Kumail Nanjiani
Pakistani and American comedian and actor (born 1978)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kumail Ali Nanjiani[a] (born May 2, 1978)[3] is a Pakistani and American stand-up comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter. His accolades include a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and two Emmy Awards. In 2018, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.[4]
Kumail Nanjiani | |
|---|---|
Nanjiani in 2026 | |
| Born | Kumail Ali Nanjiani May 2, 1978 |
| Citizenship |
|
| Education | Grinnell College (BA) |
| Spouse | |
| Relatives | Shereen Nanjiani (second cousin) |
| Comedy career | |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Medium | |
Nanjiani's breakthrough role came with his role as Dinesh in the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley (2014–2019). He is also known for his performances in the TNT series Franklin & Bash, the Adult Swim series Newsreaders, the comedy series Portlandia, the Disney+ miniseries Obi-Wan Kenobi, the series The Boys, and the Peacock series Poker Face. His voice acting roles include Prismo on the animated series Adventure Time and Kingo in the animated anthology series What If...?. He also co-hosted the Comedy Central show The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail. In 2019, he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in The Twilight Zone.[5] In 2023, he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his work in the miniseries Welcome to Chippendales.[5]
Nanjiani achieved wider recognition for co-writing and starring in the romantic comedy film The Big Sick (2017), which earned him and his wife Emily V. Gordon a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He also starred as Kingo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) superhero film Eternals.
Early life
Nanjiani grew up in Karachi, the first of two sons born to a Sindhi, Shia Muslim couple Shabana and Aijaz Nanjiani.[6] The BBC radio presenter Shereen Nanjiani is his second cousin.[7][8][9] During his childhood, he lived in Karachi and attended St. Michael's Convent School for his O-Levels and graduated from Karachi Grammar School to complete his A-Levels, where he was the class-fellow of Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy. At 18, he moved to the U.S. and enrolled at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, where he graduated in 2001 with a double major in computer science and philosophy.[10][11][12] He then moved to Chicago and began performing stand-up comedy at open-mic events.[10]
Career
In 2007, Nanjiani wrote and staged an original autobiographical one-man show in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles.[10] After moving to New York, he continued to perform stand-up and made occasional appearances on shows including Michael & Michael Have Issues and The Colbert Report.[10] In 2009, he performed at the Just for Laughs comedy festival.[10] In 2011, Nanjiani and X-Play staffer Ali Baker began hosting a video game-themed podcast, titled The Indoor Kids. In late August the same year, Baker left the show and Nanjiani began hosting with his wife, Emily V. Gordon.[13] Until other commitments took over, he appeared regularly on Dan Harmon's podcast Harmontown, where he played Dungeons & Dragons with Harmon as a character named Chris de Burgh. He played a delivery man in the 2013 film The Kings of Summer.[14] In addition to guest-starring in comedy shows like Portlandia, Nanjiani was featured in a supporting role in the TNT series Franklin & Bash. He played the role of Pindar Singh, an agoraphobic fiction nerd working for the title characters.
Nanjiani guest-starred on HBO's Veep as a statistician. He had the recurring roles of Amir Larussa on Newsreaders and Prismo on Adventure Time. His Comedy Central special Beta Male aired in July 2013.[15] In late June 2013, Comedy Central announced the pickup of The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, hosted by Jonah Ray and Nanjiani.[16] The show, featuring Nerd Melt comedy regulars and various comedians, began airing in July 2014.[17] In April 2014, he began playing the character Dinesh in the HBO sitcom Silicon Valley.[12] He voiced Reggie in the video game The Walking Dead: Season Two.[18] In July 2014, Nanjiani hosted a weekly podcast titled The X-Files Files, dedicated to discussion and reminiscences about The X-Files. Each episode features Nanjiani and a guest, including former The X-Files writers, producers, actors and directors, in light-hearted banter about one or two episodes of the series.[19][20] On July 30, 2014, Nanjiani appeared on Ken Reid's TV Guidance Counselor Podcast.[21]
