Bait stars Riz Ahmed and Himesh Patel argue over who would make the best James Bond

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So, at the SXSW panel for our show ‘Bait,’ Himesh and I got into this funny little debate about who’d make a better James Bond. It was pretty awkward, but all in good fun! We were just joking around, really, but it definitely got a laugh from the audience.

This comedy series centers on Shah Latif, an actor in London trying to make it big. He unexpectedly gets an audition for the role of James Bond – a part that’s currently open with a new 007 movie in development. The show playfully explores the real-life search for the next James Bond.

Ahmed was the writer and producer of the Prime Video series Bait, starring Guz Khan, Ritu Arya, Rafe Spall, and Sheeba Chaddha.

Himesh Patel, known for his role in Tenet, is also part of the show, though details about his character haven’t been revealed. He and Riz Ahmed recently appeared together at SXSW to promote the series, where they playfully debated who would make a better James Bond, leading to a slightly awkward exchange.

Riz Ahmed and Himesh Patel argue about the studio wanting a young James Bond

At the SXSW festival, Riz Ahmed and Himesh Patel playfully debated the meaning behind Prime Video’s series Bait. Patel suggested the humor comes from how absurd it is that Ahmed’s character was even considered for the role, while Ahmed countered that the scenario was actually quite realistic.

Bait stars Riz Ahmed and Himesh Patel argue onstage about who would be the best James Bond

— ScreenTime (@screentime) March 16, 2026

Ahmed explained that his portrayal of James Bond feels authentic and genuine, while anyone else attempting the role would come across as ridiculous – and that’s the point of the humor. However, Patel countered by suggesting Ahmed is simply too old to be considered for the next 007 role.

He pointed out they were likely searching for a younger actor to play James Bond, making it seem unlikely someone of Ahmed’s age would be considered. This comment led Ahmed to ask his colleague when they were born.

Patel, at 35, is younger than Ahmed, who is 43. The host stepped in to suggest they play the trailer for the Prime Video show Bait, but not before Patel playfully commented on Ahmed’s age: “You can see how old he looks.”

During their conversation, the two also playfully discussed their levels of fame. Patel joked that after collaborating with renowned directors like Sam Mendes, Armando Iannucci, Christopher Nolan, and Danny Boyle, it was refreshing to work on projects that felt more experimental and weren’t guaranteed to succeed.

Ahmed explained that Patel was his top pick only after a series of rejections – Idris Elba, John Boyega, Dev Patel, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and even a family member all turned down the offer. It’s probably a publicity stunt for their Prime Video show, Bait, but they seemed genuinely invested in the playful back-and-forth.

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2026-03-16 20:19