Riz Ahmed takes on his inner critic

This is Fresh Air. I'm Tanya Mosley. A struggling British Pakistani actor lands the audition of a lifetime as James Bond. Word gets out, and the internet goes wild. And suddenly his life starts to resemble the very character he's auditioning to play. He's in a chase sequence, except for he's not chasing a villain.

He's chasing acceptance. That's the setup for Bait, the Prime Video series that is part spy thriller, part family comedy, and part psychological unraveling. My guest today, Riz Ahmed, created, wrote, and produced the series. He also stars as the lead character, Shah Latif. Now he's been nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for the role.

I spoke with him earlier this year when the series was released. Bate opens with Shaw in a tuxedo, doing a James Bond screen test. He's debonaire, commanding, in control, James Bond personified. And then He forgets his lines.

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