Riz Ahmed: The deaf community taught me that listening is something you do with your whole body

Get Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “I also think that having verbal communication taken away from me really made me understand what true communication and true listening is – and I think the deaf community taught me that listening is something you do with your whole body,” continues the Emmy Award-winning actor, known for The Night Of, Star Wars: Rogue One and Four Lions. “It’s not just something you do with your ears, and communication is something that often words can conceal, and the true communication is when you embody viscerally what you’re saying.” The feature – directed by Darius Marder, who also co-wrote the script – follows Ruben and Lou who are not only a couple, but also make loud, frenzied and passionate music together, and are travelling gig to gig on an endless American tour. So I’m privileged and proud to be a part of that.” He notes how his character is from “hearing culture, and he experiences deaf culture for the first time in the film”. Then I had all this experience as a sign language interpreter in addiction programmes for deaf addicts; I’ve worked in the court system for 35 years and been close to that; I ran an addiction ministry at a spiritual centre out here…” Raci is also a CODA,, ASL is his native tongue – he learned to speak English second – and he grew up with many “aunts and uncles” in the deaf community.