Omid Djalili

[RedWine]

Omid Djalili (born September 30, 1965) is a British stand-up comedian, born to Iranian parents. He attended the University of Ulster in Coleraine, studying English and Theatre studies and is an active member of the Bahá'í Faith.

Starting his stand-up comedy career with amazing success at the Edinburgh Festival in 1995, he followed up his comedic performances with even more successful, sell-out shows, starting with "Short, Fat Kebab Shop Owner's Son" in 1995, following up with "The Arab and the Jew" in 1996, "Omid Djalili is Ethnic" in 1997, "Warm to My Winning Smile" in 2000, "Behind Enemy Lines" in 2002, and his most-recent "No Agenda" in October of this year.

His stand-up routines and jokes focus primarily on multiculturalism and ethnic particularities. His hyperactive and energetic manner of imitating accents, doing bellydances, and singing songs earned him a significant fanbase all over the globe.

He has performed in over 12 countries worldwide, including Australia, Denmark, Canada, Germany, and the United States.

Omid Djalili has also appeared in a number of motion pictures, most notably Gladiator, The Mummy, and Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. He is probably best-known to American audiences as Nasim from the US sitcom Whoopi, starring alongside actress Whoopi Goldberg.

In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.

His latest movie, Alien Autopsy, is currently in production and is slated for release in the UK in the first quarter of 2006.



Filmography

Cinema:
The Mummy (1999)
Notting Hill (1999) (Uncredited)
Mad Cows (1999)
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
Gladiator (2000)
Spy Game (2001)
Mean Machine (2001)
Anita and Me (2002)
Cross My Heart (2003)
Deadlines (2004)
The Calcium Kid (2004)
Modigliani (2004)
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
Casanova (2005)

Television:

Barking (1998
The Lake of Darkness (1999)
Cleopatra (1999)
Coming Soon (1999)
Small Potatoes (1999)
Black Books (2000)
Jason and the Argonauts (2000)
Lenny Henry in Pieces (2000)
Dinotopia: The Series (2002)
Between Iraq and a Hard Place (2003)
Whoopi (2003)




Awards
Omid Djalili has won a vast number of awards for his comedy. These include the Emma Award, Time Out Award, and LWT Comedy Award for Best Stand-up Comedian, as well as the One World Media Award for his Channel 4 documentary, Bloody Foreigners.

Subsequently, he has also been nominated for another equally varied array of awards, such as the Perrier Award for Best Comedian, the Gemini Award for Best Comedy Performance of 2003, the South Bank Award for Best Comedy of 2003, the Royal Television Society Award for Best Stand-up, and the European TV Award for his Bloody Foreigners.

[RedWine]

Omid Djalili is Britain's funniest Iranian stand-up comedian and actor. After great success at the Edinburgh Festival in 1995, Omid has become a Festival Fringe favourite with a string of sell-out shows.

It started in 1995 with 'Short Fat Kebab Shop Owner's Son', then in 1996 in 'Arab & The Jew' on to 1997 with 'Omid Djalili Is Ethnic'. His next show ‘Omid Djalili’ was so successful he signed a major video deal with VVL. In 2000 he went back to Edinburgh and had another hit show ‘Warm to my Winning Smile’ and in 2002 with 'Behind Enemy Lines' both of these shows became Edinburgh's hottest ticket. 'Behind Enemy Lines' recieved an astonishing six 5 star reviews. He is one of the funniest, freshest and most original comedians in Britain.

His international appeal is vast, having performed in recent years in Australia, Austria, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Slovakia.


Press

Omid Djalili is simply magnificent’
DAILY MAIL

‘Hilarious and painfully funny, Omid Djalili is unmissable’
THE INDEPENDENT

‘His explosive and wide-eyed humour comes bursting out of nowhere, sending the audience into fits’
THE SCOTSMAN

‘By far the most entertaining comedy night’
THE TIMES

‘His jokes are remarkable’
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

‘Djalili blows you away with a blizzard of gags’
THE OBSERVER

‘Demonstrates a confiding intelligence, a rare and warm sense of self-mockery and the distinctive outsider’s view of our culture. One felt very happy to be in his engaging, off-beat presence.’
DAILY MAIL

‘Burly by surprisingly athletic’
THE SCOTSMAN

‘His Show’s about cultural bridges. Omid builds ‘em up, knocks ‘em down and we fall about’
THE HERALD

‘Multi-ethnic confusion’
THE INDEPENDENT

‘Cult favourite’
THE TIMES

‘As full of gleefully silly tomfoolery as it is sharp-eyed insights’
THE GUARDIAN

[RedWine]

BRITAIN'S only Iranian stand-up comedian, Omid Djalili, will be the first major act in the new season at Liverpool's Rawhide Comedy Club.

