Entertainment
Riz Ahmed recalls his “worst audition” ever, real-life meet cute with wife and more
Oscar winner Riz Ahmed’s family always knew he was destined for stardom, with his mother enrolling him in speech and drama lessons by the ripe age of 8. The British actor jokes that it all started with his impressions of Prince Charles — now King Charles III.
“You’re not gonna ask me to do it now. He’s not the prince; he’s the King,” laughed Ahmed in an interview with CBS News. “Taking a step back, I think that on some level, I was always acting. … From a young age, I was code switching. So I think that was something that was kind of confusing at times as a kid. But you look back and I realize it forced me to develop these muscles.”
Ahmed loves to flex his acting muscles, which he in part developed at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. But his road to success wasn’t always smooth.
“Worst audition in my life”
His audition for Danny Boyle’s 2008 film “Slumdog Millionaire” is one that often comes to mind. He auditioned for the lead as well as the role of the volatile older brother.
“That was probably the worst audition in my life,” he recalled.
“I can’t remember exactly what happened in the audition. But I remember it ended with me … holding Danny Boyle up against the wall. And I’d ripped his shirt open. And a couple of the buttons popped off. And he goes, ‘All right, thanks a lot, Riz. Thanks for coming in. Appreciate that.’ I didn’t get the role for some reason,” Ahmed added, jokingly.
His breakout came in 2014 in the film “Nightcrawler.” Three years later, he earned an Emmy playing the suspect in the HBO crime drama “The Night Of.”
In 2021 he scored his first Oscar nomination playing a drummer who loses hearing in “Sound of Metal.” And a year later, Ahmed, who is also a rapper, won an Academy Award for “The Long Goodbye,” a short film based on his own album.
Cafe meet cute
While he was preparing for his role as Ruben Stone in “Sound of Metal,” he met his wife, New York Times bestselling novelist Fatima Farheen Mirza, in a Brooklyn cafe.
“I was writing a script. I was actually working on the thing that I’m editing now,” Ahmed said. “She sat down opposite and started emptying her whole bag out because she’d lost her charger. You know, I just spotted an opening. ‘Can I help you?'”
The couple got married in 2020 and they’re now parents — a rewarding role Ahmed says has changed him as an artist.
“You know, at this point, anything that I do – as an artist – is facilitated by the support of my wife. So, it’s definitely kind of made me realize the extent to which the people closest to you are actually the co-authors of your work,” said Ahmed, adding that being a father has brought him more gratitude and humility.
While Ahmed was working on his upcoming Amazon comedy “Quarter Life,” the script he was writing in that cafe, his wife helped out in the writer’s room.
“She brought such insight and emotion and, you know, just brilliant ideas to the table,” Ahmed said. “My wife asking me to advise on her novels – maybe not as good an idea.”
New summer thriller
Now Ahmed is gearing up for the release of his new summer thriller, “Relay,” taking on the role as Ash alongside his costar Lily James. Ash brokers payoffs between whistleblowers and corrupt corporations, communicating only through a phone-to-text relay system.
“My character is someone who you call when you’re in trouble, when there’s no one else you can call,” Ahmed said. “I think his superpower is also his biggest weakness. He’s a loner. He lives off the grid.”
“The thing about ‘Relay’ that excites me is it’s similar to the kind of classic films that I loved to watch,” he added. “You know, stuff like ‘Michael Clayton,’ ‘The Conversation.’ These thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat.”
“Relay,” from director David Mackenzie, is out now in movie theaters.
Offset has no plans to remarry following his divorce from Carbi B.
During an appearance on the latest episode of the Full Send podcast, the 33-year-old rapper made it clear that he is done with marriage.
When he asked if he would ever consider tying the knot again, Offset replied, “No. It’s not for me.”
“I’ve done it. Had three kids with it. It’s like a mission that’s been complete,” he added.
The Open It Up hitmaker further shared that marriage requires sacrifices he no longer feels willing to make.
“You see, I experienced it so I’ve already done it,” he reiterated.
When asked if he would recommend others get married, the rapper replied, “No.”
“I would tell you don’t get married,” said Offset. “I would say, unless you’re cool with changing your life entirely.”
“You got a partner that’s different. Especially when it’s written and it’s a real thing. Like is this partner’s different?” he added.
For those unversed, Cardi B filed for divorce from Offset in July 2024, after seven years of marriage.
The exes welcomed three children during their romance.
- Water discharge worst example of India’s water aggression: minister.
- Ahsan Iqbal says India stores water and suddenly releases it.
- Decries India’s failure to timely share information with Pakistan.
Pakistan has assailed India for essentially “weaponising water”, with Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal saying that New Delhi abruptly and intentionally discharged the torrents from its dams.
“India has started using water as a weapon,” Iqbal said while speaking on Geo News‘ programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath” as he reflected on the wide-scale flooding in Punjab, which has left vast swathes of land inundated due to the overflowing of Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers.
With at least seven people losing their lives in Punjab’s Gujranwala Division due to flooding, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has advised Sindh’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh to initiate the evacuation of vulnerable communities residing along the katcha (riverine) areas and low-lying belts of the Indus River and its tributaries.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday issued a series of directives to provincial and district authorities to accelerate relief and rehabilitation efforts in flood-affected areas.
The chief minister has ordered the field presence of commissioners and deputy commissioners, along with immediate documentation of damage caused to homes and crops.
She directed the district administrations to restrict people from entering flood zones.
Separately, speaking in a video statement while supervising rescue and relief efforts in Kartarpur, Iqbal termed the water discharge as a “worst example” of water aggression by India.
“India stores water on rivers and suddenly releases it,” the minister remarked, adding that New Delhi’s water aggression posed a threat to lives and properties.
“Some issues are beyond national disputes and political differences. Countries should put all differences aside and ensure cooperation on the issue of water resources.
India has also made natural disasters a source of politics. India did not share information with Pakistan in a timely manner,” he remarked, adding that New Delhi’s failure to do so was “extremely regrettable and inhumane”.
The minister’s remarks refer to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) which binds both countries to share information with each other on water discharge. However, the treaty has been put in abeyance by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in April.
However, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in June, in a unanimous judgment binding on both countries, issued a Supplemental Award in the IWT case and stated that New Delhi could not unilaterally suspend the accord.
The arbitration court’s ruling confirmed that India’s unilateral actions could not undermine the jurisdiction of either the court of arbitration or the Neutral Expert in proceedings under the IWT.
Although India reached out to Pakistan to warn about a potential flood situation — due to water discharge — the move was carried out via diplomatic channels and not through the bilateral commission as required by the IWT.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding plans have been revealed.
On Wednesday, an insider revealed to Page Six that the pop sensation and the NFL star plan to have a “casual” and “private” ceremony with family and close friends when they eventually exchange vows.
“It will be more casual than people think,” the source told the outlet a day after the couple announced their engagement.
Taylor and Travis announced their engagement on Tuesday, August 26, via a joint Instagram post.
“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the newly engaged couple penned alongside several photos showing Kansas City Chiefs star Travis proposing to Taylor.
Recently, Travis’ father, Ed, spilled shocking details about his son’s proposal to Taylor.
Speaking to News 5 Cleveland, Ed Kelce revealed that Travis’ proposal to the singer “didn’t go exactly as planned.”
He shared that the professional player wanted to make a proposal to Taylor a “big and special event.”
“He was going to put her off ’til this week, to, you know, make some grand thing, to make it a big special event,” said Ed.
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