Riz Ahmed is a British actor and rapper. Known for his roles in film and television, he has received an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award as well as nominations for two BAFTA Awards, a Critics' Choice Award, two Golden Globe Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
He is known for his appearances in films such as Four Lions (2010), The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012), Closed Circuit (2013), Nightcrawler (2014), Jason Bourne (2016), Rogue One (2016), The Sisters Brothers (2018), Venom (2018), and Mogul Mowgli (2020). Ahmed gained critical acclaim and awards notoriety for his leading role in Darius Marder's drama film Sound of Metal (2020), a film in which Ahmed also served as an executive producer. Ahmed earned Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, British Academy Film Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his performance. He received the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead for his performance.
Ahmed also won acclaim for his leading role in the HBO limited series, The Night Of (2017), starring opposite John Turturro. For his performance he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. He also received Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his performance. Ahmed also received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series nomination for his role in the HBO comedy series Girls (2017).
Major associations Academy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2021 Best Actor Sound of Metal 2022 Best Live Action Short Film The Long Goodbye
BAFTA Awards Year Category Nominated work Result British Academy Film Awards 2021 Outstanding British Film Mogul Mowgli Best Actor in a Leading Role Sound of Metal
Critics' Choice Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2020 Best Actor Sound of Metal
Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Primetime Emmy Awards 2017 Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Girls Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie The Night Of 2026 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Bait
Golden Globe Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2017 Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film The Night Of 2021 Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Sound of Metal
Independent Spirit Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2014 Best Supporting Male Nightcrawler 2021 Best Male Lead Sound of Metal
Screen Actors Guild Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2017 Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie The Night Of 2021 Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role Sound of Metal
Festival awards YearOrganizationWork(s)CategoryResult 2012 Berlin International Film Festival Ill Manors Shooting Star Award – Actor 2018 British Urban Film Festival City of Tiny Lights Best Actor 2008 Geneva International Film Festival Shifty Best Actor 2021 Miami International Film Festival Sound of Metal Impact Award 2014 Nashville Film Festival Daytimer Best Live Action Short 2021 Palm Springs International Film Festival Sound of Metal Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor Provincetown International Film Festival Excellence in Acting Award Santa Barbara International Film Festival Sound of Metal Virtuosos Honoree 2014 Sundance Film Festival Daytimer Short Film Grand Jury Prize
Miscellaneous awards YearOrganizationWork(s)CategoryResult 2021 Australian Academy Film Awards Sound of Metal Best International Actor 2021 Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Actor 2008British Independent Film Awards ShiftyBest Performance by an Actor in a British Independent Film 2010 Four Lions 2012 Ill Manors 2020 The Long Goodbye Best British Short Film Mogul Mowgli Best Screenplay Best Debut Screenwriter Best Performance by an Actor in a British Independent Film 2021 Encounter 2017 Dorian Awards The Night Of TV Performance of the Year — Actor 2021 Sound of Metal Best Film Performance — Actor 2017 Empire Awards Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Best Male Newcomer 2010 Evening Standard British Film Awards Four Lions Best Actor 2014Gotham Awards Nightcrawler Breakthrough Actor 2021 Sound of Metal Best Actor 2020 Greater WNY Film Association Best Lead Actor 2017 Kids' Choice Awards Rogue One: A Star Wars Story #Squad 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards Next Generation 2017 MTV Video Music Awards "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)" Best Fight Against the System
Critics awards YearOrganizationWork(s)CategoryResult 2021 Atlanta Film Critics Circle Best Lead Actor Sound of Metal 2021 Austin Film Critics Association Best Actor 2020 Boston Society of Film Critics Best Actor 2020 Chicago Film Critics Association Best Actor 2021 Columbus Film Critics Association Best Actor 2021 Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Actor 2021 Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Actor Denver Film Critics Society Best Actor 2021 Detroit Film Critics Society Best Actor 2020 Florida Film Critics Circle Best Actor 2014Georgia Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor Nightcrawler 2021 Best Actor Sound of Metal Hollywood Critics Association 2021 Houston Film Critics Society Best Actor 2020 Indiana Film Journalists Association Best Actor 2014IndieWire Critics Poll Best Supporting Actor Nightcrawler 2020 Best Performance Sound of Metal 2021 Kansas City Film Critics Circle Best Actor Latino Entertainment Journalists Association 2010London Film Critics' Circle British Actor of the Year Four Lions 2014 Supporting Actor of the Year Nightcrawler 2021 Actor of the Year Sound of Metal 2021 British Actor of the Year Sound of Metal, Mogul Mowgli 2020 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Actor Sound of Metal 2021 National Board of ReviewBest Actor 2021 National Society of Film Critics Best Actor 2021 New York Film Critics Online Best Actor 2021 North Carolina Film Critics Association North Dakota Film Critics Society 2021 Online Film Critics Society Best Actor 2014Online Film & Television Association Best Breakthrough Performance – Male Nightcrawler Best Supporting Actor 2017 Best Actor in a Motion Picture or Limited Series The Night Of Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Girls 2021 Best Actor Sound of Metal 2014San Diego Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actor Nightcrawler 2021 Best Actor Sound of Metal 2021 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Best Actor 2021 Satellite Awards Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama 2021 Seattle Film Critics Society Best Actor St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Actor 2020 Sunset Film Circle Best Actor 2021 Toronto Film Critics Association Best Actor 2006 UK Asian Music Awards Best MC "Post 9/11 Blues" 2014 Village Voice Film Poll Best Supporting Actor Nightcrawler 2021 Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Best Actor Sound of Metal
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