Hamlet, James Bond and SNL UK: Riz Ahmed on Reinventing Cultural Icons

A new and radical take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet is out in US cinemas. The force behind it is actor, writer, producer and musician Riz Ahmed. He says the 400-year-old story has never felt more current.Ahmed, Oscar-nominated for Sound of Metal and star of the Oscar-winning live-action short The Long Goodbye, has a new series on Prime Video called Bait. It’s a black comedy about an actor on the cusp of a life-changing role as James Bond.  In this conversation with Mishal Husain, Ahmed talks about creativity and politics, discusses his upcoming movie with Tom Cruise and how becoming a father affected his acting. Read this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview02:32 - Hamlet “never goes out of fashion"03:39 - “The old order is falling apart”05:00 - “Is it the world that’s gone crazy or is it me?”07:50 - The dream of playing Hamlet09:51 - To be, or not to be is “misunderstood”13:40 - “It's authentic. I'm not acting”17:00 - Bait “it’s a very personal show”17:24 - Why Barbara Broccoli said yes to using Bond21:43 - Looking for acceptance22:34 - “Culture works in cycles”25:04 - Acting was an extension of real life28:20 - “I don’t like being pinned down”28:42 - SNL UK30:01 - Working with Tom Cruise32:21 - “My weekends are really simple” Contact The Mishal Husain Show [email protected] Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.