Riz Ahmed

Shows

Episodes

  1. Riz Ahmed takes on his inner critic

    Aug 27

    Riz Ahmed takes on his inner critic

    In his Prime Video series, Bait, Riz Ahmed plays an actor auditioning to be the next James Bond. Ahmed says Bond is a "symbol of aspiration, this unattainable kind of self" his character is pursuing. He’s nominated for an Emmy for his role in the series. Ahmed spoke with Tonya Mosley about being his own worst critic, why he connected to Hamlet, and his early days as an MC on pirate radio.  Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter Follow us on Instagram Subscribe to our YouTube channel Check out the Fresh Air Archives See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  2. Actor Riz Ahmed Remakes the Leading Man

    May 3

    Actor Riz Ahmed Remakes the Leading Man

    For the better part of two decades, Emmy and Oscar-winning actor Riz Ahmed has moved seamlessly between worlds: indies, blockbusters, prestige TV, writing, rapping. We discuss the long road to his new TV series Bait (3:45), what the character of James Bond symbolizes (6:00), and how the show connects to his own 80s upbringing in Wembley, England (18:40). Then, Riz describes how code-switching (inadvertently) led to acting (22:00), the childhood films he first made in his mind (26:25), the piece of advice from Idris Elba that changed his course (38:30), and how he broke out in Hollywood starring opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler (40:50). On the back-half, Riz talks performing on stage with classmate (now Zeteo journalist) Mehdi Hasan (44:20), a frenetic audition for Slumdog Millionaire (45:28), nightmares from The Night Of (49:25), his upcoming project opposite Tom Cruise (53:45), the Swet Shop Boys’ hit song “Half Moghul Half Mowgli” (1:00:45), how life imitated art while shooting Relay (1:09:05), and the challenge—and freedom—of representing himself, anew, in Bait (1:13:20). Clips from Bait courtesy of Prime Video. Subscribe to our new YouTube channel. As always, our email: talkeasypod@gmail.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  3. Riz Ahmed

    Mar 25

    Riz Ahmed

    Riz Ahmed is an Academy and Emmy Award winning actor, director, musician, and writer. Born and raised in Wembley, Ahmed studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University, going on to study acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Ahmed’s breakthrough role was in the 2006 film The Road to Guantanamo. He has starred in the satirical film Four Lions, the HBO award-nominated series The Night Of, and The Sound of Metal, for which Ahmed received a Best Actor nomination at the Academy Awards. More recently, Ahmed has featured in Wes Anderson’s latest film The Phoenician Scheme, and plays the titular role in Aneil Karia’s modern adaptation of Hamlet. In October, Riz will be seen alongside Tom Cruise and Sandra Hüller in DIGGER, Alejandro Iñárritu’s first English language film since The Revenant. Ahmed is the founder of the award-winning production company, Left-Handed Films, which has produced films including the 2020 feature film Mogul Mowgli, and the 2020 short The Long Goodbye, both of which were written by and starred Ahmed, which won an Academy Award for Best Short Film. Ahmed has written, produced, and starred in a forthcoming comedy series for Amazon Prime titled BAIT, following the struggles of aspiring actor Shah Latif, whose life takes a surreal turn as he navigates an existential crisis and a bizarre conspiracy. His performance has been described as ‘dazzling, with sharp comic timing and a mega-watt charisma.’ As a musician, his career has spanned two decades across battle rap, techno, a successful American band Swet Shop Boys, and most recently, his critically acclaimed, award-winning 2020 solo album “The Long Goodbye”. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Riz Ahmed discuss the importance of Hamlet today, using colour to represent different personalities, and how to speak by just listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  4. RIZ AHMED Has a Real Life Heist Story

    07/29/2025

    RIZ AHMED Has a Real Life Heist Story

    Riz Ahmed joins Seth and Josh on the podcast this week! Riz talks all about moving from Pakistan to England, how his family felt about his pursuit of a career in the arts, his rapping career, what it was like for him gaining recognition after a few films, his thoughts on amusement parks, losing all his belongings to a robbery, his wife becoming a “private investigator” to get a prized possession back, and so much more! Watch more Family Trips episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlqYOfxU_jQem4_NRJPM8_wLBrEEQ17B6 Family Trips is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Theme song written and performed by Jeff Tweedy. ------------------------- Support our sponsors: Visit Baltimore Baltimore is just a short drive or train ride from New York, Philly, and D.C. Plan your visit today at Baltimore.org Baltimore: You won’t get it ‘til you get here!” Naked Wines Head to NakedWines.com/TRIPS, click ‘Enter Voucher’ and put in my code TRIPS for both the code AND password for 6 bottles of wine for JUST $39.99 with shipping included. Uplift Desk Elevate your workspace with UPLIFT Desk. Go to https://upliftdesk.com/trips for a special offer exclusive to our audience. Blueland Blueland has a special offer for listeners. Right now, get 15% off your first order by going to Blueland.com/trips DeleteMe Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to joindeleteme.com/TRIPS and use promo code TRIPS at checkout. ------------------------- About the Show: Lifelong brothers Seth Meyers and Josh Meyers ask guests to relive childhood memories, unforgettable family trips, and other disasters! New Episodes of Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers are available every Tuesday. ------------------------- Executive Producers: Rob Holysz, Jeph Porter, Natalie Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Coordinating Producer: Derek Johnson Video Editor: Josh Windisch Mix & Master: Josh Windisch Episode Artwork: Analise Jorgensen #familytrips #sethmeyers #joshmeyers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. Riz Ahmed, Our Close Friend

