Riz Ahmed nominated for Emmy for James Bond satire ‘Bait’

Actor Riz Ahmed has received an Emmy nomination for Lead Actor in a Limited Series for his role in the Amazon MGM production ‘Bait’. The six-episode series, which Ahmed developed over a decade, is described as a genre-blending mix of industry satire, family comedy, and thriller.

In ‘Bait’, Ahmed portrays Shah Latif, a struggling actor who fails a James Bond audition and becomes obsessed with becoming the first Pakistani 007. Despite the show’s focus on the Bond franchise, Ahmed joked that the series likely diminishes his chances of being cast as the actual character. The production received permission to use the Bond name from Barbara Broccoli.

Ahmed noted that the series is a ‘hyperspecific’ and multilingual project that was difficult to greenlight, market, and produce due to its smaller budget and unusual format compared to typical limited-series events.