Riz Ahmed shared this image. (courtesy rizahmed)
Strong points
- He was nominated for his role in ‘Sound Of Metal’
- He’s also a popular rapper
- He was actively involved in the UK’s climate action program
New Delhi:
Riz Ahmed became the first Muslim to be nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars for his role in Metal sound. He is also the first person of Pakistani descent to be nominated in an acting category. In the film, the British actor-musician plays the role of a drummer who loses his hearing skills. Also an activist, Riz has been proud to receive many coveted trophies in the past, including a Primetime Emmy Award and the London Film Critics’ Circle Award. He was on Time 100’s annual list of the world’s most influential people in 2017 and his role as Carlton Drake in the 2018 film Venom was widely appreciated.
Let’s take a look at some interesting facts about the talented actor.
1. Riz’s parents are from Karachi, Pakistan, but he was born and raised in Wembley, London.
2. He graduated in PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) from Christ Church, a constituent college of the University of Oxford. He then honed his acting skills at the Central School of Speech and Drama.
3. Riz Ahmed is also a professional rapper. One of his most famous raps is’After September 11 Blues‘which sparked controversy because of its satirical and politically sensitive lyrics.
4. Rice, together with Himanshu Suri, created Swet Shop Boys. They released Swet Shop EP, in 2014 and then released a full-fledged album titled Cashmere in 2016.
5. The actor founded the Hit & Run party, now considered one of Manchester’s best underground music events. He was motivated to create it because it first found himself out of place during his time in Oxford.
6. In 2008, he was named “Emerging Artist in Residence” at the Southbank Center in London. He found it creatively satisfying after having had the opportunity to collaborate with new talent.
7. Rice also believes in giving back to nature and has actively participated in the UK’s climate action agenda. In 2009, he played at the London Camp for Climate Action, a campaign that promotes a zero carbon society.
Speaking about his Oscar-nominated role in Sound of Metal, Riz told the New York Times he prepared for it by learning American Sign Language and drumming for a year. Besides the Oscars, Riz Ahmed has also been on the Golden Globe, SAG Award, Spirit Award and BAFTA nominations lists for his role as Ruben in the film.