Ashton Sanders Facts: Learn More About the Wu-Tang Actor

Ashton Sanders Has Already Had a Remarkable Career, and It Just Keeps Getting Better

Ashton Sanders is certainly making waves in the entertainment industry. The actor received critical acclaim when he starred in the Oscar-winning Moonlight in 2016, and he has been quickly rising to fame ever since. At only 25 years old, he already has a career most people would dream of, including working alongside icons like Denzel Washington, Ryan Coogler, and Barry Jenkins. In addition to his various film roles, Ashton also has a starring role on Hulu's hit series Wu-Tang: An American Saga, which is loosely based on the formation of '90s hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan. Now, he's set to star in the anticipated Whitney Houston biopic, I Wanna Dance With Somebody. Ahead, learn more fascinating facts about the star.

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1. He Fell in Love With Acting at a Young Age

While discussing his role in Moonlight with Teen Vogue, Ashton opened up about how the Amazing Grace Conservatory, a non-profit which aims to empower at-risk youth through performing arts, instilled his love of acting. After struggling with addiction in his family growing up, Ashton enrolled in the program when he was 12. "It changed my life," he told the publication about the conservatory. "Yo, that — to be around artists and people who would accept my odd quirks — that made me into who I am."

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2. His Father Is a Fashion Designer

During an interview with Vanity Fair, Ashton noted that his love of fashion stems from his father, who is a fashion designer. "He used to make men's suits," he said of his dad. "He had to shut down in the early 2000s, but I would say he was before his time. The stuff we see now on the runway for high fashion in terms of two piece suits or what have you — my dad was creating that stuff back then. My pops did that when I was in, like, fifth grade."

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3. He Left College to Pursue Acting

After graduating from Grand Arts High School in LA in 2013, Ashton enrolled in The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago. It's actually where he met his eventual Native Son costar KiKi Layne. He left the school after three years to focus on his acting career.

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4. He Has His Own Production Company

In addition to acting, Ashton also has a production company called 1237 Production. In December 2020, it was announced that his company secured the film and TV rights to Peter Nelson's novel A More Unbending Battle: The Harlem Hellfighter's Struggle for Freedom in WWI and Equality at Home. Ashton is set to produce and star in the adaptation. His company is also producing Feather, which is based on Coretta Scott King's novel The First Part Last.

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5. He's Already Becoming a Fashion Icon

Since stepping into the spotlight as an actor, Ashton is making a name for himself as a fashion icon. After all, his father is a fashion designer. In addition to attending the Met Gala, he's also been the face of campaigns for Louis Vuitton, MatchesFashion, and Calvin Klein. He notes artists like André 3000, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and Jimi Hendrix as a few of his personal style icons.

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6. He Has Quite the Acting Résumé

In addition to starring in Moonlight and on Hulu's Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Ashton has had roles in Straight Outta Compton, The Equalizer 2, and Judas and the Black Messiah. He is also set to portray Bobby Brown in the Whitney Houston the biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody alongside Naomi Ackie.

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