Apparently little known British actor Ricky Sekhon has just wrapped filming as Osama bin Laden on Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty.
Baz Bamigboye (via The Playlist) discovered the casting, which has been kept off of casting announcements due to te sensitive nature of the character Sekhon is portraying:
Sekhon, I understand, did extensive research for his portrayal of bin Laden, while other actors working on the film told me he took the decision to drop [26 pounds] to be more in line with bin Laden’s [165 lbs] weight. ‘I don’t want my character to look unusually hefty,’ he told colleagues.
Due to a non-disclosure agreement, Sekhon declined comment on the role, but did confirm his part in the film. The role was apparently filmed over a three week span in the Middle East, as the film wraps production in Jordan before heading to London.
It seems only fitting to have an unknown portray a character such as bin Laden, who spent the better part of a decade on top of the United States’ most wanted list. In terms of looks, there is clearly a resemblance, and with the addition of Sekhon’s dedication to reaching bin Laden’s ghostly stature, should benefit the consistency of the portrayal.
Sekhon joins an already solid ensamble cast that includes Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation), Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights), Jessica Chastain (The Help), Joel Edgerton (Warrior), Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes), Edgar Ramirez (Carlos), Jason Clark (Public Enemies), stuntman Nash Edgerton, Jennifer Ehle (The King’s Speech), Frank Grillo (The Grey), Harold Perrineau Jr. (Lost), and many more. What are your thoughts on the casting? Are you excited to see Zero Dark Thirty?
Photo Credit: The Daily Mail
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