Riz Ahmed felt like an “outsider” during his younger years.
Riz Ahmed felt like an outsider
The 43-year-old actor plays the titular role in Hamlet, Aneil Karia’s big-screen adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, and Riz has revealed how he relates to his on-screen character.
Riz told People: “I had a really inspirational English teacher who gave it to me. And actually, I found a character, the heart of this play, that just feels as much of an outsider as I did at that time.
“And as much of an outsider as I think many of us feel right now, right? I think the central question of the play is, ‘Am I losing my mind or has the world gone crazy?’ And I think we are feeling that way.”
Riz admits that he’s never naturally chimed with Shakespeare’s work. However, he observed that “movies and storytelling are an empathy engine”.
He reflected: “It’s exciting to me to take audiences to a new place and have them recognise themselves there.”
Riz also thinks he has a responsibility to introduce new audiences to classic stories.
The actor said: “Suddenly we’re in this position where in order to keep this canonical, British text alive, this Western text alive. We actually have to pass the baton in terms of where it’s set. And only then can it actually feel grounded and real.”
Meanwhile, Riz previously played a drummer who loses his hearing in Sound of Metal, the 2019 drama movie.
The actor spent months learning sign language and how to play the drums for the role.
Riz told The Sun newspaper: “I spent seven months learning drums, learning sign language, being immersed in these communities. I’m a workaholic. I really love structure. I could be a bit of a control freak.”
The Four Lions star recalled being so hyped-up about filming the movie that he couldn’t sleep the night before and suddenly realised that he kept making a strange facial expression as he played the drums.
He said: “I actually discovered the day before we shot the scene that I was doing a weird thing with my face when I was playing drums. I was like, ‘Why didn’t anybody tell me?'”
Riz felt that it was a learning experience playing a hearing-impaired person in the movie.
He explained: “I think the deaf community taught me, and these deaf actors taught me what true listening is. It’s this thing with your whole body.”