The club, now based at the Royal Court Theatre, released its new season details yesterday.

It will stage its usual Thursdays-Saturdays comedy nights with numerous comics - many of them local - on hand to provide the laughs.

But, as in its first season at this venue, the club, which celebrated its tenth anniversary last year, will be staging special celebrity nights.

Djalili on Wednesday, January 25, is the first, a revival of his record-breaking London season last year.

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/4033/2002augustomiddjalili11lr.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Story continues

The son of an Iranian reporter and a dress-maker, Djalili's comedy interests were sparked while still young. He later attended the University of Ulster, Coleraine, in Northern Ireland and earned a degree in English and theatre studies.


He won his first award in 1994 at the Edinburgh Fringe where he has really made his mark.


The following year he was enjoying sell-out shows with Short Fat Kebab Owner's Son and in 1996 with Arab & The Jew.


His full-length solo act in 1997, Omid Djalili Is Ethnic, was an even bigger hit.


Since then he has mixed comedy appearances on television with acting performances in films like The Mummy, Gladiator and Jason and the Argonauts with Dennis Hopper and David Bowie.

[green_president2004]

khayly adame bahale showmane khoobiam hast

[khanoomi]

thanks redwin ke enghadr zahmat az khodet dar mikoni

[Parinaz_M]

aghaye omid vaghean adame honarmandiye, va hame az karhash kheyli khosheshon miyad. karesh harf nadare

[jjbb]

I loved watching him in films and whoopy golberg serial.............

[nanakhafan]

eh man ke nemidooonestam in iraniye vali khkeili bahale thx redwine jonnnn

[RedWine]

Iranian-British actor and comedian Omid Djalili has delivered what I would call is his best work yet, maximizing his screen time in the light hearted romantic comedy romp, Casanova.

The impact of Omid's shining in this role, becomes somewhat clearer when you realize he is competing with names the likes of, Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller, and Oliver Platt, but don't stop there, now add veterans Jeremy Irons and Lena Olin, and you can see there simply is no marquis space left for our boy.

Reprising what has now become a somewhat predictable character, the comedic manservant feigning simplemindedness, but really a loyal friend with the heart of a lion when the chips are down. You know the guy, Phileas Fogg's Paspartout (around the world in 80 days), Dr. Frankenstein's Igor, and Last but not least, Daie Jan's, Mash Ghasem.

Omid plays his role perfectly and adds his usual extra Persian flair to the part, little gems of facial expression, or body twitches, here and there, subtle but as an Iranian watching, you can see them, as if he put them there for us only to enjoy.

Hilarious facial expressions, and possibly some of his best physical humor to date, Omid often carried the comedic scene as needed, occasionally outdoing the star Ledger handily. Ledger's overdone British accent was at times annoying, especially when the story, Hello? takes place in Venice? Omid's accent was far more realistic and sounded much more authentic.

But wrong accents is the least of your worries, as expected from outstanding director Lasse Hallstrom who brought not only his talents, but that of his wife's, the incredible Lena Olin to the project.

Omid has been on a roll if you haven't noticed, you should and will from now on. I used to think it was beneath him to take all of the roles he has in his career, but the more I watch him and the more I get to see his craft on screen, the more I have come to appreciate what a talent he truly is.

Recently he was on the HBO Special "One Night Stand" and killed the audience. Opening his show with the cliche Arab accent expected by the largely American audience, ethnic jokes flew like machine gun fire in Fallujah (sorry). Then, suddenly at the halfway point, he switched to a full-on perfect British accent, and shocked the New York City crowd as he announced, " I don't really talk like that it's just a bit of an ethnic ruse.", and went on with the rest of his routine which I can't begin to describe how funny he was.

If you ever see him, ask-no demand that he demonstrate the 4 primary Iranian Disco Dance moves. Then plan your funeral because you will die. Gladly.

But back to Casanova for a final note, I totally bought it when, at the end of the film Omid said to Ledger, "Sir, I am Venetian, my place is here in Venice."

You could almost hear him saying it with an entirely different city in mind.

[RedWine]

Hey .. hich kas donbalet nakardeh ya majbooret nakardeh keh biaei chizi keh man minevisam bekhooni ! ya nemifahmi in chizharo ya umadi tooyeh forum barayeh maskhareh bazi ! havasam behet hast bebinam dastanet chieh ! inja jayeh in karha nist !

