Mawaan Rizwan talks saying goodbye to Juice: “I think it’s healthy to close chapters”

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The day after a busy night, Mawaan Rizwan seems relaxed and content. He’s a little tired, but clearly pleased, as he travels from London to Stratford-upon-Avon. He’s performing in Bertolt Brecht’s play, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, at the Royal Shakespeare Company until May 30th.

Leaving the city’s skyscrapers and buildings behind as the suburbs begin, Rizwan feels deeply content. “I feel truly alive,” he explains. “It’s like my whole being is creatively satisfied.”

The night before, the Bafta Craft Awards celebrated the talented individuals who work behind the scenes in television. Philippa Mumford from Juice won the award for production design, calling it a lifelong dream. Rizwan playfully interrupted her moment to publicly acknowledge her skill. He pointed out that it was unusual for a comedy show to win in this category, especially given their limited budget. He praised Philippa’s dedication and the entire team’s incredible handmade work, emphasizing the importance of human creativity in an era increasingly dominated by AI.

Seán Linnen, the director of Rizwan in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui – a play about Hitler’s rise to power that feels relevant today – praises Rizwan’s dedication to captivating storytelling. Linnen notes that Rizwan eagerly embraces direction, taking notes and ideas and running with them in a way that inspires other actors to take risks and push boundaries. Rizwan’s combination of meticulousness, confidence, and willingness to be vulnerable and playful creates a bolder, more courageous environment for the entire cast.

When I told Rizwan what Seán had said, he straightened up and was clearly touched. “It means a lot that Seán notices the good things,” he said. “I’d even put that on my resume if I had one.”

Rizwan’s most impressive achievement would undoubtedly be ‘Juice,’ the series he created, wrote, and stars in – a role that’s even earned him a Bafta nomination. He’s incredibly proud of the show, and it’s truly launched his career. He describes the five years spent developing and filming two series as a huge privilege, though also incredibly demanding. While writing is a solitary process, he explains that a series truly comes alive when actors bring his words to life. He loves seeing a script transform from an initial idea into a fully realized performance – like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.

Rizwan explains that you need to give people the freedom to do their own thing – you can’t micromanage them. He learned this while working on ‘Juice’, where he had to balance leading with letting others, especially his mother and brother, contribute their talents. He points to Philippa’s work on the second series, highlighted at the Bafta Television Craft Awards, as a perfect example – if he’d tried to control the creative process, the results wouldn’t have been as special as what she achieved.

Rizwan used a reference to the novel Of Mice and Men, explaining that even good intentions, when taken too far, can have harmful consequences – like loving something so much you accidentally destroy it.

Whether he wins or loses at the Baftas, this will be his farewell to the show Juice. He considers Juice his ‘first love’ and deeply cares for everyone involved, but believes it’s a good idea to move on and finish that part of his career.

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Rizwan is clearly energized by being involved in another person’s project. He’s lost his usual relaxed demeanor and is now eagerly sharing his new ambitions with me.

The day before we traveled to Stratford from London, we joined the Together Alliance march protesting against fascism. It was a wonderful way to wrap up rehearsals and see so many diverse groups united – from Muslim elders dancing to a transgender DJ to Jewish people protesting genocide – it was truly joyful and inspiring. I was moved to tears by the end of it. We’re often made to feel helpless, but the march showed me that simply coming together, being present, and listening to one another creates resistance and offers real hope.

I want to get out more, and the more I do, the less time I spend at home feeling down and endlessly scrolling through bad news. It’s about actively fighting against that tendency to get stuck in a negative spiral – it is possible to resist it, and that’s what I’m focusing on.

Authors

Gareth McLean

For almost three decades, Gareth McLean has been a professional television writer. He’s reviewed countless shows as a critic and interviewed hundreds of celebrities, including Liza Minnelli and Jimmy Savile, as a feature writer. He’s also worked as a writer on television programs.

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2026-05-04 19:39