Riz Ahmed's 'Bait' Trailer: Actors' Struggle, Representation, and a James Bond Soft Launch
One audition is the obstacle between global success and total failure...no pressure, right?
Elevated by the infamous and infectious sound of “Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics, Prime Video’s Bait trailer feels just as chaotic, trippy, and magnetic as the music implies and is set to premiere Wednesday, March 25.
Oscar and Emmy winner Riz Ahmed is both the lead and co-showrunner alongside Ben Karlin. This series also stars Guz Khan, Sheeba Chaddha, Sajid Hasan, Aasiya Shah, Weruche Opia, and Rita Arya.
Shah Latif (Ahmed) is given the opportunity of a lifetime—auditioning for the role of James Bond. However, his father’s question, "Did Craig Daniel die?" indicates exactly where this series is headed. And equally as important,
Who is Craig Daniel?
The trailer opens within a pivotal moment for an actor—the moment between the director yelling “action” and “cut.” Increased adrenaline, the deafening quiet of the entire crew on the set, your scene partner, and you all sharing an intimate space to create the best movie ever.
This is the time to shine, especially when it’s your closeup. So, what’s the worst thing that could happen during the height of this moment?
“Line!”
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A Story of Dreams, Representation, and Pressure
Shah’s journey is full of grit, as this is his last shot at becoming a successful actor. However, in the midst of the insanity, the raves, and his questionable support system, Shah’s underlying motivation is representation, particularly for marginalized communities that often lack visibility in mainstream media.
Because of this, it is not lost on us that this series is a comedy that centers real-world discourse surrounding discussions about the next James Bond, particularly his ethnicity.
Who’s “allowed” to play him and who’s not.
It’s within this framing that we see Shah—an underrepresented demographic in major U.S. films—stumble and crash in his quest to become the next global superstar.
“I want to show people that this is what a hero can look like.”
In a scene at a party, a friend alerts Shah to the online vitriol, or harsh criticism, surrounding the news of his audition—one tweet saying, “token audition for optics” and another stating, “why’s this random Uber driver 007?”
This blatant call-out of the racism that defines the “canon identity” of this character is delivered with two giant middle fingers to the naysayers. And based on the trailer, Bait refuses to hold back, matching the intensity of the hate with the power of the message.
Riz Ahmed is daring, charming, and unapologetic in this series that lets us know that Shah—and everyone who looks like him—is tired of being overlooked.
It’s time to collect his things.
Bait premieres all six episodes Wednesday, March 25, only on Prime Video. Check out the trailer below.
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