    Apr 28

    Riz Ahmed, Our Close Friend

    The Boys try their best to understand what actor/rapper RIZ AHMED's new show, Bait, is about before having him judge the potential of one of their employee's rap career. Check out Riz's new show, Bait, on Amazon Prime now!   Get a Hat Pack Hat here!   Check out Sean and Hayes’s bonus shows at Patreon.com/HollywoodHandbook   Listen on the iHeartRadio App! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  6. A Deeply Unserious Britain-America Summit with Riz Ahmed

    Apr 1

    A Deeply Unserious Britain-America Summit with Riz Ahmed

    Hasan sits down with actor and musician, Riz Ahmed, to talk about his new Amazon show, BAIT, the difference between American MAGA and British MAGA, and his signature quiet intensity. Let's cut through the noise together. Go to https://groundnews.com/hasan to subscribe and get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage Plan, which breaks down to just $5/month with my discount.Co-Creator & Executive Producer: Hasan MinhajCo-Creator & Executive Producer: Prashanth VenkataramanujamExecutive Producer/Director: Tyler BabinExecutive Producer/Showrunner: Scott VroomanProducer: Kayla FengProducer/ Copywriter: Annie FickCinematographer: Austin MoralesEditor: Zae JordanTalent Coordinator: Tanya SomanaderExecutive Assistant: Samuel PilandYOU CAN WATCH ON CNN.COM/WATCH OR THE CNN APP. Thanks so much for listening to Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know. If you haven’t yet, now is a great time to subscribe to Lemonada Premium. Just hit the 'subscribe' button on Apple Podcasts, or, for all other podcast apps head to lemonadapremium.com to subscribe. That’s lemonadapremium.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. Riz Ahmed

    Jul 13

    Riz Ahmed

    Oscar and Emmy winner Riz Ahmed sits down with Questlove for a personal conversation that spans music, art, identity, and purpose. Bonding over a lifelong love of music (especially Hip-Hop), the two reflect on the moments that have defined their careers. Riz also shares the inspiration behind recent projects, including the new series Bait and his bold interpretation of Hamlet. This episode captures an authentic exchange between two boundary-pushing artists whose stories stretch across the Atlantic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  8. For Riz Ahmed, Life is a Spy Thriller

    May 18

    For Riz Ahmed, Life is a Spy Thriller

    Sometimes, actor Riz Ahmed says, his life feels like a spy thriller. He made his new show, “Bait,” about that feeling, and sat down with Jessica Mendoza at our Journal Live show in Los Angeles to talk about it. The actor, known for blockbusters like “Star Wars: Rogue One” and his Oscar-nominated performance in “Sound of Metal,” also spoke about his career, what it takes to succeed in Hollywood and getting the rights to a famous spy for his show. Further Listening: - Financial Influencers on Wealth and Work - Kathy Hochul on Mamdani, Trump and Where Democrats Went Wrong Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  9. Riz Ahmed is chasing acceptance in 'Bait'

    Mar 23

    Riz Ahmed is chasing acceptance in 'Bait'

    In his new Prime Video series, ‘Bait,’ Riz Ahmed plays an actor auditioning to be the next James Bond. Ahmed says Bond is a "symbol of aspiration, this unattainable kind of self" his character is pursuing. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about being his own worst critic, why he connected to Hamlet, and his early days as an MC on pirate radio.  See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  10. Best Of: Jill Scott / Riz Ahmed

    Mar 28

    Best Of: Jill Scott / Riz Ahmed

    R&B artist Jill Scott shares some of the lessons she learned from the legends who came before her, including the moment she first met Aretha Franklin. Scott’s new album is ‘To Whom This May Concern.’  Also, actor Riz Ahmed talks about his Prime Video series, ‘Bait.’ He plays a British Pakistani actor auditioning to be the next James Bond. He talks about drawing from moments in his own life, battling self-criticism and chasing acceptance.  See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  11. Riz Ahmed, Godzilla vs Kong, Antebellum, Minari and The Mauritanian

