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11 Sep 2025 14:18
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  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Aziz Ansari doesn't own a smartphone or have an email address

    The 42-year-old actor-and-director hasn't used online communication for over a decade and prefers to use his home telephone than the basic "flip" handheld device he carries with him


    He told People magazine: "I'm starving myself [when it comes to tech].

    "I have a flip phone. I block pretty much every website from my computer. I don't have an email address... I have a landline. I love the landline!"

    Asked how long he's resisted going back to a smartphone, he said: "I don't know. I stopped using email during season one of Master of None, so that's like almost 10 years."

    However, Aziz noted a life free of email isn't "practical for everybody" and noted he is fortunate to have others help with his communications.

    He said: "But look, I'm not ignorant of my privileges with my life. I have an assistant and all these things that help take care of things and manage things...

    "For me, it helps me keep a clear head to help me write and do what's more important for my job."

    The former Parks and Recreation star admitted his assistants are in charge of his social media accounts and his Instagram page is "not me".

    He joked: "Hopefully there's nothing super offensive being posted on there. I hope it's all good."

    He then added: "It's not what I'm good at. What I'm good at is sitting there writing a script or something. That's where I want to put my energy. Or to watching movies or reading. That's the better use of my head space for me."

    Aziz's latest movie, Good Fortune, came after his directorial debut Being Mortal was shut down in April 2022 when actor Bill Murray was accused of "inappropriate behaviour" by a production assistant.

    And though the comic's friends were sympathetic over the shutdown of his film, he didn't want to feel sorry for himself so instead focused on another potential script, asking Seth Rogen - who he had cast in Being Mortal - to read a rough draft of what became Good Fortune, which hits cinemas in the coming weeks.

    He recently told The Hollywood Reporter: "Everybody's texting me, 'Oh, Aziz, I'm so sorry'. And I said, 'Oh God, I can't live in this woe-is-me moment.'

    "And so I called Seth. I said, 'Hey, I know you're supposed to be filming Being Mortal, so you're free today. This is a shitty day for me. If you want to help me, read this, tell me if you want to do it.' "

    Just two hours later, Seth called and agreed to be part of Good Fortune.

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

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