Filmography

Ben was always interested in doing films, this is what he had to say about it during Who Needs Actions When You Got Words era – “We’re still promoting this album and I’ve started work on the next one, but I’m really getting into film at the moment. I’m writing this script, and I really want to find some time to focus on it, I really feel that’s what I’m destined to be doing”.

After previously appearing in Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard’s short film Walking After Acconci (Redirected Approaches) in 2005, Ben Drew’s first major film role was as a supporting character (Dabs) in Noel Clarke’s Adulthood (2008). His song “Kidz” was previously included in the soundtrack to Kidulthood (2006) which led to Drew being cast in the sequel. In 2008, Ben Drew also directed his first short film Michelle which starred Adam Deacon and Skrein and he also directed the music video for “Pieces” (his collaboration with Chase & Status).

In 2009, Drew had another supporting role as Noel Winters in the Daniel Barber film Harry Brown starring Michael Caine. In 2010, Ben Drew appeared in Noel Clarke’s film 4.3.2.1 and began production on his musical film The Defamation of Strickland Banks and his first full-length feature film Ill Manors.

Speaking in March 2010 to noted UK soul-writer Pete Lewis – Deputy Editor of the award-winning Blues & Soul – Drew expanded on his first full-length feature film ‘Ill Manors’: “It’s a hip hop, music-based feature film which has six short stories that all kinda mix together to make one BIG story – and each mini-story will be represented by a different hip hop track. It’ll all be narrated by me, and it’ll actually be the reverse of ‘The Defamation Of Strickland Banks’ – in that with ‘Ill Manors’, the film will come out first and the soundtrack will come afterwards. And again the soundtrack will be a film for the blind, in that you’ll be able to listen to it and it’ll tell you the story of the film.”

In 2011, Ben was officially signed up to play George Carter in the upcoming movie “The Sweeney“, alongside Ray Winstone.