Nimona isn't just rooted around its titular shapeshifter. In the film, Ballister Boldheart goes through arguably an even greater transformation. Introduced as a future knight of the realm, a sudden and devastating event leaves Ballister framed for a vicious murder and on the run from everyone and everything he's ever known. In the process, the character gets the opportunity to confront the complexities of himself and others -- and truly discover what he is and who he wants to be.
Academy Award nominee Riz Ahmed is the perfect performer for the role, bringing a vulnerability to the character that adds complexity to the original story. During an interview with CBR ahead of Nimona's Jun. 30 premiere on Netflix, Riz Ahmed broke down what makes Ballister relatable on so many levels, exploring his own experience with imposter syndrome through the character, and how having his co-stars recordings on-hand while performing the film impacted his approach to the story.
CBR: You've spoken about how much you connected with the character of Ballister in the film. What was it about the character that really caught your attention as a performer?
Riz Ahmed: I remember when I first met with the directors, Troy Quane and Nick Bruno, they painted their vision of this world -- and also Ballister, who he is at heart as a character, I felt he was immediately relatable. Ballister is someone who just wants to be accepted and understood, but he feels misunderstood. I think that's a very common feeling, more common than we talk about.
A lot of people have imposter syndrome. They feel like they don't belong, and they're trying to prove themselves. I've definitely been in situations, in environments like that throughout my life. Most people have, you know? The first day of school, [or] the first day of your new job, you find yourself in a space where you're the only face that looks the way you do. All these things can kind of trigger that sense of being an outsider. Bringing that to life [from] the source material, which is just so incredibly imaginative and so beloved already as a graphic novel -- [is] a privilege.
What would you say surprised you the most about Ballister?
You know, the main thing I think you discover [is] who you are as a person through the people around you. For me, a big journey of discovery was working with what Chloë Grace Moretz had done with the character of Nimona. Even though we weren't in the same booth at the same time, it was very clear with some of the recordings that I got to hear, the [type of] personality she was bringing to the screen.
Even remotely, this is kind of a tender friendship they embark on. I felt I feel like the journey of discovery was less about the character and more about this relationship. It is such a beautiful relationship with two people, two people from totally different worlds, who have these preconceptions about each other, and you have to get past that to kind of connect.
Nimona comes to Netflix on Jun. 30.