She is best known for her roles in the comedy dramas Fresh Meat and Not Safe for Work, the Netflix horror thriller film Velvet Buzzsaw, and for her portrayal of Joyce Carol Vincent in Dreams of a Life (2011).

[4] She is the eldest of three children born to a Ugandan mother, Victoria,[5] and an English father, Paul Ashton.

In October 2012, she received the Ultimate Newcomer trophy from Cosmopolitan magazine at their Women of the Year awards.

In November 2012, she won the Creative Diversity Network Award for Best Breakthrough On-Screen Talent for her role as Vod in the BAFTA-nominated Channel 4 hit Fresh Meat.

[11] Her first play, Harm's Way, was shortlisted for the Verity Bargate Award in 2007,[7] and premiered at the Lowry, Salford in 2008 as part of the National Youth Theatre’s new writing season.

[14] In 2019, Ashton published her first book, Character Breakdown, a fictionalized memoir based on her experiences as an actress.

[18] In 2017, Ashton presented the third series of Random Acts, Channel 4's short-film showcase in association with Arts Council England.