Omid Djalili facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Omid Djalili
Djalili at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival
Native name	امید جلیلی
Born	(1965-09-30) 30 September 1965 (age 59) Chelsea, London, England
Medium	Film stand-up television
Alma mater	Ulster University
Subject(s)	Religion race culture stereotypes human interaction
Spouse	Annabel Knight ​ (m. 1992)​
Children	3

Omid Djalili (born September 30, 1965) is a well-known English comedian, actor, and writer. He's famous for his funny stand-up shows and for appearing in many movies and TV shows.

Omid Djalili's Early Life and School

Omid Djalili was born in Chelsea, London, on September 30, 1965. His parents were from Iran and followed the Baháʼí Faith. He went to Holland Park School and later studied English and theatre at Ulster University in Northern Ireland.

Omid Djalili's Comedy Career

Omid Djalili first became successful in stand-up comedy at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1995. His show was called "Short, Fat Kebab Shop Owner's Son." The next year, he performed "The Arab and the Jew" with another comedian, Ivor Dembina.

He has performed his comedy shows in many countries. These include Australia, Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Canada, and the United States. He even had his own special show on HBO in the U.S.

In 2005, Omid appeared on the British TV show Top Gear as a celebrity driver. That same year, he sold over 16,500 tickets at the Edinburgh Festival, which was a record!

In 2006, Sky Television chose him to be the face of their Saturday night movie premieres. He also started a new tour in the UK called 'No Agenda' in 2007. This tour's DVD was released later that year.

Omid Djalili also hosted the BBC political quiz show Have I Got News for You in 2007. His own show, The Omid Djalili Show, started on BBC1 in November 2007. This show featured a mix of funny sketches and stand-up comedy. A second series was shown in 2009. He also performed for Prince Charles's 60th and 70th birthdays.

In 2023, Omid Djalili was scheduled to perform in a show in Market Drayton. However, he could not appear due to safety concerns.

Omid Djalili's Acting Career

Omid Djalili has acted in many popular films. Some of his most famous roles were in Gladiator, The Mummy, and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. He also lent his voice to the animated movie Over the Hedge.

He often played characters from the Middle East in these films. For example, in the James Bond film, he was the "Second Azerbaijani oil pipe attendant." He also played Nasim in 22 episodes of the U.S. TV show Whoopi, starring Whoopi Goldberg. He won an international award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Casanova, where he acted alongside Heath Ledger.

In 2009, Omid Djalili took on the role of Fagin in the new West End production of Oliver! in London. He took over the role from Rowan Atkinson.

He also became the voice of Yusuf Amir in the popular video game series Grand Theft Auto. He first voiced the character in Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony in 2009. In 2010, he starred in the film The Infidel.

In 2017, Omid Djalili received praise for his performance in Fiddler on the Roof at the Chichester Festival Theatre. In 2023, he voiced Yusuf Amir again for Grand Theft Auto Online.

Other Activities and Appearances

In 2008, Omid Djalili was a judge at the Noor Iranian Film Festival. In 2010, he performed as a narrator in a concert with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London. He read words from the famous Persian poet Omar Khayyám.

In 2022, he filmed two pilot episodes for a new chat show called Tonight With Omid for the BBC. One version was in Persian and the other in English. In August 2023, he appeared on ITV's Kate Garraway's Life Stories.

Awards and Nominations

Omid Djalili has won several awards for his comedy. These include the EMMA Award and the Time Out Award for Best Stand-up Comedian. He also won the One World Media Award for his Channel 4 documentary, Bloody Foreigners.

He has also been nominated for many other awards. These include the Perrier Award for Best Comedian and the Royal Television Society Award for Best Stand-up.

Omid Djalili's Personal Life

Omid Djalili married actress Annabel Knight in 1992. They have three children together. He is a follower of the Baháʼí Faith. In January 2023, he attended a rally in London to support protests in Iran.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Video Game Roles

Selected Theatre Performances

• Oliver!, as Fagin, Director Rupert Gould, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 2009
• Fiddler on the Roof, as Tevye, Director Daniel Evans, Chichester Festival Theatre, 2017

See also

In Spanish: Omid Djalili para niños

• Iranian stand-up comedy