20 Incredible Facts You Didn't Know About 2020's Biggest Movies
7. Riz Ahmed Spent Seven Months Learning The Drums & American Sign Language - Sound Of Metal
Riz Ahmed delivers a phenomenal performance in new drama Sound of Metal, playing a drummer who quickly begins to lose his hearing.
Ahmed ultimately spent seven months preparing for the role, not only learning American Sign Language but also training to become a proficient drummer from scratch.
Director Darius Marder insisted upon Ahmed learning the drums for real rather than simply subbing in a double to do the heavy lifting, and so when it came to performing live scenes in front of a real crowd, he called it "scary but also very exciting." He added:
"It was actually a very psychological thing, playing the drums... You can't think your way through playing the drums, you have to kind of surrender; you have to let them play you almost. You have to trust. I think it kind of opened me up in new ways."