London [UK], April 8 : British actor and rapper Riz Ahmed has opened up about his connection with William Shakespeare's Hamlet as he takes the titular role in Aneil Karia's new modern adaptation of the classic tragedy. Ahmed, 43, says he relates to the Danish prince's sense of being an outsider, a feeling he experienced growing up, according to People.
"I had a really inspirational English teacher who gave it to me," Ahmed told People, recalling how he discovered the play. "I found a character, the heart of this play, that just feels as much of an outsider as I did at that time... and as much of an outsider as I think many of us feel right now."
Karia and screenwriter Michael Lesslie reimagine Hamlet in modern-day, multicultural London. In a striking reinterpretation, Ahmed delivers the iconic "To be or not to be" soliloquy while driving on a high-speed highway, blending Shakespeare's text with contemporary settings.
Acknowledging that Shakespeare can feel inaccessible to some, Ahmed said, "It doesn't belong to me and I don't belong in it and it's just a bit stuffy and alien." He emphasized that film is "an empathy engine," offering audiences a way to see themselves in stories from any era.
Ahmed, who also serves as producer on the project, explained the importance of grounding the play in a modern context. "In order to keep this canonical, British text alive... we have to pass the baton in terms of where it's set. Only then can it actually feel grounded and real," according to People
The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and will release in theaters Friday, April 10. Hamlet also stars Morfydd Clark, Joe Alwyn, Sheeba Chaddha, Avijit Dutt, Art Malik, and Timothy Spall, according to People
Ahmed continues to lead projects such as the British limited series Bait, streaming on Prime Video, and Alejandro G. Inarritu's Digger with Tom Cruise, releasing in theaters on October 2.
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