• Friday, March 29, 2024

Entertainment Stories

Riz Ahmed reveals his role in Venom made him realise he didn’t yet have a “skill set” for blockbusters

(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

By: Shelbin MS

British-Pakistani actor Riz Ahmed, who received an Oscar nomination this year for his role in Darius Marder’s 2019 film Sound Of Metal, has revealed that his role in Marvel spin-off Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) made him realise that he did not yet have a “skill set” for blockbusters. The Primetime Emmy Award-winning actor played villain Carlton Drake in the high-profile superhero film opposite Tom Hardy.

Talking to a popular publication, Ahmed said, “I am not saying I do not like those big movies. I am saying I had not learned yet how to bring myself to those movies.”

He added, “Those films teach you stamina, technical craft, and it is a skill to be able to eke out your artistry in that setting. Look at Javier Bardem in Skyfall (2012). I just hadn’t developed the skill set at that point to do the technical thing and the emotional thing.”

He continued, “More recently what I have thought about it is taking masks off. Of course, if you believe on some deep internal level that you are not the right type — the right colour, shape, size, accent — then you will start instinctively wearing masks. So it has been a shift in self-perception for me to say, ‘You know what? I am enough. We are all enough.’”

Also featuring Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris, Reid Scott, Stephen Graham, and Woody Harrelson in important roles, Venom: Let There Be Carnage entered theatres earlier this month. It received mixed response from critics and audiences alike.

Meanwhile, Riz Ahmed is looking forward to the release of his much-anticipated film Encounter. Directed by Michael Pearce, the sci-fi film is set to get a limited release on December 3, 2021, by Amazon Studios prior to streaming on Prime Video on December 10, 2021.

Keep visiting this space over and again for more updates and reveals from the world of entertainment.

Tags: Riz Ahmed, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Tom Hardy, Encounter

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