Sharon Van Etten & Riz Ahmed Have Roles In Netflix’s The OA
We already knew Rostam Batmanglij collaborated on the music for Netflix’s The OA, but it turns out the mysterious new fantasy/sci-fi series has another connection to the indie rock world. A character named Rachel looks suspiciously like Sharon Van Etten, and as Brooklyn Vegan points out, Van Etten confirmed on Instagram today that she did indeed act in the series, which appeared on Netflix’s servers last week with minimal advance notice. Van Etten’s “I Wish I Knew” also appears in one the episodes. She has a role in the upcoming Twin Peaks revival as well.
As long as we’re pointing out musical touchstones, it appears that Riz Ahmed — who raps alongside Heems in Swet Shop Boys when not acting in major productions like Star Wars: Rogue One and HBO’s The Night Of — also has a role in The OA. Dude is everywhere!