    04/02/2021

    Riz Ahmed, Godzilla vs Kong, Antebellum, Minari and The Mauritanian

    Mark and Simon are joined by Riz Ahmed, who talks about his new movie The Sound of Metal, in which he plays a heavy-metal drummer whose life is thrown into freefall. Plus your essential streaming reviews including: Godzilla vs Kong, which pits two of the greatest icons in motion picture history against one another, Antebellum, in which a successful author finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality, Minari, nominated for six Oscars, about a Korean family who start a farm in 1980s Kansas, The Mauritanian, which stars Jodie Foster and Tahar Rahim in a story about a man detained and imprisoned without charge by the U.S. Government at Guantanamo Bay and Chaos Walking, an adaptation of Patrick Ness’s novel The Knife of Never Letting Go, directed by Doug Liman and starring Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley. Our rotating chart this week is the top fives of your life, in which listeners talk us through the most important films. Plus Mark and Simon’s US Movie Road Trip continues through Arizona, Utah and Nevada. They also talk you through the best and worst films on subscription-free TV next week, and recommend a home entertainment purchase in DVD of the Week. 00:25::54 CELEBRATING CINEMA 00:36:16 LISTENER CHARTS - TOP FIVES 00:46:27 UNDINE REVIEW 00:49:55 CHAOS WALKING REVIEW 00:56:45 RIZ AHMED INTERVIEW 01:13:45 THE MAURITANIAN REVIEW 01:20:40 AMERICAN ROADTRIP 01:28:40 MINARI REVIEW 01:33:28 LOBBYDOWN CORRESPONDENCE 01:36:46 GODZILLA VS KONG REVIEW 01:40:11 TV MOVIES OF THE WEEK 01:44:52 ANTEBELLUM REVIEW Send us your sub 20 second audio review of any film attached to an email to mayo@bbc.co.uk. Download our podcast from the BBC Snouds app. We welcome your contributions: Email: mayo@bbc.co.uk Twitter: @wittertainment

  12. Riz Ahmed

    Apr 24

    Riz Ahmed

    Riz Ahmed is back on Bullseye! He chats with us about his role in the new Hamlet film and his personal relationship with Shakespeare’s work. We also get into his early days as a battle rapper, if he plans to keep rapping as he gets older, and much more! See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  13. 17. Riz Ahmed

    01/11/2021

    17. Riz Ahmed

    Covid-19 hasn’t gone away and, due to travel restrictions, neither has Louis Theroux. In the second outing of his podcast series, he tracks down more high-profile guests he’s been longing to talk to - a fascinating mix of the celebrated, the controversial and the mysterious. Calling in from Oakland, California as the UK enters another lockdown, actor and director Riz Ahmed chats with Louis about rap battles, his relationship with the UK and the joy of daytime raves. Producer: Sara Jane Hall Assistant Producer: Molly Schneider A Mindhouse production for BBC Radio 4

  14. Riz Ahmed, Encounter, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City and C'mon C'mon

    12/03/2021

    Riz Ahmed, Encounter, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City and C'mon C'mon

    Riz Ahmed talks to Simon about his role as Malik Khan in Michael Pearce’s Encounter. Mark reviews that film, along with Silent Night, the horror/comedy Keira Knightley came on the show to talk about last week; Mike Mills’s C’Mon C’Mon, starring Joaquin Phoenix as a radio journalist embarking on a cross-country trip with his young nephew; Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, ​​set in 1998, an origin story which explores the secrets of the mysterious Spencer Mansion and the ill-fated Raccoon City; Blue Bayou, about a Korean-American man raised in the Louisiana bayou who works hard to make a life for his family; documentary Final Account, at portrait of the last living generation of Hitler's Third Reich in never-before-seen interviews; and The Hand of God, Paolo Sorrentino’s personal story of a boy in the Naples of the 1980s. Send us your sub 20 second instant reaction to any film attached to an email to mayo@bbc.co.uk for our feature ‘Lobby Correspondents’. Download our podcast from the Baby Sea Clowns app. We welcome your contributions: Email: mayo@bbc.co.uk Twitter: @wittertainment 00:00:00 PODCAST STARTS 00:17:40 BOX OFFICE TOP TEN 00:39:26 HAND OF GOD REVIEW 00:44:10 RIZ AHMED INTERVIEW 01:02:55 WTF 01:08:00 C'Mon C'Mon 01:16:00 TV MOVIE 01:20:27 Silent Night 01:30:29 Blue Bayou 01:38:20 Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City 01:42:19 WTF 01:44:30 Final Account 01:51:30 DVD of the Week --------------

