaining. It’s a political thriller, it’s set in the government and in Downing Street, but it’s also set in MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières). The work that people are doing, that I wasn’t familiar with before I started this series. I wasn’t aware of MSF and the incredible work that they’re doing."

Speaking about what people may take from the series, Thomas said: "I think it will open people’s eyes to what’s happening if they’re not already aware. I hope it resonates with people on a political level about what’s happening in the world, but also just the human element of the characters – that they will relate to Abigail as someone who’s in a position of power but she’s a mother, a wife, a daughter, she’s juggling all those relationships and feelings.

"Similar to Alex, he’s a doctor, someone who has a very crucial job in our society. But also at the same time, he’s a father, a husband, so I hope people can relate to that and the choices that they have to make, the internal conflict of him as a man."

Alongside filming for Hostage, Thomas tells me, he was also in the midst of releasing Being Poor Is Expensive, describing how he had to go from filming on location in the Canary Islands back to London to record a live album session at Maida Vale Studios.

While many may think of it as a tonal whiplash, Thomas takes both art forms in his stride, having worked hard in both industries for years now.

Thomas took quite the pause in his music career, but during that time he threw himself into acting with notable roles in Them: Covenant, 2023's Great Expectations, Black Cake and The Serpent Queen. Many will also recognise Thomas for his roles in Top Boy, 24: Legacy and The Ipcress File, with the star having also just starred in Channel 4's In Flight.

While Thomas has achieved acting success in the US, he says that it was always "important to me, being from London and the UK, that I also come back and try to work here".

It's no secret that many Black British actors have spoken out about the difference in opportunities in the US versus the UK, with the ongoing conversation rightfully surrounding stereotyping and the kinds of roles that are on offer for Black actors on this side of the pond.

"Was it something that you were conscious of when taking on more US TV roles over the years?" I pose to Thomas.

"I was working over here [in the UK] at the time as well. I didn’t want to reach any sort of ceiling, I wanted to do it as I was working here. I never want to turn around and be upset with myself for things. There was an opportunity there [in the US] and I went.

"I’ve got a lot of love for America, it’s provided me with an opportunity, big opportunities as well. At the time, maybe those type of roles weren’t available. So I had no other choice but to go there and do that. But of course, it is one of the biggest places of storytelling for film and television. I love working there," he says.

His second studio album was quite the return to form for Thomas, who hadn't released any music in nearly two decades. Seeing as Being Poor Is Expensive marked such an overwhelmingly positive homecoming to music, having an impact like that in one field must has a knock-on effect on one's other work.

"For me, it’s just about – it’s got to be authentic. It’s got to come from an authentic place; whatever that story is, it’s got to be real. I’m a storyteller, and I think the deeper I get into my art and the discipline, the more discerning I become.

"If I was going to return to music after 15 years, what am I saying? It doesn’t even have to be overly positive or overly one thing, it’s just about, 'What am I saying?' Very discerning, what am I putting out there in the world?"

Thomas continues: "I want things that I do to be seminal and meaningful, have an impact. The same with my acting choices. It’s got to be meaningful, it's got to be powerful, set a precedent, or not been seen before, push the boundaries of the art or the character.

"That’s what I’m coming from – me playing this character, coming from where I come from, [if] this hasn’t been seen before, hasn’t been done before. So to continue down that path, that’s it – discernment, making sure that I’m doing my best work, trying my best. Even if it doesn’t come out good. But I know that I’ve tried to make it amazing."

Thomas has never been one to shy away from social or political commentary in his own music, which is likely a lot easier to do when you're the one in the driving seat of the studio. But in terms of TV dramas and the kinds of stories we're seeing on screen, Thomas says that there's still more to be done, stating that he wants stories that show "that no one’s a monolith".

Wanting to see "the nuances, layers and colours of who we are as a people", Thomas says that he'd love "to see it all", but also underlines the need for behind-the-scenes representation as well.

"I’d love to just see different stories being championed and people being given opportunities behind the camera, in writing, at the commissioning level," he says.

Thomas says that there are also not a lot of inroads into the industry for those looking to get involved in acting, which is something that should change, as the industry is a great one, he beams.

Crossing over from music into acting isn't something that Thomas is alone in doing, with plenty of notable stars (and co-stars of Thomas's) like Little Simz, Kano, Ghetts and Ashley Walters all having starred in standout productions.

Walters, Thomas reveals, was actually his initial inspiration for wanting to get into acting properly. "I was inspired by Ashley Walters, I was like, 'Oh, his name’s Ashley, he’s acting and doing music, so it’s possible,'" he laughs.

Seeing some of the UK's most lauded musical artists also being accomplished actors also signals the way the tide must be turning in regards to who we see on our screens, I tell Thomas.

"I think it shows that people are multifaceted and you don’t just have to create in one way. If you are really about art and creativity, you can possibly turn your skillset to something else, learn and develop a different craft and become successful. I mean, what is success? But become creative in that space."

He adds: "To see the next wave of people coming through, that’s what we’re doing it for. Not just holding the space for yourself, you don’t want to be the only one, you know?"

Thomas does briefly tease the fact that he's "doing something next that's amazing" after Hostage, but remains tight-lipped. As we wrap up, it would be criminal of me not to quiz such a skilled lyricist about the possibility of putting pen to paper in relation to TV or film. So, I ask him if there would ever be the possibility of doing so.

"Yeah, I believe so. I’m a storyteller – I do it in music, but there are ways for me to be able to turn that. I think my album is that way because I’m around amazing storytellers, some of the best in the world.

"Matt Charman has written this amazing story that takes you on a journey. Being around that level of exceptional writing, I would say by process of osmosis and being around people like that, [it] must have an influence over me, subconsciously somehow.

"So when I’m thinking of how to make an album or how I’m going to tell a story on a song, that is influencing my storytelling. So in the future, for sure, God willing, I’d have the time to do that."

In terms of the genre of TV he'd hope to write for, Thomas says he'd want to do "anything", naming "sci-fi, drama, comedy, romance" all as viable options.

But Thomas also takes the time to recognise that "we can do anything". He cites Sinners and Dreaming Whilst Black as two examples of stellar diverse storytelling, saying of both that they have "incredible, beautiful storytelling, [and are] shot beautifully and great all round".

When I ask him about the kinds of Black British storytelling he'd hope to see more of, he reveals: "I would like to see more elevated, high-level stories, extraordinary stories, extraordinary circumstances. And then I also just want to see ordinary stories."

He continues: "High stakes, big budget, but then I also want to see ordinary stories, regular people. I want to see a story about a young guy from the ends that loves his dog or he wants to learn horse riding. That’s when, to me, there’s serious headway made when normal and extraordinary stories can be told."

Hostage is now streaming on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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