[khanoomi]

nashnakhte redwin hamaro zire telskopesh dare va age bekhair aziat koni dige a veilast

[khanoomi]

looooooooooool nashenas che bahal

[l_n4sh3n4s_l]

looooooooooool nashenas che bahal
loOol ;) realised...

[khanoomi]

nashnakhte mashkok mizani

[RedWine]

Boro Khoda roozito jayeh digeh bedeh !

[l_n4sh3n4s_l]

Boro Khoda roozito jayeh digeh bedeh !
....... RespecT ........
I love u 2..........:smt062

Khanomi..... Its Meant 2 b like dat...

N.B.
Sth Strange Happnd....I'm Investigating....

[khanoomi]

hala nashenas vase ki kar mikoni? jk

[l_n4sh3n4s_l]

hala nashenas vase ki kar mikoni? jk

I'm an undercover two sided FBI agent working for CIA.
Does that help @ all? :smt033

valla bekhoda :rolleyes:

[khanoomi]

migam nashenas nakone vase ahmadi nezhad kar mikoni loooooool jk

[l_n4sh3n4s_l]

migam nashenas nakone vase ahmadi nezhad kar mikoni loooooool jk

Yes..... I mean no..... I mean Yes.... I mean no...YES:smt097 ;)

[khanoomi]

nashenas be ahmadi nezhad salam beresoon:smt039 :smt006

[RedWine]

Omid Djalili: Stand Up At Just For Laughs
This is one of most underrated British/iranian comedians today. I'll let you guys be the judge of racial profile.



http://www.dumpalink.com/media/1140082810/Omid_Djalili_Stand_Up_at_Just_For_Laughs

[mahsaak]

mersi siamak jan baz ham gol kashti, mashala etela resanit harf nadare, har kiham harfe ezafe mizane , liaghate khoondan nadare jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrr rrrrr

[RedWine]

mersi siamak jan baz ham gol kashti, mashala etela resanit harf nadare, har kiham harfe ezafe mizane , liaghate khoondan nadare jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrr rrrrr


Omid is commin to Madrid,go to see him ! he is the best !

[RedWine]

Omid Djalili: Stand Up At Just For Laughs
This is one of most underrated British/iranian comedians today. I'll let you guys be the judge of racial profile.



http://www.dumpalink.com/media/1140082810/Omid_Djalili_Stand_Up_at_Just_For_Laughs

omid varam keh ino hameh bebinan va lezat bebaran :D .

[RedWine]

The movie "Over The Hedge" opened this week, with a cast of Hollywood's top talent including Bruce Willis, Gary Shandling, Wanda Sykes, and William Shatner. Among them our beloved Omid Djalili, plays the role of "Tiger", the Persian cat. "Over The Hedge" comes to us from the creators of Madagascar and Shrek, by far two of the best animations to come out of Hollywood in recent years. The film is directed by Tim Johnson and Karey ***kpatrick. The story follows a bunch of cuddly and hairy animals as they observe and interact with humans, over a giant green hedge.

While the storyline and movie are typical Dreamworks material, the role of "Tiger" the cat, is one for the books for any Persian. Omid jumps onto the big screen with his typical Iranian accent (or "middle-eastern" accent as it says on his resume) and steals the show. Omid, who came onto the international acting scene with the hit show "Whoopi", has been hard at work, having completed two movies in 2005. These were Casanova, and Modigliani. In his new role as "Tiger", Omid is a proud and Persian house cat, who has been spoiled and comes from a long line of beautiful Persian cats.

What is most amusing about this small role, is that Omid has undoubtedly had some influence over the lines. "Intruders! Intruders!" he screams, as the skunks and squirrels attack the house for food. He then interjects with a classic Persian line, "Boro Babaa" which is unrecognizable to the Western audience and quickly announced in the hoopla of the scene. Omid then goes on to give the character a noble name, that of "Tiger Mahmood Shahbaz", something that neither the writers, nor Johnson and ***kpatrick could have dreamed up.

Overall, the film is worth watching, if anything to witness Omid, breaking onto the Hollywood scene. We could not think of a more appropriate character for him to personify. Well done!

[purrsian_cat]

Alaki thread jadid baz kardi'aa REDWINE... shouldnt this be in the

GOSSIP/CELEBRITY NEWS thread??

[RedWine]

Alaki thread jadid baz kardi'aa REDWINE... shouldnt this be in the

GOSSIP/CELEBRITY NEWS thread??

hey !!!!!!! in cheh tarzeh harf zadaneh !?!?!?!


