Faraz Ayub Dubbed Hollywood's 'Next Big Star' After Venice Film Festival
By Mike Walters on October 5, 2023 at 6:20 PM EDT
Faraz Ayub is being called Hollywood's next big "it guy" after the huge debut of his newest movie, 'Sky Peals.'
The British actor is starring in the film which debuted to cheering crowds at the Venice Film Festival. In the movie, Ayub plays Adam, who lives a lonely life and works night shifts at a service station. After hearing his estranged father dies, he goes looking for answers -- becoming convinced he descended from an alien race.
The film is the talk of many top streaming services, as it prepares to air in front of a sold-out crowd at the London Film Festival.
The performance gained Faraz a huge ovation amongst the cheering crowds at the Venice Film Festival and has Hollywood's elite looking at signing him for the next big ticket item. Of course, distributors were eager to grab the rights to the movie which is being dubbed a "70's era classic for the modern age."
The rising star hails from the streets of inner-city Britain and got his start in acting at a local workshop in Nottingham, England. After a brief hiatus during his teenage years, Ayub decided to pursue his dream after confronting a bullying boss at his day job. At first, he would take 3-hour bus rides to auditions which lasted a few minutes, and back another 3 hours home.
After 12 years of struggling, Faraz landed his first role in the hit British drama, 'Line of Duty.' The actor captured a larger audience with his role in Channel 4's prison drama, 'Screw.'
The British-Pakistani star wanted to be an actor ever since watching Tom Cruise in the 'Mission: Impossible' franchise.
"It did something to me and just cinema in general, watching movies was an escape from the environment that I grew up in, which I wouldn’t say was very rundown or anything like that, but it was a bit of a poor neighborhood, a poor area. And cinema was an escape from life outside," he told Variety.
As you know, the new breakout role for the actor has him starting in a sci-fi flick, where the character's journey is a metaphor for identity, race, and culture. Faraz Ayub's intense portrayal of Adam raises deep questions. In the film, someone asks, "Where are you from?" It's not just a casual query; it's a reflection on identity, belonging, and the human experience.
"The character’s lonely, he’s someone who’s looking for an identity and he’s somebody who is basically trying to find his way in life,” Ayub says. Adding, "He [the movie's creator] was looking for somebody who could embody that loneliness and optimism as well."
The film is preparing for 2 sold-out screenings at the BFI London Film Festival.
And...if you haven't heard the name Faraz Ayub, you have now. And Hollywood's on notice.
