Email:neill@outloudculture.com
Socials: @neillfrazer
Born in San Francisco, California, Ashley Versher is an actor, filmmaker, and writer. She has most recently appeared in NBC’s American Auto, Law & Order SVU, and HULU’s Reasonable Doubt. Ashley also appeared in the Emmy-nominated, Cleo TV series, Tough Love. Her recent theater credits include Dracula (Dame Bat) in association with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Much Ado About Nothing (Claudio) with Shakespeare in the Woods. Commercially, Ashley has worked with SEGA, Target and more.
Behind the camera, Ashley has wrapped up a successful 2023 film festival circuit with her debut short film, Brief Exchanges – a film she wrote, directed, and played the lead role. Brief Exchanges was officially selected at 13 film festivals, winning 5 awards, 2 of which were for Best Director and Best Actor. Ashley’s additional off-camera credits include her work as Associate Producer of the MVAAFF selected short film Spot: A True Period Piece and Guest Director for the season finale of Pillow Talk, a limited series now on BET+. She is currently in the development stage for her next short film which centers on motherhood’s inextricable link to womanhood.
As a self-taught filmmaker, Ashley is passionate about supporting young filmmakers of color. To foster this passion, she has had the honor of working with Made In Her Image, a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of young women, girls and non-binary youth of color in film and media. When she is not working, she loves cooking and baking as well as yoga, cycling, basketball, running, and softball. Ashley currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and 2 adorable tabby cats.
Hi Ashley welcome to OLC! Can you share your experience working alongside Jennifer Lopez in “This is Me…Now,” and how you prepared for the role of her best friend?
It was amazing. I couldn’t have imagined this kind of opportunity coming my way. She’s an ICON! She was very supportive on set and inspiring.
In preparing for my role as “The Idealist” I started with the script – it was everything. I used it to identify the themes and how they influence my character. The Idealist is a romantic and focuses on the way things should or could be as opposed to the way things actually are. This Is Me… Now touches on healing your inner child, finding self love and more – so it was important to think about the character through those lenses.
Your short film “Brief Exchanges” received recognition at multiple film festivals. What inspired the story, and what challenges did you face as a writer, director, and lead actor in the project?
In 2020 shortly after the killing of George Floyd, I was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and how so many people took to social media and utilized it as a form of protest. During this time there was a lot of conversation about microaggressions and that really sparked something in me. The challenging thing about microaggressions is that they are invisible to most people, so I really wanted to paint a picture of what they look like and hopefully give people the opportunity to imagine what it feels like to experience them.
As an actress, writer, and director, how do you balance these different roles in the entertainment industry, and do you have a preference for one over the others?
As an actor, my schedule is regulated by filming, rehearsal schedules, auditions and more. As a writer and director, I have a lot more flexibility right now because I can create my own timeline for each project I am working on. I’ve been told that I am a “get it done” kind of person, so if I have a project in development it is all consuming. I love the work.
Given your involvement with Made In Her Image, could you share more about your passion for supporting young filmmakers of color and your experiences working with the organization?
While in the development stage of my film Brief Exchanges I came across a zoom panel called Through Her Lens, with some incredible cinematographers – Mia Cioffi Henry, Kira Kelly and others, which was hosted by Panavision and Made In Her Image (MIHI). After watching the panel, I promptly did a deep dive into all things, Made In Her Image only to discover, and not to my surprise, that it was a fantastic organization. Soon after I joined the MIHI team as a volunteer and over a series of months I took on varying roles in the organization. Everyone knows that finding your legs in the entertainment industry is incredibly challenging – let alone building a fulfilling career. Thus Made In Her Image’s mission to empower young women, girls, and non-binary youth of color to carve out their path in this industry, and to tell their stories is crucial.
Being in the spotlight with roles in hit TV shows and an Emmy-nominated series, how do you handle the pressures of fame and maintain a balance between your personal and professional life?
I am a big proponent of gratitude – so I just try to focus on that instead of the pressure – but hey I’m not perfect. But every time I get an audition, book a job or find myself on set it feels surreal – I try to live in the moment.
Maintaining a balance is really a challenge for me. I try to set boundaries for myself like, taking at least one day off a week, not working after 9pm, meditating in the morning before I check my devices. However, anything can happen and throw my schedule into a loop and in those moments I just enjoy the ride. I also rely on my family and friends to help me create a balance. Life has recently shown me that time is precious and it is my time with them that contributes to balance.
Your upcoming project focuses on motherhood’s link to womanhood. What inspired this theme, and what message do you hope to convey through your next short film?
My inspiration often comes from the people in my life, their experiences and the big life moments that reshape our lives in an instant. This film focuses on the prospect of motherhood, the challenges of womanhood and the beauty of friendship. In terms of message: you’ll just have to wait and see it.
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