GOSSIP/CELEBRITY NEWS maleh news hast,barayeh hameh ! vali yek seri (faghat iraniha!) joda hastan inja !

You are warned!

[purrsian_cat]

ah ok no worries...

I am Warned???? about what? this is a public site, can't i post my opinions?


eyval...

[Sepideh_UK]

ah ok no worries...

I am Warned???? about what? this is a public site, can't i post my opinions?


eyval...


LOOOOOOOOL Are Omid kheily bahale. umade bud shahre maa.
kheily khande dare.
LOOL @ U ARE WARNED looooooool . wooooooo spooky lolz

[purrsian_cat]

lol Spedideh... innit !!

[Sepideh_UK]

lol Spedideh... innit !!

YEa man lool

[purrsian_cat]

sepideh jooon, in ax to Iran gerefti??
It looks soooo Iranian!! :) booos xx

[RedWine]

2007 OMID DJALILI TOUR
. It's a chance to see bits of 'No Agenda' some of you missed on the last tour. Purposefully playing smaller venues as Omid is running in material for the BBC show. So again the usual mix of new and old, but hopefully mostly new.



http://www.omidnoagenda.com/blog/static.php?page=projects

[RedWine]

Quotes

'Omid Djalili is simply magnificent’
DAILY MAIL
‘Hilarious and painfully funny, Omid Djalili is unmissable’
THE INDEPENDENT

‘His explosive and wide-eyed humour comes bursting out of nowhere, sending the audience into fits’
THE SCOTSMAN

‘By far the most entertaining comedy night’
THE TIMES

His jokes are remarkable’
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

‘Djalili blows you away with a blizzard of gags’
THE OBSERVER

‘Demonstrates a confiding intelligence, a rare and warm sense of self-mockery and the distinctive outsider’s view of our culture. One felt very happy to be in his engaging, off-beat presence.’
DAILY MAIL

‘Burly by surprisingly athletic’
THE SCOTSMAN

His Show’s about cultural bridges. Omid builds ‘em up, knocks ‘em down and we fall about’
THE HERALD

‘Multi-ethnic confusion’
THE INDEPENDENT

‘Cult favourite’
THE TIMES

[Sepideh_UK]

Cool
Thanx...

[RedWine]

hes my favorit iranian comic actor :D

[Sepideh_UK]

BTW..that website was really usefull.thanx.. hez really cool:D
r u gone come 2 UK to watch any of his showz?

[RedWine]

I saw him last feb in NY ! but if i have time, i will come there for see him again !

[RedWine]

Scene from Ridely Scott’s Gladiator: [looking at some slaves]

Proximo (Oliver Reed): 'Can any of them fight? I've got a match coming up.'

Slave Trader (Omid Djalili): 'Some are good for fighting, others for dying. You need both, I think …'


'Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious' -Peter Ustinov

If the Great British actor Peter Ustinov was alive today, he would most probably make the following comment in the form of a friendly tribute to British-Iranian rising Star Omid Djalili quoting his own Mentor the no less great Charles Laughton from a memorable scene in Stanley Kubrick’s Epic Masterpiece Spartacus, in which they portray two slightly decadent yet wise citizen’s of the declining Roman Republic:


'You and I, have a tendency towards corpulence. Corpulence makes a man reasonable, pleasant and phlegmatic. Have you noticed the nastiest of tyrants are invariably thin?'

If you believe in post-mortem reincarnations, then you would agree that there is certainly something of a Peter Ustinov in Omid Djalili. Or is it the contrary ? They both seem to share this rare combination of wit and quick tongue humor disguised within a cosmopolitan envelope. Interestingly Ustinov, very much like Djalili today, was first noticed for his supporting roles be it as a blind beggar in the Egyptian, or the mad, yet funny villainous Emperor Nero in another memorable Epic 'Quo Vadis ?' before achieving international Stardom and critical success with his Oscar winning performance as the colorful Roman Slave dealer Batiatus in Spartacus followed by his other popular on screen personifications such as in the title role of Belgian Detective Hercule Poirot in Agatha Christie’s crime film adaptations. Similarly Omid Djalili is certainly one of the most versatile and successful actors of Iranian decent who has managed to draw attention beyond his community and conquer Hollywood in noticeable appearances opposite some of its greatest Stars. Equally convincing as a slave trader in sword and sandals films like 'The Mummy' and 'Gladiator' , or as Casanova’s comic side kick Lupo, Djalili often manages to steal the show from such co-stars as the late Oliver Reed or the new sex idol Heath Ledger. He was also to reveal a darker side of his impersonations as the ambitious and ruthless Pablo Picasso opposite Andy Garcia in Mike Davis’ 'Modigliani'. Often dubbed as the Only Iranian Stand Up Comic, his noticed performances on the British Stage and on American TV shows like Whoopie have drawn large audiences and certainly paved the way for the younger generation of Persian Diaspora Artists like Maz Jobrani, Shappi Khorsandi, Dan Ahdoot, Amir Talai or Patrick Monahan.

