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Riz Ahmed’s Bond-Casting Satire ‘Bait’ Debuts on Prime Video

The six-part series turns a bogus 007 tryout into a study of fame’s costs.

Overview

  • Bait, which premiered Wednesday on Prime Video, is a six-episode half-hour miniseries that Riz Ahmed created and co-wrote.
  • The story follows struggling actor Shah Latif, whose sudden buzz as a potential first non-white James Bond drives viral attention, online abuse, and a racist attack on his family.
  • Ahmed frames the show as a look at self-worth and performance of identity, drawing on his own experiences with racism and anxiety to keep the drama grounded.
  • Filmed in real London locations, the series leans on a notable cast that includes Guz Khan, Aasiya Shah as Q, Weruche Opia, Ritu Arya, and Sir Patrick Stewart in a comic role.
  • The launch carries a meta twist since Amazon now steers Bond through Amazon MGM, though Ahmed says the Prime Video home was coincidental with support from Amazon and producer Barbara Broccoli.