Aasiya Shah Breaks Through in Prime Video’s Bait

Upcoming Prime Video series Bait is led by Riz Ahmed but it looks to be a breakthrough role for Aasiya Shah.

The series follows Shah Latif (Riz Ahmed), a struggling actor whose life turns upside down when he is speculated to become the next James Bond.

Aasiya plays Q, the youngest member of the Latif family, whose perspective anchors both humour and cultural significance within the narrative.

She told The Standard: “She sees his success as her success, opening the door to possibilities… James Bond often represents like this unshakable, powerful figure in the world and every iteration we’ve seen is a white dude.

“Q sees that this is a chance to not only do something in the context of our family but also the symbolic nature of what it would be to have a brown James Bond. This is really exciting to her.”

Bait delves into representation and visibility in mainstream entertainment.

Aasiya’s own acting journey mirrors the determination in her character. She studied a BTEC in acting in Hammersmith and gained early experience at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, where persistence played a defining role in her development.

After being invited to participate in a spring production, she remained closely connected to the theatre community, often returning to the building and seeking opportunities to stay involved.

Her break came after an open audition led to a role in Tipping the Velvet, directed by Lyndsey Turner, marking a turning point that helped her transition into television work.

Aasiya Shah also faced setbacks early on, including rejections from drama school programmes, before eventually being accepted by one institution. She later declined the offer, recognising her career was already gaining momentum.

To manage industry pressures and occasional imposter syndrome, Aasiya continues to attend workshops and training sessions, treating development as an ongoing process rather than a fixed milestone.

However, she describes Bait as a defining experience in her career so far, particularly due to its inclusive production environment.

Aasiya explained: “It was obviously unique because I’ve never worked with so many people that looked like me before.

“Everywhere I looked, even behind the camera, there was a lot of brown folks.”

“We talked a lot of Urdu on set.

“I’d come home and be talking like Urdu, and my mum would always be like, ‘Damn, how do you know that?’ And I’m like, ‘What can I say? I’m around the right people’.”

Working alongside Riz Ahmed and Guz Khan left her “completely inspired. Seeing this group of people coming together and making shit happen, even when you’re working with like big dogs like Amazon”.

Aasiya Shah is now considering expanding her ambitions beyond acting into directing, reflecting a broader creative drive shaped by her experiences on set.

“I’m so over feeling like I’m annoying for asking questions. [The industry] can feel impossible but there are ways to do stuff and you’d be surprised how many people want to help.

“I want people to feel seen and that things are possible. I certainly feel that way having been a part of this job.

“It’s helped me tap into a new energy inside myself. ‘Make stuff happen’ energy. It feels like a big moment for the culture.

“I almost wanna say it’s not a show, it’s a movement. Maybe that’s too far, but I definitely feel like it is!”