Catch this Charlottean in the new Amazon Prime film ‘All We Got.’

Young star Ashley Rae Harper spends her days at Central Piedmont Community College where she studies mathematics and computer science but the remainder of her time is spent in front of — and behind — the camera. The 18-year-old Charlottean has already tried her hand in producing, writing, directing and acting and plans to take the entertainment industry by storm.

While Harper was always drawn to acting, it took her a while to pursue the passion because she was an athlete, playing volleyball and basketball. Multiple injuries were a wake-up call for Harper, motivating her to relinquish sports and enter the entertainment industry at 14.

At 16, she wrote a teen drama series as a passion project. Then, the homeschooler went on to secure a minor role in Lifetime Movie Network’s “Girl in the Basement” and a recurring role in BYUtv’s “Dwight in Shining Armor.” Now, you can watch Harper on Amazon Prime.

Harper has been doing it all and doesn’t plan on slowing down. When she does get a minute to herself, exploring Matthews and South Charlotte are among her favorite things to do.

Growing up, visiting Discovery Place was where she went for a good time. These days, she enjoys the nostalgia that comes with visiting parks around Charlotte.

Her latest role in Amazon Prime’s new film “All We Got” challenged her in a new way and was filmed in the Queen City, where she was born and raised. The beautiful scenery of Freedom Park was captured in the show’s trailer.

In “All We Got,” a woman returns home for the first time after eight years because of her mother’s death. She’s forced to confront her past, mend fences with her siblings and bring everyone back together to fulfill her mother’s wishes. Harper plays “young Renee,” the sibling of the lead character.

“I had my acting coach help me get prepared for the role,” Harper said. “It was a deep role, which I’m not used to. I’m used to playing other characters, so I’m grateful for that. She really prepared me for what was to come, and it really showed on screen.”

Harper enjoyed her time on set and is hoping for a sequel, so she can work with the same team in the future. In the meantime, her focus is on turning “Am I Lost” from a project into getting greenlit as a full-blown series. She is hopeful both teens and adults will identify with the main characters, calling them relatable, and she plans to film the pilot soon.

“Writing this series was so much fun ‘cause I was able to let go and let my imagination take over,” Harper told CharlotteFive. “My favorite part of this project is seeing the characters evolve into people that would actually be realistic.”

In the film, a 16-year-old girl named Janet experiences adversity caused by her family. She’s being bullied by her younger siblings, and her parents are getting a divorce. Janet runs to her boyfriend for comfort, but Connor isn’t who he appears to be.

Turning a project into a series is time consuming, but Harper is still looking for other opportunities to play the roles she’s admired for some time now. Landing a role on a Disney Channel show or a teen drama is also on her to-do list.

“I like the shows that are out right now,” she said. “So, I really want to be on those types of shows like ‘All American,’ ‘Legacies’ or Disney Channel shows.”

Photos by Curtis Lawrence.

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