Rizwan "Riz" Ahmedย (Urdu pronunciation:ย [ษพษชzหwษหnหษษฆหmษdฬช]; bornย 1 December 1982) is a British actor and rapper. He has receivedย several awards, including anย Academy Awardย and aย Primetime Emmy Award, with nominations for twoย Golden Globe Awardsย and twoย British Academy Film Awards. In 2017, he was named in theย Time Listing of theย most influential people in the world.
After studying acting at theย Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Ahmed began his acting career with independent films such asย The Road to Guantanamoย (2006),ย Shiftyย (2008),ย Four Lions (2010),ย Trishnaย (2011), andย The Reluctant Fundamentalistย (2012). He had his break-out role inย Nightcrawlerย (2014), which led to roles in the 2016 big-budget filmsย Jason Bourneย andย Rogue One. For starring as a young man accused of murder in theย HBOย miniseriesย The Night Of (2016), Ahmed won theย Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series. He received another Emmy nomination in the same year for his guest role inย Girls. He went on to playย Carlton Drakeย in the superhero filmย Venomย (2018) and a drummer who loses his hearing in the drama filmย Sound of Metalย (2019). The latter earned him a nomination for theย Academy Award for Best Actor. He produced, co-wrote, and starred inย Mogul Mowgliย (2020), which earned a nomination for theย BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film.
As a rapper, Ahmed is a member of theย Swet Shop Boys and has earned critical acclaim with theย hip hopย albumsย Microscopeย andย Cashmere and commercial success featuring in theย Billboardย 200ย chart-toppingย Hamilton Mixtape, with his song "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)" winning anย MTV Video Music Award. His second studio album,ย The Long Goodbye,ย was accompanied by a short film of the same name, which won him theย Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.
As an activist, Ahmed is known for hisย political rapย music, has been involved in raising awareness and funds forย Rohingyaย andย Syrian refugeeย children, and has advocated 'BAME' representation at theย House of Commons.
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