Rizwan "Riz" AhmedΒ (Urdu pronunciation:Β [ΙΎΙͺzΛwΙΛnΛΙΙ¦ΛmΙdΜͺ]; bornΒ 1 December 1982) is a British actor and rapper. He has receivedΒ several awards, including anΒ Academy AwardΒ and aΒ Primetime Emmy Award, with nominations for twoΒ Golden Globe AwardsΒ and twoΒ British Academy Film Awards. In 2017, he was named in theΒ Time Listing of theΒ most influential people in the world.
After studying acting at theΒ Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Ahmed began his acting career with independent films such asΒ The Road to GuantanamoΒ (2006),Β ShiftyΒ (2008),Β Four Lions (2010),Β TrishnaΒ (2011), andΒ The Reluctant FundamentalistΒ (2012). He had his break-out role inΒ NightcrawlerΒ (2014), which led to roles in the 2016 big-budget filmsΒ Jason BourneΒ andΒ Rogue One. For starring as a young man accused of murder in theΒ HBOΒ miniseriesΒ The Night Of (2016), Ahmed won theΒ Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series. He received another Emmy nomination in the same year for his guest role inΒ Girls. He went on to playΒ Carlton DrakeΒ in the superhero filmΒ VenomΒ (2018) and a drummer who loses his hearing in the drama filmΒ Sound of MetalΒ (2019). The latter earned him a nomination for theΒ Academy Award for Best Actor. He produced, co-wrote, and starred inΒ Mogul MowgliΒ (2020), which earned a nomination for theΒ BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film.
As a rapper, Ahmed is a member of theΒ Swet Shop Boys and has earned critical acclaim with theΒ hip hopΒ albumsΒ MicroscopeΒ andΒ Cashmere and commercial success featuring in theΒ BillboardΒ 200Β chart-toppingΒ Hamilton Mixtape, with his song "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)" winning anΒ MTV Video Music Award. His second studio album,Β The Long Goodbye,Β was accompanied by a short film of the same name, which won him theΒ Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.
As an activist, Ahmed is known for hisΒ political rapΒ music, has been involved in raising awareness and funds forΒ RohingyaΒ andΒ Syrian refugeeΒ children, and has advocated 'BAME' representation at theΒ House of Commons.
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