Riz Ahmed called British GQ interviews Muslim characters in candid new interview.
38-year-old actor from Pakistan, who was born in London to a British Pakistani-Pakistani couple, said that lack of diversity is a blind spot all across our culture’.
Riz stated that poor representation “costs lives” so that our society should empower people to tell stories.
Star: Riz Ahmed, a British GQ interviewee, has called for more representation of Muslim characters on the screen.
He stated to the publication:It’s not surprising, it’s shocking. It’s a blindspot that’s all around our culture.
“And it costs lives. Countries are invaded, hate crimes rise, and laws are passed. We are now asking ourselves, “What can we do to change?” It’s all about empowering people to tell their stories.
Riz’s next film role is in Mogul Mowgli which sees him play a British-Pakistani rapper diagnosed with a degenerative autoimmune disease.
Calling for change: The actor, 38, – who was born in London to a British-Pakistani family – told how the lack of diversity is a ‘blind spot in our culture’
He said that his movie was a pandemic movie. A workaholic is hit with a crisis of health and his life is put on lockdown.
“He has to be honest with himself and reassess what is really important. The making of a movie, telling a story, and the story themselves end up mirroring one another. Always.
Speaking about the film’s reception in the US compared to the UK, he added: ‘I’m a bit more detached from how it’s being received than I would be with other work.
‘And there is something quite liberating about that… The irony is that the stuff you make without having one eye on how it’s being received is the stuff that is received best.’
Riz had his say. He said that poor representation “costs lives” and that society should empower people to tell their stories.
GQ interviewed Riz about the lessons he learned from his role in Sound of Metal. Ruben is a heavy-metal drummer who loses his hearing and finds his life turned upside down.
He said, “I’m that guy man.” I’m go, go, go, go, go, control, micromanage, obsessive. This film taught me the same lessons it taught Ruben.
‘It taught me to let go – get the f**k out the way, tap into something bigger than yourself. It was difficult and draining. But it was liberating, and it was elevating.
Expanding on developing a connection with the character he said: ‘It was amazing spending time in a deaf community, learning sign language, hanging out with people in that music scene.
Drama: Riz’s next film role is in Mogul Mowgli which sees him play a British-Pakistani rapper diagnosed with a degenerative autoimmune disease (pictured in the movie)
‘Frankly, so many people in that scene are carrying trauma and turning it into something cathartic – almost everyone I met.
“It is music for healing, music as therapy. It may not sound like healing music to everyone, but it is. I left with a deep respect for the whole genre and the entire world.
It comes after last month Riz admitted he went to ‘an intense place’ after losing 22lbs for his role in the film Mogul Mowgli.
He told IndieWire he struggled with the gruelling demands of the role, saying: ‘I lost [about 22 pounds]In three weeks. It is not something I would recommend to anyone.
‘I had a professional dietetician working with me, but that was really hard and took me emotionally into an intense place. This probably helped to inform the movie. This was a large part of it, being weak and fatigued and hungry.
Riz also cited Oscar-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya 32 to put his weight loss into context. He insisted that he had to ‘be in a body’ to truly embody the role.
Dan Kaluuya once said something that I liked. “If your head is in your head, then you’re dead.” That’s what I believe. Acting needs to be in your body. Riz stated that acting is anything that brings you into your body.
Bassam Tariq (34), Riz and Mogul Mowgli director, wrote the screenplay for Mogul Mowgli. It was filmed in London in 2019.
Reflection: During the interview with GQ Riz also spoke about what he learned from starring in Sound of Metal, in which he played the character of Ruben, a heavy-metal drummer whose life is turned upside down when he begins to lose his hearing (pictured in the film)
You can see the entire feature in GQ Heroes issue on digital download or at newsstands Friday 5th Nov.