Cas Anvar
Canadian actor and writer (born 1966)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cas Anvar (Persian: کاس انور; born 15 March 1966)[1][2][3] is a Canadian actor known best for his role in the SyFy/Amazon Prime Video science fiction television series The Expanse.
Cas Anvar | |
|---|---|
Anvar in 2019 | |
| Born | 15 March 1966 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Alma mater | National Theatre School |
| Occupations | Actor, writer |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Known for |
|
| Website | www |
Early life and education
Anvar was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, to Iranian parents.[4] They moved to Montreal, Quebec, where he was raised. He graduated from Beaconsfield High School in 1983.[5]
He became interested in acting after playing Hamlet in a high school production of Shakespeare’s play.[6] Anvar has said that after early studies of psychology and sciences at McGill University,[7][8] he changed fields and graduated from the National Theatre School in 1989.[4][9]
Career
He was founding Artistic Director of Repercussion Theatre. Anvar told CBC Radio’s Saskatoon Morning that he founded the company in order to avoid being typecast, so that he could cast himself in the roles he wanted to play.[10] Since 1988 the company toured parks of Montreal, and then throughout North America, with the annual Shakespeare in the Park Festival.[11][2] Meanwhile, he continued performing in theatre.[12]
In 1992, he debuted in Urban Angel, and has continued to perform roles in television and film.[3]
Anvar starred as journalist Kambiz Foroohar in the 2003 film Shattered Glass.[13][14]
Anvar guest-starred in an episode of NCIS that premiered in 2007.[15]
In 2011, he voiced Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad in Assassin's Creed: Revelations.[16] In the same year, he co-starred with Jake Gyllenhaal in the science fiction film Source Code.[17][18]
Anvar also appeared alongside John Cusack and Jennifer Carpenter in the horror film The Factory.[19]
Anvar was part of the cast of Argo, which won the SAG Award for Best Cast Performance in 2013.[6][20] Anvar appeared as Dodi Fayed with Naomi Watts in the film Diana in 2013.[21]
Anvar starred in the science fiction television series The Expanse as Alex Kamal. It was first broadcast in December 2015.[22] Anvar co-starred in the 2015 Oscar-nominated film Room.[10][23] Anvar also starred in the 2015 mythological drama series Olympus, which aired on Syfy.[15]
In 2016, he joined season 3 of The Strain as Sanjay Desai.
Anvar starred in the independent drama The Lie, an English-language adaptation of the German film Wir Monster, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2018.[24] In the same year, Anvar starred alongside Diane Kruger in the thriller The Operative.[25]
In 2019, he had a recurring role on How To Get Away With Murder as Robert Hseih.
In November 2020, Alcon announced that Anvar would not be returning for the sixth and final season of The Expanse.[26]
In 2021, Anvar appeared in the television series FBI: International.[27]
In 2024, Anvar co-starred with Lilly Singh in the comedy film Doin’ It.[28]
Anvar appeared in director Marc Furmie’s 2025 action drama Viper as Rafiq “Razor” Alizai.[29]
Personal life
Anvar is fluent in English, French, and Persian, and also speaks some Arabic, Hindi, and Spanish.[6]
In June 2020, Alcon Entertainment hired an independent firm to investigate over 30 allegations of sexual harassment and assault made against Anvar.[30][31] Anvar released a statement in response indicating his intent to cooperate with the investigation, saying that the accusers should be heard, but that he intended to clear his name.[30]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Witchboard III: The Possession | Paramedic #1 | |
| 1997 | Afterglow | Frederico | |
| 1998 | Twist of Fate | Goldwin | |
| 1998 | The Incredible Adventures of Marco Polo | Youssef | |
| 1998 | Sublet | Nightclub Man | |
| 2000 | Seducing Maarya | Zakir | |
| 2001 | Cause of Death | Leonard Sheck | |
| 2001 | Hidden Agenda | Agent McCoomb | |
| 2002 | Wrong Number | Thomas Pitrillo | |
| 2003 | Comment ma mère accoucha de moi durant sa ménopause | Médecin, examen gynéco | |
| 2003 | Shattered Glass | Kambiz Foroohar | |
| 2003 | Timeline | E.R. Doctor | |
| 2004 | The Terminal | CBP Officer #3 | |
| 2008 | Punisher: War Zone | Plastic Surgeon | |
| 2009 | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Egyptian Interpol Officer #1 | |
| 2011 | Source Code | Hazmi | |
| 2012 | Argo | Revolutionary Guard | |
| 2012 | The Factory | Phil | Uncredited |
| 2012 | The Son of an Afghan Farmer | Michael | |
| 2013 | Diana | Dodi Fayed | |
| 2013 | The Factory | Phil | |
| 2014 | Fall | Reza | |
| 2015 | Miss India America | Deep Panday | |
| 2015 | The Vatican Tapes | Dr. Fahti | |
| 2015 | Room | Dr Mittal | |
| 2017 | Nobility | Captain Eric Cern | |
| 2018 | The Lie | Sam Ismali | |
| 2019 | The Operative | Farhad | |
| 2019 | Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Ra's al Ghul | Voice |
| 2019 | Draupadi Unleashed | Manu | |
| 2025 | Viper | Rafiq “Razor” Alizai |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-2005 | Watatatow | Atys | Main role |
| 1998 | La Femme Nikita | Halir | Episode: "Old Habits" |
| 2005 | The Tournament | Dr. Singh | Main role, 17 episodes |
| 2007 | NCIS | Masoud Tariq | Television TV series, Season 4 Episode 12 |
| 2009 | The Phantom | Rhatib Singh | Television miniseries |
| 2009 | 24 | Dr. Wyndham | Television TV series |
| 2010 | Lost | Omer Jarrah | Episode: "Sundown" |
| 2011 | Leverage | Oscar San Guillermo | Episode 4.15: "The Lonely Hearts Job" |
| 2011 | Neverland | Gentleman Starkey | Television miniseries |
| 2011–2012 | Xeno-Date | Sirus | Webseries, 8 episodes |
| 2014 | Castle | Dr. Rampanel | Episode: "Smells Like Teen Spirit" |
| 2014 | Intelligence | Ibrahim Al-Munin | Episode: "Red X" |
| 2015 | Olympus | Xerxes | Recurring role, 7 episodes |
| 2015–2021 | The Expanse | Alex Kamal | Main role, 56 episodes |
| 2016–2017 | The Strain | Sanjay Desai | Recurring role, 10 episodes |
| 2019–2020 | How To Get Away with Murder | Robert Hsieh | Recurring role, 4 episodes |
| 2020 | Cardinal | Taj Roy | Episode 4.02: "Adele" |
| 2021 | FBI: International | Ali Majidi | Episode 1.06: "The Secrets She Knows" |
| 2023 | Gwen Shamblin: Starving for Salvation | Seller | Television film |
Internet video
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Star Trek Continues | Sentek | Episodes: "To Boldly Go" Part 1; "To Boldly Go" Part 2 |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Assassin's Creed: Revelations | Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad | Voice role | [32] |
| 2012 | Call of Duty: Black Ops II | Mullah Rahmaan | Voice role | [33] |
| 2012 | Halo 4 | Dalton | Voice role |