We have it in us to be anyone: Riz Ahmed

Pakistani-British actor talks tackling social issues in ‘The Night Of,’ working in upcoming ‘Star Wars’ film

To say that things have changed Riz Ahmed, the Pakistani-British star of HBO’s The Night Of, would be an understatement. Back in 2013, Ahmed (who also raps about social injustice) shot the pilot of the series in which he stars as Naz, a Pakistani-American college student accused of murder. However, the project was withheld temporarily due to the untimely death of its producer James Gandolfini.

In the meantime, Ahmed’s career exploded, with an acclaimed turn in the Jake Gyllenhaal-starrer Nightcrawler and a role alongside Matt Damon in this summer’s Jason Bourne. He also earned a spot in the newest film to burst out of the Star Wars universe, Rogue One, which premieres in December.



Speaking of the series, Ahmed said it highlighted “massive and moving” issues which ought to be dealt with urgently. “In a way, there is nothing new about them, be it Black Lives Matter or mass incarceration. Our co-creator Richard Price didn’t want to get on a soap box and preach about them but he had to reflect on some of the issues that were around in the society,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.

Ahmed’s character is introduced as a wide-eyed college kid who is hardened by prison. When asked how he balanced the two extremes, the actor said, “The whole idea of playing different characters is that I could be you or be you could be. We have it within us to be anyone. When you see Naz as a student, he’s a caterpillar but then another aspect of his personality through experience starts bubbling up. Certain things on the fader go down; other things go up.”

The 34-year-old Ahmed is currently gearing up for the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in which he plays the role of the pilot Bodhi. “This is someone who’s been running away his whole life. His planet gets occupied and the only way for him to get out is by becoming a long-distance cargo pilot,” he revealed. “But that brings guilt. If you look down and you’re wearing the same Imperial uniform with the same insignia that the people occupying your planet are wearing, you’re guilty.”

The actor feels honoured to be part of the most diverse cast any Star Wars film has ever had. “I think Star Wars is leading the way and that we are all heading in this direction. Some people are kicking and screaming or dragging their feet while others are sprinting,” said Ahmed. “The team wants to embrace the future and the reality of a global film market. It feels contemporary, it feels global. Culture is a space for us to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes, so why don’t we just have as many different kinds of shoes as possible?”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2016.

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