In 2015, Nanjiani guest-starred in the Broad City episode "In Heat".[22] Starting on March 22, 2015, he provided his voice for the character of Mshak Moradi in the Hunt the Truth audio drama, part of the marketing campaign for Halo 5: Guardians.[23] On May 5, 2015, he appeared on the Inside Amy Schumer episode "12 Angry Men Inside Amy Schumer", a parody of 12 Angry Men, as one of the jurors.[24] In July 2015, Nanjiani provided guest voices on Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero.[25]
In 2017, Nanjiani starred in the romantic comedy film The Big Sick, which he wrote with Gordon.[26] The film is about their relationship, with Nanjiani playing himself and Zoe Kazan playing Gordon (renamed Emily Gardner). The film was one of the most acclaimed of 2017, and was chosen by American Film Institute as one of the top 10 films of the year and nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.[27][28] The film was also the third-highest-grossing independent film released in 2017, grossing over $40 million.[29]
In 2018, he was invited to the actors and writers branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[30]
In 2019, Nanjiani headlined the first episode of the CBS All Access revival of the anthology series The Twilight Zone. For his role on The Twilight Zone, Nanjiani received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. In film, Nanjiani voiced the alien Pawny in Men in Black International, which was released on June 14.[31][32][33] Nanjiani stated, "I play an alien so you won't see my face but you'll hear my voice, I'm a little alien frog/lizard... thing."[34] Nanjiani also stars in the action comedy film Stuber, released on July 12.[35][36] In 2020, Nanjiani lent his voice to Plimpton, an ostrich, in the adventure comedy film Dolittle.[37] He also wrote for and produced the Apple TV+ anthology series Little America, which premiered in January 2020. The series is based on the story collection of the same name from Epic Magazine which focuses on stories from immigrants. To promote the series, Nanjiani appeared at the Apple Event of March 25, 2019.[38][39] Nanjiani starred with Issa Rae in the comedy-chase film The Lovebirds, directed by Michael Showalter, produced by Paramount Pictures, and released by Netflix in May 2020.[40]
In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nanjiani and his wife Emily Gordon launched a podcast, Staying In with Emily and Kumail.[41] The series chronicles their experiences as a couple forced to live in isolation during the global pandemic. The podcast has been widely acclaimed in the media, as a welcome respite during a period of high anxiety.[42] GQ described it as "consistently endearing, actually useful, and often hilarious."[43] New York magazine relates that "all advice is shared via cute and charming banter."[44]
He starred in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Eternals, as Kingo, which was released on November 5, 2021.[45] Nanjiani received widespread attention and went viral[46] after sharing pictures of his body transformation for the shooting of Eternals in 2019.[47][48] Speaking with GQ, he noted how he has since become less comfortable speaking about his body due to the intense amount of attention it received online.[49][46] In March 2021, Nanjiani was announced as cast in an upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series for Disney+.[50] In February 2020, Nanjiani signed on to star in The Independent, a political thriller to be directed by Amy Rice, though he ultimately dropped out of the role.[51]
In 2022, Nanjiani starred in the Hulu miniseries Welcome to Chippendales in the lead role of Somen "Steve" Banerjee, the hitman-hiring founder of the Chippendales dance troupe.[52]
On March 24, 2023, it was confirmed that Nanjiani had joined the cast of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.[53] He appeared in the film, released on March 22 of the following year, as the character Nadeem Razmaadi / Firemaster.
In 2024, Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon formed the production company Winter Coat Films.[54]
In June 2025, it was announced that Nanjiani would perform at Belly Laughs, a new comedy and food festival in Los Angeles.[55] On July 16, it was announced that Nanjiani would play Mary's Husband in the Broadway play Oh, Mary!. His run began on August 4, 2025.[56] Also in 2025, Nanjiani released the stand-up comedy special Night Thoughts on Hulu.[54] In January 2026, Nanjiani was announced as a contestant on the twenty-first series of Taskmaster.[57]
