British-Pakistani actor and rapper Riz Ahmed called out the “toxic portrayals” of Muslim characters in TV and movies in a new interview to the Guardian on Sunday. When asked why he would risk taking shots at studios that are essentially his paymasters, he replied “you’ve got to try and worry about something bigger than yourself.'

Known for being political, passionate and undeniably talented The Reluctant Fundamentalist star had taken a stand against Hollywood and the wider industry for depicting Muslims in a “dehumanising and demonising” manner.

Speaking at the launch of an initiative called the Blueprint for Muslim Inclusion, Ahmed noted that some of the most award-laden movies, including The Hurt Locker and Argo were “frankly racist.”

When asked why he would risk taking potshots at studios and single out such successful films for criticism, Ahmed said, “If you’re going to say something, say it, I guess, right? I’m not trying to attack anyone personally, it’s just about trying to call out a collective blind spot. So am I worried it would have a knockback on my career? I dunno…”

Given the ratio of brown actors in the industry, Ahmed said he never expected to even have a career. “You know, this is all just bonus. They haven’t noticed I’ve snuck in. They are going to throw me out any minute. It’s probably that kind of thing. Nick all the sweets while you can. Trash the place. Tell them whatever you want. Maybe there’s some of that going on.”

Ahmed has worked his way up through acclaimed movies such as Four Lions and Reluctant Fundamentalist. He also took on smaller parts in Hollywood spectaculars including Venom and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. In April, the British actor was nominated for a best actor Oscar for his performance in Sound of Metal as Ruben. Ahmed was the first Muslim to be nominated in this category, and that didn’t go unnoticed.

“Some people go like, ‘Oh, first Muslim, this and that,’” he said. “And your initial reaction is like, ‘What’s that got to do with anything?’ Then you have another feeling: ‘But actually, wait that is relevant, insofar as like, why hasn’t this happened before? That’s weird.’ So always that kind of push and pull,” added the actor.

Ahmed feels like “70%” of his interviews end up being about politics and representation. “There’s a voice in my head right now that’s just going, ‘Oh my God, come on, get off this stuff, man!” he said. However, the actor feels that it’s his responsibility to speak up, because if he doesn’t do it, who will?

Losing his aunt and uncle to during the COVID era has made Ahmed’s resolve stronger. “We’re just here for this long, man! A lot of us lost a lot of people. You’re just here for two seconds so you’ve got to try and worry about something bigger than yourself because, guess what? None of us are getting out of this alive!” he said in the interview with the Guardian.

Born in Wembley, North London to Pakistani parents, Ahmed didn’t speak English before he started school at six. He would stay at home with his mother and enjoy watching Fifty Fifty, an Urdu comedy sketch on TV. When he was eleven, Ahmed secured a scholarship to a private school, Merchant Taylors’, whose alumni include Nobel laureates and archbishops.

Later, Ahmed made it to Oxford University where he studied philosophy, politics and economics. His passion however, lied in acting and drama. The actor thought his acting journey would be an “inevitable car crash” because of little opportunities for British South Asians in entertainment back in 2004. “You’ve got to remember, things feel really different now, but this was 2004, 2005. Let’s pull up IMDb for 2004, pull out the Radio Times, show me where and how I’m earning a living for my family? Show me how I’m able to apply my craft and do so with dignity? It’s just not a thing,” he said.

Ahmed recalled wanting to become part of the 2007 Oscar winning Slumdog Millionaire, he was disappointed when he lost the part to Skins actor Dev Patel and thought “there’s not going to be another one of those.”

Luckily, the turning point for Ahmed’s career came when he moved to the US in 2013. He got a part in yje psychological thriller Nightcrawler on his auditions and things have only gone uphill since then. Ahmed won an Emmy for his role in HBO series The Night Of and has ben part of a number of notable Hollywood hits such as Sound of Metal.

And the best advice he got? “Don’t categorise yourself. Even if they do.”