Bashar Rahal facts for kids

Bashar Mounzer Rahal is a well-known actor from Bulgaria. He was born on October 20, 1974. Bashar has starred in many movies and TV shows. He has worked in both Bulgaria and the United States.

Discover Bashar Rahal: Actor and Star

Early Life: How It All Began

Bashar Rahal was born in Dubai, UAE. His father was from Lebanon and his mother was from Bulgaria. Bashar has a sister named Carla Rahal. She is also an actress and a singer in Bulgaria.

When Bashar was six, his family moved to Bulgaria. He started acting in TV shows when he was just 12 years old. At 13, he joined a professional theater group called Tears and Laughs. With this group, he performed in over 15 plays. He also traveled to international film and theater festivals. These included festivals in Avignon, France and Thun, Switzerland.

His first big movie role was in 1989. It was in a film called Ivan and Alexandra. This movie was about two students in communist Bulgaria. It won an award at the 1989 Golden Rose Film Festival. After that, he appeared in the 1992 movie Bad Boy.

Starting His Acting Journey

Bashar's professional acting career began in 1992. He was accepted into the Krastyo Sarafov National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts. This is a famous acting school in Bulgaria. He earned his master's degree in Performing Arts there. During his studies, he acted in many TV and film projects. He also appeared in several commercials. After graduating, he joined the National Youth Theater.

Becoming a Professional Actor

For the next few years, Bashar was in over 25 different TV comedy shows. He became very popular with a TV show called It Can't Be. Bashar was one of the creators of this show. He was also the main actor, writer, and producer. Sometimes, he even directed episodes. It Can't Be was a weekly comedy show. It was one of the most popular comedy shows in Bulgaria.

Bashar Rahal also helped create the first-ever night show in Bulgaria. There, he met his future wife, Kalina Rahal. In 1997, when he was 22, he joined the team of It Has Began. This was the top-rated morning show in Bulgaria. In the same year, Bashar also acted in two Italian TV shows. These were In Fondo Al Cuore and Racket. In 1999, he was cast in the film Else - Geschichte einer leidenschaftlichen Frau.

Moving to Hollywood: A New Adventure

Bashar Rahal with wife Kalina and daughter Chloe in 2007

In 1999, Bashar decided to follow his dream. He moved to the United States to act in Hollywood. He and Kalina settled in San Diego, California. For six years, Bashar acted in several US movies. These included Bridge of Dragons (1999) with Dolph Lundgren. In 2001, he was in Operation Delta Force 4: Deep Fault. He also appeared in City of Fear with Gary Daniels.

In 2006, his family moved to Los Angeles. Soon after, Bashar got roles in bigger film and TV shows. He had a guest role in the popular TV series Arrested Development.

Bashar became even more well-known for his role in the 2006 BBC show Hannibal. He played Hasdrubal, the brother of Hannibal. Hannibal was played by Alexander Siddig.

Bashar Rahal also acted in the 2008 movie War, Inc.. This movie had famous actors like Ben Kingsley, Marisa Tomei, and Joan Cusack. The main roles were played by John Cusack and Hilary Duff. In 2017, Bashar was a contestant on the Bulgarian TV show Kato Dve Kapki Voda.

Bashar's Family Life

Bashar met his future wife, Kalina, in 1997. They met while working together on the Late Night Show. After moving to San Diego in 1999, Kalina became a news producer.

In 2002, Bashar and Kalina got married in La Jolla, California.

When they moved to Los Angeles in 2006, Kalina became a producer for the KTLA Morning Show.

Bashar and Kalina have two daughters. Their names are Chloe and India Rahal.

Films and TV Shows