Amir Talai
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Amir Talai (born June 24, 1977) is an Iranian-American actor, singer, voice artist, writer, and activist. He is known for playing a variety of characters in musicals, movies and television shows.[1]
Amir Talai | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 24, 1977 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, singer, voice artist, writer, activist |
| Spouse | Nina Manni (married 2011-present) |
Early Life and Education
changeTalai was born and raised in San Francisco, CA and is the first child of Iranian immigrants, Mohammad and Sima Talai. Talai attended a French immersion school through 8th grade, after which he attended Lowell High School. He received a degree from UC Berkeley with a major in Mass Communications[2] and a minor in Dramatic Arts.
Personal Life
changeTalai lives in Los Angeles, CA with his wife Nina Manni, who he married in 2011.
Acting Career
changeTalai began working as an actor in San Francisco after graduating from UC Berkeley. He later moved to Los Angeles, where he enrolled in The Groundlings, eventually joining the Groundlings Sunday Company. Talai has more than 125 film, TV, and voice-over credits[3].
Singing
changeTalai has performed on stage regionally including at the Hollywood Bowl in Guys and Dolls [4], Annie[5], and in the Paris Las Vegas hotel and casino's production of the Queen jukebox musical We Will Rock You[6].
Activism
changeTalai has been vocal on social media[7] in regard to racism, misogyny, gun control, worker’s rights, and other issues. He has volunteered with numerous Democratic campaigns since 2004. At the 2017 Women’s March, Talai carried a sign that read “I’ll see you nice white ladies at the next #BlackLivesMatter march, right?” A photo of the sign went viral and was subsequently featured in numerous books, textbooks, and articles.
Writing
changeTalai has written about depictions of Middle Eastern people for Vulture[8] and Buzzfeed News,[9] calling attention to the whitewashing of Middle Eastern actors and the dearth of opportunities for Middle Eastern actors to play roles that don’t involve terrorism or Islam.
Filmography
change| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde | Associate | |
| 2004 | November | George | |
| Homeland Security | Babir Alkazar | TV movie Uncredited | |
| 2006 | More, Patience | Hypochondriac | TV movie |
| The Pursuit of Happyness | Clerk | ||
| 2007 | Fighting Words | Ralphie | |
| 2008 | The Onion Movie | Ahman | |
| Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay | Raza | ||
| 2010 | Fractalus | Lee | |
| 2011 | Best Player | Wendell | TV movie |
| 2012 | What to Expect When You're Expecting | Patel |
Television
changeVideo games
change| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | The Sims Hot Date | Sim | Voice |
| 2006 | Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers | Voice | |
| Titan Quest | Voice | ||
| Company of Heroes | Voice | ||
| Splinter Cell: Double Agent | Additional Characters | Voice | |
| The Sopranos: Road to Respect | Additional Characters | Voice | |
| 2007 | Titan Quest: Immortal Throne | Voice | |
| 2011 | Kung Fu Panda 2 | Crane | Voice Replacing Drew Massey |
References
change- ↑ "Amir Talai - Biography". movies.nytimes.com. 21 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
- ↑ Wilson, Emily (July 26, 2017). "The Role of Race in Race Roles: Amir Talai in An Octoroon". Cal Alumni Association.
- ↑ "Amir Talai". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
- ↑ "amir-talai".
- ↑ Gans, Andrew (July 27, 2018). "Hollywood Bowl Annie, With Ana Gasteyer, David Alan Grier, and Megan Hilty, Begins July 27". Playbill.
- ↑ Jones, Kenneth (September 8, 2004). "Queen Musical, We Will Rock You, Opens Sept. 8 at Paris Las Vegas". Playbill.
- ↑ "twitter-amirtalai".
- ↑ "Hollywood after 911".
- ↑ "Hollywood after 911". BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on 2024-02-04. Retrieved 2024-02-04.