Kumail Nanjiani

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Kumail Nanjiani
File:Kumail Nanjiani by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Nanjiani speaking at Wondercon 2012 in Anaheim, California on March 17, 2012
Born (1978-02-21) February 21, 1978 (age 46)[1][2]
Karachi, Pakistan
Ethnicity Sindhi
Citizenship American
Alma mater Grinnell College
Occupation Actor, stand-up comedian
Years active 2008–present
Spouse(s) Emily V. Gordon

Kumail Nanjiani (born 21 February 1978) is a Pakistani-American stand-up comedian, actor and podcast host. Nanjani is best known for his role as a main cast member on every season of HBO's Emmy Award-nominated series Silicon Valley, as well as for providing the voice of Prismo on the Emmy Award-winning animated series Adventure Time. In addition he's starred on the TNT series Franklin & Bash and the Adult Swim series Newsreaders. He also co-hosts the Comedy Central show The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail. In addition to his television and film work, he hosts two podcasts: The Indoor Kids and The X-Files Files, although no new episodes have been released in months.

Early life

Nanjiani was born in Karachi, Pakistan. He was raised as a Shia Muslim, but became an atheist in later life.[3] He is related to the Pakistani-Scottish radio presenter Shereen Nanjiani.[4][5]

During his childhood, Nanjiani lived in Karachi and attended Karachi Grammar School. At 18, he moved to the United States and attended Grinnell College in Iowa from which he graduated in 2001. He completed a double major in Computer Science and Philosophy.[1][6][7]

Career

In July 2011, he and X-Play staffer Ali Baker began hosting a video game-themed podcast, titled The Indoor Kids. In late August of the same year Baker left the show and Nanjiani began hosting with his wife, Emily V. Gordon.[8] Until other commitments took over, he appeared regularly on Dan Harmon's podcast Harmontown, where he played Dungeons & Dragons with Harmon as a character named Chris de Burgh. He played a delivery man in the 2013 film, The Kings of Summer.[9]

In addition to guest-starring in various comedy shows like Portlandia, Nanjiani was featured in a supporting role in the TNT series Franklin & Bash. He played the role of Pindar Singh, an agoraphobic science fiction nerd working for the title characters. In 2015, Nanjiani guest-starred in an episode of Broad City called "In Heat".[10]

Nanjiani guest-starred on HBO's Veep as a statistician. He currently has the recurring role of Amir Larussa on Newsreaders, as well as Prismo on Adventure Time. His Comedy Central special titled Beta Male aired in July 2013.[11]

In late June 2013, Comedy Central announced the pickup of a show The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail hosted by Jonah Ray and Nanjiani.[12] The show, featuring Nerd Melt comedy regulars and various comedians, began airing in July 2014.[13]

In April 2014, he began playing the character Dinesh in the HBO sitcom Silicon Valley.[7] He voiced Reggie in the video game The Walking Dead: Season Two.[14]

In July 2014, Nanjiani hosted a weekly podcast titled The X-Files Files, dedicated to discussion and fond reminiscences about The X-Files. Each episode features him and a guest, including former The X-Files writers, producers, actors and directors, in light-hearted banter centered around either one or two episodes of the series.[15][16]

On July 30, 2014, Nanjiani appeared on Ken Reid's TV Guidance Counselor Podcast.[citation needed]

Starting on March 22, 2015 he provided his voice for the character of Mshak Moradi in the Hunt the Truth audio drama, part of the marketing campaign for Halo 5: Guardians.[17] He is also reprising his role in Season 2 of the same.

On May 5, 2015, he appeared on Inside Amy Schumer in the episode "12 Angry Men Inside Amy Schumer", a parody of 12 Angry Men, as one of the members of the jury.[18]

In July 2015, Nanjiani provided guest voices on Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero.[19]

In November 2015 he starred in an Old Navy TV commercial together with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Snoop Dogg.[20] In April 2016, he starred in another Old Navy advertisement with SNL cast members Jay Pharoah, Cecily Strong, and Nasim Pedrad.

Personal life

Nanjiani is married to Emily V. Gordon, an author, comedy producer, and former couples and family therapist. She is the booker and producer of The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, a comedy show that began airing on Comedy Central in July 2014.[citation needed]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Life as We Know It Simon
2012 The Five-Year Engagement Pakistani Chef
2013 The Kings of Summer Gary the Delivery Guy
2013 Hell Baby Cable Guy
2013 Bad Milo Bobbi
2014 The Last of the Great Romantics George the Counter Guy
2014 Sex Tape Punit
2015 Loaded Reza
2015 Hot Tub Time Machine 2 Brad
2015 Addicted to Fresno Damon
2015 Flock of Dudes Ro
2015 Hell & Back Dave the Demon Voice
2015 Goosebumps Foreman
2015 Hello, My Name Is Doris Nasir
2016 Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Keanu Completed
2016 The Late Bloomer Rich Completed

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2008 Saturday Night Live Indian Reporter Uncredited
Episode: "James Franco/Kings of Leon"
2009 The Colbert Report Omar / Homer / Secret Prisoner 2 episodes
2009 Michael & Michael Have Issues. Kumail 7 episodes
2010 Ugly Americans Neilando Patel (voice) Episode: "Treegasm"
2011 Traffic Light Paul Episode: "Where the Heart Is"
2011 CollegeHumor Originals Vendor Episode: "Batman Chooses His Voice"
2011 Googy Dwane / Dwayne 6 episodes
2011–14 Franklin & Bash Pindar Singh 31 episodes
2011–15 Portlandia 10 episodes
2012; 2014–16 Adventure Time Prismo (voice) 6 episodes
2013–15 Newsreaders Amir Larussa 11 episodes
2013 Burning Love Zakir 17 episodes
2013 Veep Statistician Episode: "Midterms"
2013 Drunk History Lakota Chief Episode: "Nashville"
2013 Ghost Ghirls Mr. Mattoo Episode: "I Believe in Mira-ghouls"
2014–present Silicon Valley Dinesh Chugtai 18 episodes
2014 Math Bites Showoff Guy Episode: "Math Heads: Do Math in Your Head"
2014 The Pete Holmes Show Dhalsim Episode: "Erin Hamlin and Kate Hansen"
2014–present The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail Himself (host) 16 episodes
2014 TripTank Dick Genie (voice) 4 episodes
2014 Garfunkel and Oates Jordan Episode: "Hair Swap"
2014 Key and Peele College Kid #1 Episode: "Scariest Movie Ever"
2014-15 Bob's Burgers Skip (voice) Episodes: "Best Burger"; "Glued, Where's My Bob?"
2014–15 Community Custodian Lapari 2 episodes
2015 Broad City Benny Calitri Episode: "In Heat"
2015 Archer Farooq Ashkani (voice) Episode: "Sitting"
2015 Inside Amy Schumer Juror #11 Episode: "12 Angry Men Inside Amy Schumer"
2015 Scheer-RL Mariah Carey Episode: "Mariah Carey"
2015 Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero Cuteling Mayor (voice) Episode: "The Ripple Effect"
2015 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Frylock's bees (voice) Episode: "Sweet C"
2015 The Grinder Prosecutor Leonard Episodes: "Pilot"; "Full Circle"
2016 The X-Files Pasha Episode: "Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster"
2016 Animals. Rusty (voice) Episode: "Dogs."

Video games

Year Title Voice role
2013 The Walking Dead: Season Two Reggie

References

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  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ http://news.xbox.com/2015/05/games-hunt-the-truth-podcast-episode-8
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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