Riz Ahmed takes on his inner critic

Riz Ahmed, the acclaimed actor, writer, producer, and rapper, joined Fresh Air's Tonya Mosley to delve into his latest projects, the satirical drama series "Bait" and his modern adaptation of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Ahmed, known for his distinctive career in film and television, including his Emmy-winning role in HBO's "The Night Of" and his Oscar-nominated performance in "Sound of Metal," offered profound insights into his creative process, the themes he explores, and his unique approach to storytelling.

"Bait": A Deep Dive into the Inner Critic and the Pursuit of Acceptance

Ahmed's series "Bait" opens with his character, Shah Latif, a struggling British-Pakistani actor, auditioning for the role of James Bond. The audition takes a comical turn as Shah forgets his lines, leading to a moment of intense self-beratement in the dressing room. Mosley highlighted this scene, noting the "internal chaos" and the idea that for a brown actor, an audition is "never just an audition." Ahmed confirmed that much of the show is drawn from his own experiences, including waking up in the middle of the night to re-do scenes from past performances, even after winning awards for them. "The inner critic is such a kind of big part of this show," Ahmed explained, emphasizing the relatable struggle of chasing acceptance while battling one's own self-doubt. He believes that everyone, regardless of their profession, often acts as their own worst critic, constantly performing a "best public version of ourselves" while hiding their messy, vulnerable private selves.