‘Bait’ Team on Building the Show’s James Bond Plotline Onscreen

The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles recently hosted a panel discussion with the team behind Prime Video’s limited series “Bait.” The show follows a British-Pakistani actor as he auditions for the role of James Bond and faces backlash from the public and his family. Star Riz Ahmed, along with co-showrunner Ben Carlin, producer Allie Moore, director Bassam Tariq, and music supervisor Kira Elwis, offered insights into the creation of the series in a conversation moderated by film director Daniel Kwan.

Ahmed revealed that the original concept for the show did not involve James Bond, but the idea came to him after his experiences in films like “Rogue One” and “The Night Of.” He shared his personal struggles with how people perceived him versus his everyday reality, prompting him to explore these themes in the show.

Carlin explained that the show needed a focal point to tell the story, eventually leading to the incorporation of the James Bond angle. The series delves into the internal struggles of the protagonist rather than focusing solely on external reactions.

The team discussed experimenting with the show’s tone, with each episode adopting a different style to reflect the protagonist’s identity crisis. They aimed to balance absurdity with emotional realism, drawing inspiration from Bollywood and Linklater films.

Music played a significant role in shaping the show’s identity, with Elwis diving into classic Pakistani and Bollywood soundtracks while also incorporating contemporary underground artists. Ahmed’s personal experiences as a Muslim in the West influenced the show’s themes of surveillance and paranoia, using Bond imagery to reflect these concepts.

The panel concluded with Ahmed sharing the audience’s positive reactions to the show, particularly from viewers in Texas who felt represented on-screen. The purpose of storytelling, according to Ahmed, is to allow audiences to recognize themselves in strangers.

Overall, “Bait” offers a unique and thought-provoking exploration of identity, perception, and representation, blending cultural influences with personal experiences to create a compelling narrative.