Films To Be Buried With with Brett Goldstein Riz Ahmed (Bait / Hamlet / Four Lions / The Night Of) • #389
Apr 1, 2026
Riz Ahmed, actor, writer, producer and musician known for Four Lions, The Night Of and Bait. He talks breakout roles like Dead Set and Four Lions. He explains creating Bait and Hamlet and why music and Bollywood/Lollywood rhythms shape his work. He reflects on films that moved him, comedy favorites, and art’s duty to create empathy.
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Slow Burn Success Of Four Lions
- Riz took a risk on Four Lions because he thought no one would see it, but the film slowly became a cult favourite over 16 years.
- He recounts fans who watch it annually and how the project's slow burn surprised him and validated the gamble.
Life As One Long Audition
- Bait frames life as a perpetual audition where people perform curated selves chasing approval, not authenticity.
- Riz uses the show's Bond-audition plot to explore masks, social media performance, and self-worth.
Getting Booed Then Winning Over Wu-Tang Crowd
- Riz was booed while opening for Wu-Tang at Kentish Town Forum but turned it around by performing an acapella that won the crowd's respect.
- He recreated a version of that humiliating-to-triumphant moment in episode one of Bait.