British-Pakistani star Riz Ahmed made history this week winning the Oscar for best live-action short film The Long Goodbye, which he co-wrote and starred in.
“In such divided times, we believe that the role of story is to remind us there is no ‘us’ and ‘them’. There’s just ‘us’,” Ahmed said in his acceptance speech, The Guardian reported.
“This is for everyone who feels like they don’t belong. Anyone who feels like they’re stuck in no man’s land. You’re not alone. We’ll meet you there. That’s where the future is. Peace.”
Read Also: Actor Riz Ahmed Urges Hollywood to Re-examine Muslim Imagery
The Long Goodbye shows a south Asian family in suburban London whose preparations for celebration are interrupted by news reports of an all-white militia, who soon afterwards knock on their door.
The film incorporates music from Ahmed’s album of the same name, which was released in 2021 and reflects on his identity as a British Pakistani artist.
Winning his first Oscar, Ahmed also became the first Asian descent actor to triumph in the live-action short category.
Who Is Riz Ahmed?
Ahmed made history last year as a first Muslim actor to be nominated for Actor in a Leading Role category for his role as a hearing-impaired drummer in Sound of Metal.
He also became the first Muslim actor, as well as the first South-Asian actor, to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series in September 2017.
The award was given for his role as Nasir Khan in “The Night Of.”
The 39-year-old actor has previously talked about stereotyping in Hollywood casting.
In June 2017, he told the Hollywood Reporter that he’d “rather be broke” than be typecast as “Terrorist No. 3.”
Earlier in 2022, Ahmed announced a new initiative to combat Hollywood’s stereotypical and “toxic” portrayal of Muslim community, saying “The Islamophobia industry is one that measures its cost in blood.”
The $25,000 (£17,700) fellowships for young Muslim artists will be awarded by an advisory committee that will include such actors and comedians as Mahershala Ali, Ramy Youssef and Hasan Minhaj.
The post Riz Ahmed Wins His First Oscar appeared first on About Islam.
source https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/europe/riz-ahmed-wins-his-first-oscar/
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