The2021 Oscar nominationsannounced on Monday includedRiz Ahmedin the Best Actor category. Ahmed is nominated for is role inSound of Metalas Ruben, a metal drummer who rapidly loses his hearing, forcing him to re-learn how to live his life. Fellow nominees in this year’s Best Actor categoryincludeSteven YeunforMinari,Gary OldmanforMank,Anthony HopkinsforThe FatherandChadwick BosemanforMa Rainey’s Black Bottom. Ahmed joins fellow nominee Yeun in making history as the first pair of actors of Asian descent to compete in the Best Actor category in the same year.
In aseries of tweetsearlier today, Ahmed expressed his gratitude to the Academy and hyped his fellowSound of Metalnominees. He also highlighted work of the rest of the cast, crew, and producers, but reserved special praise for his “mentors in the drumming, addiction recovery, and D/deaf communities,” before going on to summarize just whySound of Metalis resonating so strongly with audiences in the midst of a pandemic, emphasizing: “Sound of Metalis about how a health crisis can cut you off from your life and loved ones, and force you to grow in unexpected ways. In a challenging year for so many, I hope this story can inspire us to forge new and deeper connections with ourselves and others.”
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Ahmed’s nomination is an historic one for the Oscars, as he is the first Muslim actor to be nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Ahmed’s history-making nomination arrives not long after fellow Muslim actorMahershala Aliwon the Best Supporting Actor statue in 2017 and 2019 for respective performances inMoonlightandGreen Book.
“If there’s a way in which people can find themselves in this moment, and can feel inspired and connected on a deeper level, I’m all for it,” Ahmed toldDeadlinein reaction to this historic nomination. “Whether they see me as the first British Pakistani, or the first guy from Wembley, you know, there’s so many ways to view it. But as long as it feels like an opportunity for more people than ever before to really connect and feel included in this moment, that’s a blessing.”
Sound of Metal, directed byDarius Marder, was nominated for a total of seven Oscars, including Best Picture. Also nominated werePaul Racifor Best Supporting Actor, editorMikkel Nielsenfor Best Film Editing, sound designerNicolas Beckerfor Best Sound, and co-writers Darius andAbraham Marderfor Best Original Screenplay.
Sound of Metalcan be seen exclusively on Amazon Prime. The 93rd Academy Awards will air live on ABC on April 25. See Ahmed’s tweets aboutSound of Metal’s Oscars recognition below.
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