Arsher Ali

[on whether Asian actors are largely typecast] I'm waiting for someone to just lump them all into one character and then maybe it'll implode. Waiting for one long character description that says: 'A doctor who moonlights as a drug-dealing cab driver with an impending arranged marriage who also doesn't know if he's a Muslim or not but has aspirations of becoming a suicide-bombing cornershop owner.' I think a lot of it has to do with casting and writing in the first place. People need to be more open minded. Show less «

[on the kind of work he is routinely offered] Eight five per cent of the scripts are all total bollocks. I'm not interested in it at all, I am a bit sick of it actually. As an Asian actor, seventy per cent of what comes your way is written like '24' - you're the bad guy, the Arab guy. Every dark-skinned guy is the baddie. I see floppy haired white middle class public school boys being offered lots of interesting work. They are professionally successful... and sometimes you just think 'Aargh'. It is frustrating, although I am not attacking them. I am a bit wary of jumping on the race soap box as it is difficult for any actor to get a foothold but I can only discuss my own experience which has been frustrating. Show less «