THE JOURNAL
Want to know what to get Mawaan Rizwan this holiday season? You’ll have get to know him first. And there’s a lot to unpack when it comes to the award-winning actor, screenwriter, comedian and former Taskmaster contestant. Just ask viewers of his BBC series, Juice.
“I’m really proud that we made something original that is bold and brave,” Rizwan tells MR PORTER of his surreal sitcom, the second season of which aired earlier this year. Described as “eye-popping” and “a cartoon come to life” by The Guardian, Juice began as a solo show at 2018’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe and ended up scoring its maker a Bafta (Rizwan’s acceptance speech is well worth looking up). If nothing else, it offers a glimpse of what is going on in that wildly creative mind of his. “It’s very hectic up there,” he says.
When it comes to gifting, Rizwan faces his own problems. “Turns out I struggle to care about people who aren’t me,” he jokes. “So, I find it quite hard buying gifts for people because I’m a bad listener.
“I actually do think men are hard to buy gifts for,” he adds. “Because I think they’re afforded a lesser spectrum of what they can like, what is masculine.”
“I actually do think men are hard to buy gifts for”
Not all men, mind. He says his brother – the actor Nabhaan Rizwan, whom you might have seen in 1917, Industry, Kaos, Film Club or, er, playing Rizwan’s brother in Juice – is “very expressive”, making him easy to buy gifts for. “But I’ve got another friend who, I couldn’t tell you what his favourite colour is,” Rizwan says. “Or what brings him any pleasure.”
The worst thing, he says, is “when you give someone a gift and you can sense they’re not into it. So, I like giving loads of little gifts because at least one of them they would like.” Don’t stick you eggs all in one basket, then. (Wait, isn’t that Easter?)
“What I like to do is collect little things throughout the year,” he says. (Although you might have left that a little later now.) “I’m known for mini hamper vibes.”
Failing that, pay attention. “If you are an observant person, you pick up on what they like.”
The best gift he’s ever received? “A saucepan,” Rizwan says. “My friend got me this pan, which is like nonstick, but also lets you burn the rice… Am I a really boring person? OK. I adore that gift. I would go to bed with it every night if I could.”