Personal life
In 2007, Nanjiani married writer-producer Emily V. Gordon at Chicago City Hall.[58] She was the producer of The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail.[6] As of 2022, they reside in Larchmont, Los Angeles.[59]
Nanjiani was raised in a Shiite family and now identifies as an atheist.[60] Nanjiani is an avid video gamer.[61][62]
In 2018, in the wake of president Donald Trump's anti-immigration policies, Nanjiani tweeted: "It took me 15 years to get my Green Card. Getting any kind of visa is difficult. Becoming a citizen is extremely difficult and rare."[63] In a 2025 discussion with American comedian Hasan Minhaj, Nanjiani spoke about being a naturalized citizen of the United States.[64] At the 41st Independent Spirit Awards in February 2026, Nanjiani joined a group of celebrities, including Tessa Thompson, Natasha Rothwell, and his wife Emily V. Gordon, in wearing "ICE Out" pins in protest of aggressive immigration enforcement under the second Trump administration.[65] The demonstrations came in the wake of the high-profile killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by ICE agents, which sparked widespread national outrage over the agency's tactics.[65]
Nanjiani announced he would donate proceeds of his November 2023 Largo show to Doctors Without Borders working in the Gaza war.[66]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Life as We Know It | Simon | |
| 2012 | The Five-Year Engagement | Pakistani Chef | |
| 2013 | The Kings of Summer | Gary the Delivery Guy | |
| Hell Baby | Cable Guy | ||
| Bad Milo | Bobbi | ||
| 2014 | The Last of the Great Romantics | George the Counter Guy | |
| Sex Tape | Punit | ||
| 2015 | Loaded | Reza | |
| Hot Tub Time Machine 2 | Brad | ||
| Addicted to Fresno | Damon | ||
| Hello, My Name Is Doris | Nasir | ||
| Hell and Back | Dave the Demon | Voice role[67] | |
| Goosebumps | Foreman | ||
| 2016 | Central Intelligence | Jared the Airport Security Guard | Cameo[68] |
| Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates | Keanu | ||
| Brother Nature | Riggleman | [69] | |
| Flock of Dudes | Ro | ||
| The Late Bloomer | Rich | [70] | |
| 2017 | The Big Sick | Kumail Nanjiani | Also writer and executive producer[71] |
| Fist Fight | Officer Mehar | ||
| A Happening of Monumental Proportions | HR Rep Perry | ||
| Funny: The Documentary | Himself | ||
| The Lego Ninjago Movie | Jay | Voice role[67] | |
| 2018 | Duck Butter | Jake | |
| 2019 | Stuber | Stu Prasad | [72] |
| Men in Black: International | Pawny | Voice role[73][67] | |
| 2020 | Dolittle | Plimpton | Voice role[74][67] |
| The Lovebirds | Jibran | Also executive producer[75] | |
| 2021 | Eternals | Kingo | [76] |
| 2023 | Migration | Mack | Voice role[77][67] |
| 2024 | Destroy All Neighbors | Smelting Refinery Guard | |
| Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire | Nadeem Razmaadi | [78] | |
| 2025 | Animal Farm | Marth | |
| Driver's Ed | Mr. Rivers | [79] | |
| Ella McCay | Trooper Nash | [80] | |
| 2026 | See You When I See You | Adeel | Also producer |
| Over Your Dead Body | Hollywood Dan | Uncredited | |
| The Breadwinner † | TBA | Post-production[81] | |
| TBA | The Wrong Girls † | TBA | Post-production |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Saturday Night Live | Indian Reporter | Episode: "James Franco/Kings of Leon"; uncredited[82] |
| 2009 | The Colbert Report | Various characters | 2 episodes |
| Michael & Michael Have Issues | Kumail | Main role | |
| 100 Most Shocking Music Moments | Panelist | 5 episodes | |
| 2010 | Ugly Americans | Neilando Patel | Voice role; episode: "Treegasm" |
| 2011 | Traffic Light | Paul | Episode: "Where the Heart Is" |
| CollegeHumor Originals | Vendor | Episode: "Batman Chooses His Voice" | |
| Googy | Dwayne | Main role | |
| 2011–2014 | Franklin & Bash | Pindar Singh | Main role (seasons 1–3), guest role (season 4) |
| 2011–2018 | Portlandia | Various characters | Recurring role; 13 episodes |
| 2012–2016 | Adventure Time | Prismo | Recurring voice role; 7 episodes[67] |
| 2013–2015 | Newsreaders | Amir Larussa | Correspondent; 11 episodes |
| 2013 | Burning Love | Zakir | Main role (seasons 2–3) |
| Veep | Statistician | Episode: "Midterms" | |
| Drunk History | Lakota Chief | Episode: "Nashville" | |
| Ghost Ghirls | Mr. Mattoo | Episode: "I Believe in Mira-ghouls" | |
| Kumail Nanjiani: Beta Male | Himself | Stand-up special | |
| 2014 | Math Bites | Showoff Guy | Episode: "Math Heads: Do Math in Your Head" |
