Introduction
Adeel Akhtar (Urdu: عدیل اختر; born 18 September 1980) is an English actor.
Early life
Akhtar was born in London to a Pakistani father and a Kenyan mother. He originally completed a degree in law, but decided to follow his passion and change to acting. He trained at the Actors Studio Drama School in New York.
Career
Akhtar is noted for his role as the bumbling Muslim extremist Faisal in Chris Morris's film Four Lions. Other comedic performances include Gupta in The Angelos Epithemiou Show, Maroush in The Dictator and Smee in Joe Wright and Warner Bros.' movie Pan
Akhtar has also won acclaim for his dramatic performances. In 2015, he was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor for his 2014 role as Wilson Wilson on Channel 4's Utopia. He played shopkeeper Ahmed alongside Toby Jones in the BBC mini-series Capital and DS Ira King in the BBC's River. Reviewing River in The Daily Telegraph, Michael Hogan wrote, "This series was beautifully written by Abi Morgan, stylishly directed, and most of all, superbly acted. The quieter, less showy supporting players also shone. Not just stalwarts [...] but fresher faces: Adeel Akhtar as River's endlessly patient sidekick and Georgina Rich as his psychiatrist".
In 2016 Akhtar appeared as Shahzad in the BBC one off drama Murdered by my Father. He also appeared as Rob Singhal in the acclaimed BBC miniseries of John Le Carre's The Night Manager.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Let's Roll: The Story of Flight 93 | Hijacker Saeed Al Ghamdi |
| 2008 | Traitor | Hamzi |
| 2010 | Four Lions | Faisal |
| 2010 | Stranger Things | Mani |
| 2012 | The Dictator | Maroush |
| 2013 | Jadoo | Vinod |
| 2013 | Convenience | |
| 2014 | War Book | Mo |
| 2015 | Pan | Smee |
| 2017 | The Big Sick | |
| 2017 | Victoria and Abdul |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Hazim | Episode: "Dollhouse" |
| 2006 | Conviction | Dr. Darpan Banerjee | Episode: "Downhill" |
| 2010 | Angelos Epithemiou's Moving On | Gupta | |
| 2011 | Coming Up | Hasan | Episode: "Hooked" |
| 2013-2014 | The Job Lot | George | |
| 2013 | Trollied | Ray | Season 3 |
| 2013–2014 | Utopia | Wilson Wilson | Nominated—British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 2015 | River | Detective Sergeant Ira King | |
| 2015 | Capital | Ahmed Kamal | |
| 2016 | The Night Manager | Rob Singhal | |
| 2016 | Murdered by My Father | Shahzad | Television Movie |
Stage
- 2008: The Colonel as Zero (Theatre Absolute)
- 2008: In My Name as Zaeem (Old Red Lion & Trafalgar Studios)
- 2009: Wuthering Heights as Yusuf (Tamasha Theatre Company)
- 2010: Satyagraha (Ensemble) (Improbable theatre)
- 2011–2012: Hamlet as Guildenstern and Francisco (Young Vic Theatre)
- Alex Ritman (8 April 2015). "BAFTA TV Awards: Benedict Cumberbatch Gets Third Nomination for 'Sherlock'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
- "BBC One: Capital: Credits". BBC Online. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- "Meet the cast of The Night Manager". The Radio Times. Retrieved 28 February 2016.