Riz Ahmed - Actor Profile

Riz Ahmed

Acting
Freshness: Jan 19, 2026
40Total Films
8.0 Highest Rated
Born: Dec 1, 1982
Birth Place: Wembley, London, England, UK

About Riz Ahmed

Rizwan "Riz" Ahmed (Urdu pronunciation: [ɾɪzˌwɑːnˈɛɦˌməd̪]; born 1 December 1982) is a British actor and rapper. He has received several awards, including an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, with nominations for two Golden Globe Awards and two British Academy Film Awards. In 2017, he was named in the Time Listing of the most influential people in the world. After studying acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Ahmed began his acting career with independent films such as The Road to Guantanamo (2006), Shifty (2008), Four Lions (2010), Trishna (2011), and The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012). He had his break-out role in Nightcrawler (2014), which led to roles in the 2016 big-budget films Jason Bourne and Rogue One. For starring as a young man accused of murder in the HBO miniseries The Night Of (2016), Ahmed won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series. He received another Emmy nomination in the same year for his guest role in Girls. He went on to play Carlton Drake in the superhero film Venom (2018) and a drummer who loses his hearing in the drama film Sound of Metal (2019). The latter earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He produced, co-wrote, and starred in Mogul Mowgli (2020), which earned a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film. As a rapper, Ahmed is a member of the Swet Shop Boys and has earned critical acclaim with the hip hop albums Microscope and Cashmere and commercial success featuring in the Billboard 200 chart-topping Hamilton Mixtape, with his song "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)" winning an MTV Video Music Award. His second studio album, The Long Goodbye, was accompanied by a short film of the same name, which won him the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. As an activist, Ahmed is known for his political rap music, has been involved in raising awareness and funds for Rohingya and Syrian refugee children, and has advocated 'BAME' representation at the House of Commons. Description above from the Wikipedia article Riz Ahmed, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Career Statistics & Market Influence

Analyzing the cinematic journey of Riz Ahmed reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 40 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.

Genre Dominance: Drama

The majority of Riz Ahmed's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.

The "Box Office" Signature

With a 38% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Riz Ahmed remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Britz, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.

Best Riz Ahmed Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Riz Ahmed's career based on audience ratings.

Complete Filmography & Success Status

Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Riz Ahmed.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
2026 Digger - Flop Similar →
2026 Hamlet Hamlet Flop Similar →
2025 Together for Palestine Self Average Similar →
2025 Relay Ash Hit Similar →
2025 The Phoenician Scheme Prince Farouk Hit Similar →
2023 Fingernails Amir Average Similar →
2023 Dammi Mounir Average Similar →
2023 Nimona Ballister Boldheart (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2021 Encounter Malik Khan Average Similar →
2021 Lines - Flop Similar →
2020 Sound of Metal Ruben Stone Super Hit Similar →
2020 Mogul Mowgli Zed Average Similar →
2020 The Long Goodbye Riz Hit Similar →
2018 Venom Carlton Drake / Riot Hit Similar →
2018 The Sisters Brothers Hermann Kermit Warm Hit Similar →
2017 The Stories: The Making of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' Self Average Similar →
2017 Una Scott Average Similar →
2016 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Bodhi Rook Super Hit Similar →
2016 City of Tiny Lights Tommy Akhtar Flop Similar →
2016 Jason Bourne Aaron Kalloor Average Similar →
2014 Nightcrawler Rick Super Hit Similar →
2013 Out of Darkness Male Super Hit Similar →
2013 Closed Circuit Nazrul Sharma Average Similar →
2013 The Reluctant Fundamentalist Changez Hit Similar →
2012 Ill Manors Aaron Average Similar →
2011 Black Gold Ali Hit Similar →
2011 Trishna Jay Average Similar →
2010 Four Lions Omar Hit Similar →
2010 Centurion Tarak Average Similar →
2009 Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam - Average Similar →
2009 Rage Vijay Flop Similar →
2009 Freefall Gary Average Similar →
2008 Baghdad Express Talal Flop Similar →
2008 Shifty Shifty Average Similar →
2007 Britz Sohail Wahid Super Hit Similar →
2006 Banglatown Banquet Razual Flop Similar →
2006 The Road to Guantanamo Shafiq Hit Similar →
N/A Exit West Saeed Flop Similar →
N/A Violent Talent - Flop Similar →
N/A Growth - Flop Similar →

Riz Ahmed - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Riz Ahmed?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Riz Ahmed is "Britz" with a rating of 8.0/10.

How many movies has Riz Ahmed acted in?

Riz Ahmed has been featured in at least 40 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Riz Ahmed?

Other notable films include "Out of Darkness", "Nimona", and "Nightcrawler".