Riz Ahmed Recounts Bizarre Tesco Banning and Other Humorous Encounters
Oscar-nominated actor Riz Ahmed has shared a rather unusual tale of being banned from a London branch of the supermarket giant Tesco, all while riding the wave of his burgeoning international fame. The incident, which took place shortly after his prominent role in the 2018 blockbuster Venom, highlights the often comical disconnect between public perception and private reality that the actor says inspired his upcoming project, Bait.
The 43-year-old star, known for his roles in critically acclaimed projects like Nightcrawler and the Star Wars saga (Rogue One), found himself on the wrong side of Tesco’s security at the Old Kent Road branch. His visit, intended to be a simple errand, took an unexpected turn when he was apprehended by security guards who suspected him of shoplifting.
Ahmed recounted the peculiar situation to GQ, explaining that he was carrying a large laundry bag filled with his clothes. His attire at the time was, by his own admission, rather conspicuous. “My washing machine was broken, so I had one of those massive laundry bags full of all my laundry, and the only clothes I had were insane – I had [on] this bright green puffer and pink f***ing swim shorts or something,” he revealed.
The actor had popped into the supermarket to pick up a frozen pizza, a small gesture for his brother’s birthday. However, as he attempted to leave the store, the security scanners began to emit a persistent beep. This triggered the intervention of security personnel, leading to his ban from the premises. Adding to the surreal nature of the event, Ahmed received congratulatory messages about his Venom success concurrently. “The texts are coming in: ‘Bro, you’re smashing it,’” he recalled, a stark contrast to his supermarket predicament.
This experience, along with other instances where a person’s public image starkly diverges from their lived experience, served as a significant source of inspiration for Ahmed’s new project, Bait. He elaborated on this theme, stating, “We’re constantly fish out of water… We’re constantly living the lie, when the perception looks a certain way. I thought, Just to make sense of this, I gotta write this stuff.”
A String of Memorable Encounters
The Tesco incident is not the only anecdote Ahmed has shared that underscores the complexities of navigating public life. He also recounted a moment where he inadvertently alarmed Queen Elizabeth II’s security team after attempting to offer a fist bump to the late monarch. In another instance, while practicing spoken-word rap on a train, he later discovered that his fellow passenger was an immigration enforcement officer. These anecdotes paint a picture of a life lived at the intersection of fame and everyday realities, often leading to unexpected and humorous outcomes.
The Premise of Bait
Bait itself delves into these themes of perception versus reality. The series follows the life of Shah Latif, a struggling actor portrayed by Ahmed, whose world is turned upside down when the media learns he has auditioned for the coveted role of the next James Bond. The show also features a talented cast including Guz Khan, Ritu Arya, and Sheeba Chaddha.
Riz Ahmed’s career trajectory has been impressive since his acting debut in 2006 with Michael Winterbottom’s The Road to Guantanamo. He went on to star in the satirical Four Lions and the BBC drama The Fades, before achieving a significant breakthrough with his role in Nightcrawler.
His subsequent work includes the acclaimed HBO drama The Night Of, Netflix’s The OA, and the powerful drama Sound of Metal, for which he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. The following year, he secured an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film for The Long Goodbye, a project that accompanied his 2020 hip hop album of the same name.
Looking ahead, Ahmed is slated to be one of the initial hosts on Saturday Night Live UK next month. He is scheduled to present the show on April 4th, with musical guest Kasabian.