| The Pete Holmes Show | Dhalsim | Episode: "Erin Hamlin and Kate Hansen" | |
| TripTank | Dick Genie | Voice role; 4 episodes[67] | |
| Garfunkel and Oates | Jordan | Episode: "Hair Swap" | |
| Key & Peele | College Kid #1 | Episode: "Scariest Movie Ever" | |
| 2014–2015 | Community | Custodian Lapari | 2 episodes |
| 2014–2016 | The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail | Himself | Host; also executive producer |
| 2014–2019 | Silicon Valley | Dinesh Chugtai | Main role |
| 2014–2025 | Bob's Burgers | Skip Marooch | Voice role; 3 episodes[67] |
| 2015 | Broad City | Benny Calitri | Episode: "In Heat" |
| Archer | Farooq Ashkani | Voice role; episode: "Sitting" | |
| Inside Amy Schumer | Juror #11 | Episode: "12 Angry Men Inside Amy Schumer" | |
| Scheer-RL | Mariah Carey | Episode: "Mariah Carey" | |
| Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero | Cuteling Mayor | Voice role; episode: "The Ripple Effect"[67] | |
| Aqua Teen Hunger Force | Frylock's bees | Voice role; episode: "Sweet C" | |
| The Grinder | Prosecutor Leonard | 2 episodes | |
| 2016 | The X-Files | Pasha | Episode: "Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster" |
| Animals | Rusty | Voice role; episode: "Dogs."[67] | |
| 31st Independent Spirit Awards | Himself (host) | Television special | |
| 2016–2017 | HarmonQuest | Eddie Lizard | 2 episodes |
| 2016–2022 | Bee and PuppyCat: Lazy In Space | Howell | Voice role; 2 episodes |
| 2017 | Saturday Night Live | Himself (host) | Episode: "Kumail Nanjiani/Pink" |
| 2019 | The Twilight Zone | Samir Wassan | Episode: "The Comedian"[83] |
| 2019–2021 | Bless the Harts | Jesus Christ | Main voice role |
| 2020–2022 | Little America | — | Executive producer and writer |
| 2020 | Death to 2020 | Bark Multiverse | Television special |
| 2021 | Big Mouth | Himself | Voice role; episode: "No Nut November" |
| 2022 | Murderville | Episode: "Most Likely to Commit Murder"[84] | |
| The Simpsons | Theo | Voice role; episode: "You Won't Believe What This Episode Is About..." | |
| The Boys Presents: Diabolical | Vik | Voice role; episode: "Boyd in 3D"[67] | |
| Obi-Wan Kenobi | Haja Estree | Miniseries; 3 episodes | |
| Bee and PuppyCat | Howell Wizard | Voice role; 3 episodes | |
| 2022 | The Boys | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2022–2023 | Welcome to Chippendales | Somen "Steve" Banerjee | Miniseries; main cast; also executive producer[85] |
| 2022–2026 | The Boys | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2023 | History of the World, Part II | Vātsyāyana | Episode: "I" |
| The Eric Andre Show | Himself | Episode: "Anti-Weed" | |
| 2024 | Krapopolis | Spartan Army Leader | Voice role; episode: "Contagion" |
| Only Murders in the Building | Rudy "Christmas Guy" Thurber | 7 episodes[86] | |
| What If...? | Kingo | Voice role; episode: "What If... Agatha Went to Hollywood?" | |
| 2025 | Poker Face | Joseph "Gator Joe" Pilson | Episode: "The Taste of Human Blood"[87] |
| Haunted Hotel | Leader Todd | Voice role; episode: “The Acolytes of Abaddon” | |
| Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake | Prismo | Voice role; 3 episodes[88] | |
| Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts | Himself | Stand-up special | |
| Fallout | Paladin Xander Harkness | 2 episodes | |
| 2026 | Taskmaster | Himself | Series 21, 10 episodes |
| TBA | The White Lotus † | TBA | Season 4[89] |
Video games
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | The Walking Dead: Season Two | Reggie | [67] |
| 2017 | Mass Effect: Andromeda | Jarun Tann | [67][90] |
| Middle-earth: Shadow of War | Nemesis Orcs | [67] | |
| 2018 | Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion | Prismo, Gnome, Marauder | |
| TBA | Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet | Colin Graves | [91] |
Web
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | CH Originals | College student | "Honest College Ad" |
| 2009 | Jake and Amir | Kumail | 4 episodes |
| 2015 | Hunt the Truth | Mshak Moradi | [92] |
| 2013–2017 | Harmontown | Himself | |
| 2017 | Game Grumps | 1 episode; on the same episode as Thomas Middleditch | |
| Movie Fights | 1 episode; on the same episode as Paul Scheer | ||
| 2019 | Achievement Hunter | 1 episode | |
| Gay of Thrones | 1 episode; "Gay Of Thrones S8 E4 Recap" | ||
| Hot Ones | 1 episode | ||
| 2020 | Reunited Apart | 1 episode; "Ghostbusters" | |
| 2025 | Brooklyn Coffee Shop | 1 episode |
Theater
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Oh, Mary! | Mary's Husband | Lyceum Theatre[56] |
