Riz Ahmed recently won his first Academy Award for his role in the live-action short film The Long Goodbye, which he also co-wrote and starred in. The win is remarkable since it is the first time in the live-action short category that someone of Asian heritage has won. In his victory speech, the 39-year-old spoke about the importance of unity. "We feel that the job of tale in these divided times is to remind us that there is no such thing as "we" and "them." There is only 'we' "he stated "This is for anyone who doesn't feel like they belong. Anyone who feels like they're in the middle of nowhere. You're not the only one who feels this way. We'll be waiting for you there. That is where the future can be found. Peace. The film follows a south Asian family in suburban London whose plans for a celebration are disrupted by television reports of an all-white militia arriving at their door shortly after. It's not the first time he's been nominated for an Academy Award. In 2021, he was nominated for his performance in Sound of Metal as a deaf drummer. He was defeated by Anthony Hopkins. Last year, Steven Yuen was also nominated in the same category. That, too, was historic. It was the first time two Asian males were nominated for the same award.

 

The Long Goodbye features tracks from Ahmed's album of the same name. The album, which was released in 2021, is a reflection of his identity as a British-Pakistani musician. The film is available for streaming on YouTube.