  15. Riz Ahmed

    10/07/2018

    Riz Ahmed

    Over the last two years, Riz Ahmed had a blockbuster breakout in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," he appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine as one of the world's Most Influential people, and he became the first Asian man and first Muslim to win an Emmy Award. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist chats with the actor and hip-hop artist about his rise in Hollywood, including that award-winning role in HBO's "The Night Of" and his latest performance as evil genius Carlton Drake in the new marvel movie, "Venom." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  16. Riz Ahmed — on prepping for ‘Sound of Metal,’ and how his wife led him to ‘RELAY’

    08/19/2025

    Riz Ahmed — on prepping for ‘Sound of Metal,’ and how his wife led him to ‘RELAY’

    Emmy-winning actor and the star of film ‘RELAY’ Riz Ahmed joins the show. Over an Indian breakfast of chicken keema, Riz reflects on the daunting preparation for ‘Sound of Metal,’ what American sign language taught him about expression, and why he couldn’t pass up his new thriller ‘RELAY.’ We also get into his Oscar-winning short film ‘The Long Goodbye,’ his advocacy for Muslim inclusion in Hollywood, and how his fractured relationship with Great Britain shows up in his music. This episode was recorded at Dishoom on Portobello Road in Notting Hill, London. Want next week’s episode now? Subscribe to Dinner’s on Me PLUS. As a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, but you’ll also be able to listen completely ad-free! Just click “Try Free” at the top of the Dinner’s on Me show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today. A Sony Music Entertainment & A Kid Named Beckett production. Get 15% off your Saily plan with the code ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠dinnersonme⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Just download the Saily app or head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://saily.com/dinnersonme⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Stay connected — and don’t miss your dinner reservation. Stay connected — and don’t miss your dinner reservation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  17. Riz Ahmed on bringing 'Hamlet' into the modern world

    Apr 17

    Riz Ahmed on bringing 'Hamlet' into the modern world

    This week, Kim Masters speaks with Riz Ahmed about his modern retelling of Hamlet. The actor and producer discusses the decade-long journey of adapting the Shakespeare classic and how the project evolved from a planned Netflix streaming release to securing theatrical distribution with Focus Features. He also jokes about family members misinterpreting the significance of his Oscar-nominated performance in Sound of Metal and traces the origins of the “Riz Test,” a Bechdel-adjacent measure of Muslim representation in storytelling. Plus, as theater owners and studio executives share their views on the Paramount–Warner Bros. deal at CinemaCon, thousands of industry professionals—including Ben Stiller, Kristen Stewart, and J.J. Abrams—have signed a petition to block the merger. Kim Masters and Matt Belloni examine Hollywood’s opposition and consider whether the growing outcry will have any real influence as the company seeks approval from regulators and shareholders.

  18. #173: Mark is live from the BFI Southbank with the first half of his December MK3D show

    12/08/2021

    #173: Mark is live from the BFI Southbank with the first half of his December MK3D show

    Mark is live from the BFI Southbank featuring Riz Ahmed talking about his new feature 'Encounter' and the acclaimed short 'The Long Goodbye' plus Mark Gatiss on his new adaptation of the classic children's ghost story 'The Amazing Mr Blunden'. © Copyright HLA Agency Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  19. "Horton Hears A Coup!" (with Riz Ahmed)

    01/13/2021

    "Horton Hears A Coup!" (with Riz Ahmed)

    Ira, Louis, and Aida discuss Trump’s failed coup and subsequent Twitter ban, Armie Hammer’s alleged bloodlust, Kamala Harris’ Vogue cover, reactions to Lori Harvey and Olivia Wilde’s new relationships, Fran Lebowitz’s Pretend It’s A City, and the Samantha-less Sex and the City reboot. Plus, Riz Ahmed joins to discuss his new film Sound of Metal and grappling with identity during a pandemic.

  20. #110: London Film Festival special - exclusive full length interviews from the latest digital MK3D - Riz Ahmed, Tricia Tuttle, Aleem Khan and Joanna Scanlan

    10/27/2020

    #110: London Film Festival special - exclusive full length interviews from the latest digital MK3D - Riz Ahmed, Tricia Tuttle, Aleem Khan and Joanna Scanlan

    A London Film Festival special featuring exclusive full length interviews from the latest digital MK3D - Riz Ahmed on his new movie Mogul Mowgli, festival director Tricia Tuttle on the challenges of mounting the festival and its high points plus Aleem Khan and Joanna Scanlan talking about After Love - one of the big hits of the LFF programme. © HLA Agency Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Riz Ahmed on Apple