WHAT’S MY MOTIVATION? British actor Ricky Sekhon admits having “a few sleepless nights” over portraying Osama bin Laden (left in 1998) in “Zero Dark Thirty.” (
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Wanted: Tall, dark actor for prestige picture. Love of beards and caves, some knowledge of Arabic, ability to rock a turban a plus.
Meet Ricky Sekhon, the London actor who had the unenviable task of portraying Osama bin Laden in the film “Zero Dark Thirty,” opening Wednesday.
Sekhon — who is 29, of Indian descent, 6-foot-4 and describes himself as “the least dangerous person I know” — says he got the part after being called to audition for a role the casting director was not allowed to name.
“I think I was asked about my height a few times, and that made me think, ‘OK, I’ll be playing a tall man or woman,’ ” Sekhon said. “But I wasn’t fooling myself. My span of film castings have consisted of either terrorist, drug dealer, drug addict, heavy, henchman, large man, very tall man. I think it’s something to do with how I look.”
He was told he’d be playing bin Laden only after the role was his. He admits the prospect was worrying.
“There were a few sleepless nights, to say the least,” he said. “I don’t care how much confidence you have, hearing news like that will really put the s–t into you if you’re planning on taking it seriously, which I was.”
Very seriously, as it turns out. On his own initiative, Sekhon spent eight weeks preparing for the role.
He plowed through an extensive reading list filled with books about the Middle East and terrorism by Peter Bergen, Reza Aslan, Jason Burke and others. He learned basic Arabic with the help of language CDs. He even slimmed down while on a trip to Jamaica, running up hills in the morning heat and eating a diet mostly of fresh fish.
He also turned to some filmmaker pals for advice.
“My director friends gave me great help with character work and points to focus on — how to stay as objective as possible, which was difficult considering how much opinion is attached to [bin Laden],” said Sekhon, who is forbidden by the Sony studio from discussing the specifics of filming the thriller.
The actor says he even hesitated telling many of those around him that he had gotten the role “for fear of being thrown off the project.”
“But I told my mum, dad and my girlfriend, because they would see me doing strange things during my preparation,” he said. “They were very glad for me, as they know I’m happiest when I’m acting.”
Sekhon currently acts part time while running a high-end building company in Surrey, England. He doesn’t yet have an agent and hopes his role in “Zero Dark Thirty” will help him land one. He’s next working on a film with a Swedish director.
Even if the part doesn’t lead to specific opportunities, he’s still glad to have played one of the most hated men on the planet.
“I think it’s a story that wanted and needed to be told,” he said. “I think it’s important to explore, with honesty, the history of war, politics and culture through literature, film, TV and debate so that we can continue to learn from our mistakes and evolve as a society.”