Usman Ally

Last updated
Usman Ally
Born (1982-08-27) August 27, 1982 (age 41)
Alma mater Lewis & Clark College (BA)
University of Florida (MFA)
OccupationActor
SpouseMalena Mai

Usman Ally (born August 27, 1982) is a Pakistani-American film, stage and television actor. Marking his acting debut in 2008, Ally won an Obie Award in 2015 for his role in The Invisible Hand. [1]

Contents

He has appeared in several stage productions including The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity , The Jungle Book and a production of Around the World in 80 Days . He is known for his on-screen roles such as Fernald the Hook-Handed Man in Netflix's adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events , which premiered in 2017 and Andy Malik in Suits . [2]

Background

Ally was born in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) to Pakistani parents. [3] [4] [5] He grew up in Kenya, Botswana, Tanzania, and Pakistan. [6] [7] [8] According to Ally, his father was "involved in trade between African countries — textiles and things of that sort", [9] and hence his parents spent three decades living and moving across southern and eastern Africa. [4]

At age 18, he moved to the United States and attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, majoring in theater and cultural anthropology. [10] While there, he was introduced to a group called Prisoners of Politics, and began to take part in slam poetry and hip hop performances. Soon after graduating from Lewis and Clark, he attended the University of Florida, where he graduated magna cum laude with a Master of Fine Arts in acting. He has lived in Portland, Chicago, and Los Angeles. [3]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2008The GroupSunilShort film
2009 Chicago Overcoat Pawnshop Owner
2011Our FathersAhmedShort film
2012 Just Like a Woman Ousman
2013 Star Trek Into Darkness U.S.S. Vengeance Officer
2015MisledWaseem
2016Love Meet HopeAndrew
2020 The Hunt Crisis Mike
2020 Superintelligence Sergei
2022 Grimcutty Amir Chaudhry

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2011 The Chicago Code AbrahmEpisode: "St. Valentine's Day Massacre"
Damages Nasim Marwat4 episodes
2012 Boss Joe YoungEpisodes: "Mania" and "Redemption"
2013 Blue Bloods VendorEpisode: "No Regrets"
2014 Mind Games CharlesEpisode: "Pilot"
Person of Interest Jamal RishaEpisode: "Allegiance"
2014–2015 Madam Secretary Zahed Javani3 episodes
2015 Castle Bilal JafariEpisode: "Sleeper"
The Player HamidEpisode: "Pilot"
Brooklyn Animal ControlLawyerEpisode 1.1
2016 Blindspot HakimEpisode: "Cease Forcing Enemy"
Helen & GraceCoach2 episodes
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Vincent 3 episodes
The Librarians Security Lt. BeckerEpisode: "And the Fangs of Death"
2016–2017 Veep Ambassador Al Jaffar6 episodes
2017–2019 A Series of Unfortunate Events Fernald the Hook-Handed ManRecurring role
2017 Just Add Magic Mr. Morris8 episodes
2017–2018 Nobodies GavinRecurring role
Mike Tyson Mysteries Raji, Price Abdul Al FarooqVoice, 2 episodes
2017–2019 Suits Andrew Malik4 episodes
2017 Lifeline NathanMain role
Curb Your Enthusiasm Morsi DriverEpisode: "Never Wait for Seconds!"
2019 Better Things Dr. BabuEpisode: "No Limits"
On Becoming a God in Central Florida Stan Van GrundegaardRecurring role
2020 68 Whiskey Captain HazaraRecurring role
2021 Call Me Kat Dr. Kevin KhanEpisode: 'Therapy"
2021 Young Justice: Phantoms Khalid Nassour, Muhammad NassourVoice, recurring role
2022 God’s Favorite Idiot Mohsin Raza16 episodes

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2016 Uncharted 4: A Thief's End AsavMultiplayer only
2017 Uncharted: The Lost Legacy Also motion capture
2017 Middle-earth: Shadow of War Serka"Desolation of Mordor" DLC
2019 The Elder Scrolls Online Zamarak
2020 Fast & Furious Crossroads Kai
2020 Avengers George Tarleton / M.O.D.O.K.
2022 God of War Ragnarök Durlin

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References

  1. "2015 Obie Awards". Obie Awards. 2015. Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  2. Sean Fitz-Gerald (January 13, 2017). "Every 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' Actor You Need to Know About". Thrillist. Archived from the original on January 10, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Angry Reader of the Week: Usman Ally". Angry Asian Man. 1 June 2017. Archived from the original on 1 April 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  4. 1 2 Metz, Nina (14 June 2017). "Like so many others, Usman Ally goes from Chicago to 'Veep'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 1 April 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  5. "Usman Ally On His 'Veep' Role As a Turning Point for Muslims on TV". Awards Daily. 23 June 2017. Archived from the original on 27 June 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  6. "Usman Ally: The Pakistani American Actor Who Seems to Be Everywhere". India West. 12 October 2017. Archived from the original on 1 April 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  7. "Five Questions with Usman Ally, Star of 'Nobodies', 'Veep' and 'Series Of Unfortunate Events'". Huffington Post. 24 May 2017. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  8. Soloski, Alexis (27 December 2014). "Usman Ally Discusses his Roles". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 1 April 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  9. "Usman Ally on identity politics in ATC's 'Disgraced'". WBEZ. Archived from the original on 1 April 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  10. Waterhouse, Ben (28 September 2015). "Character Builder". Lewis & Clark. Archived from the original on 18 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.