Golden Globe winner Ramy Youssef and two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali talk about joining forces for season 2 of Hulu's critical hit 'Ramy.'
cast in the crucial role of Sheikh Ali. Youssef's original plan was to introduce a Sheikh character at the end of season 2, but that chance call quickly changed that. "From our first conversation, I was very clear in sharing that I didn’t want my presence to be so big on the show where it threw the balance and focus off," shares Ali, who jokes that the amount of episodes he was going to be in somehow kept growing.
The feelings are mutual, with Youssef being floored by the "dream scenario" of his movie star actor's ego-free presence. "I couldn’t have done it with anyone who wasn’t of the composure of him," he says. "It speaks to just how amazing this dude is, to meet someone who is this Academy Award winner two times over and walks onto the set of a sophomore show and says, 'What do you want me to do?' It’s really rare.
As the only show of its kind, Youssef understands the “pressure” to represent all Muslim-Americans, but he refuses to take on that “impossible” task. “I have a responsibility to do what I know to the best of my ability,” he says. “I never want to feel like we’re trying to check boxes and talk about everything, because that would be irresponsible, and just bad TV.”
While he says his show is “built to be criticized” and one that “people have an opinion about,” he’s got a passionate supporter in his new costar. “Stories that involve Muslim characters are very limited and narrow right now in scope, and so that diversity has to be expanded," explains Ali. "We need to tell stories specific to the Muslim experience. I think Ramy’s contribution is really powerful and important.
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