The Former Student of the University of Ulster, Coleraine in Northern Ireland who earned a degree in English and theater studies, has surely come a long way. Happily married to British actress/director Annabel Knight and father of three children, Omid Djalili’s talent has been finally acknowledged by his fellow compatriots of the Iranian Diaspora thanks to the Persian Golden Lioness Awards®, also known as the Iranian Oscars along with another fellow actor of Persian Decent Mrs. Shohreh Aghdashloo (Oscar nominee for The House of Sand and Fog, 2003).

I had the privilege of interviewing him recently on his life, career and future projects.

Darius KADIVAR (DK): You were first noticed in Hollywood particularly for your roles in blockbuster epic films like The Mummy, Jason and the Argonauts or Gladiator, which re-launched a film genre that was virtually oblivious since the 1960’s. What was it like to be part of a Sword and Sandals film?


Omid Djalili (OD): A great thrill, especially ˜Gladiator' that from the moment you walked on the sets you knew from the sheer scale of the project you were working on something special. It helped working with special people too. Directors like Ridley Scott and Steven Sommers had the eye for the 'big picture' epic that I was brought up on with films like 'Spartacus'. 'Gladiator' especially has that quality of being thrilling and moving.


DK: Your Stand up No Agenda was a hit at the London Palladium (Now on DVD). Has 'taming' a British or American live audience to the Persian sense of humor been as equally challenging as running a gladiator school in Ancient Rome ?

OD: I don’t know about 'taming' but I’m genuinely surprised that my sense of humor is something many people share. Humor is very subjective, and to have reached so many people across so many time zones has bewildered me somewhat. I suppose the fact that I have a genuine interest in people and different cultures has helped me connect with a more multicultural, multi-class and multi-aged audience. The Americans appreciate energy so when I performed in New York for example I was more energized. But every night is a different story.

DK: Who were your role models as a teenager when you were aspiring to become an actor ?

OD: I was always a big fan of Jack Lemmon. He performed with so much heart that it was impossible not to feel a little moved as well as entertained whenever I saw him on the screen (and on stage in London in 1989 in a legendary production of 'Long Day's Journey Into Night'(*) with a cast that included Kevin Spacey). Al Pacino was always a curiosity especially as I read now that he started out in comedy and is always clowning around on set and trying to get back into comedy much against the wishes of the film Studios. Dustin Hoffman in 'The Graduate' affected me a great deal too, and I’ve always been inspired by the great actresses such as Meryl Streep, Glen Close and Julia Roberts. But it was the film ˜The Deer Hunter', specifically the Russian roulette scene between Christopher Walken and Robert DeNiro that made me want to be an actor. I remember watching it at home on TV when I was sixteen and standing with my head in my hands pacing about and shouting as I watched the scene unfold.

DK: You grew up caught between two cultures: Persian and British. In a recent excellent BBC documentary (See Below) you seem to regret the 'cool' or let's say 'positive' image we as Iranians seemed to have before the Revolution. Do you think Western awareness on our history and struggles as a Diaspora Community has evolved since the early days of the Revolution ?


OD: No really no. That’s why I keep going.

DK: One of your very hilarious sketches is about the typical shy Iranian in a Disco who ends up reinventing an entire new dance genre. I think a lot of us can identify with that acute observation. How much of your live performances are improvised and do you think there is a limit to self derision ?


OD: One is always open to improvisation because the live genre requires you to be. Finding stuff on the spur of the moment happens all the time but not always on stage, it happens in life which is why I write things down as they happen. Nothing gives me more pleasure though than a something I had just thought of and written out before hand then performed that evening and getting an instant reaction (a big laugh hopefully). And with regards to ˜self-derision'

[RedWine]

I am always wary of people who take themselves too seriously.

DK: You seem to have paved the road for other talented Persian Stand Ups in Britain like Shappi Khorsandi, or Patrick Monahan. What is your outlook on this new generation and is there a difference of approach in Humor between British and American Iranians of the Diaspora ?


OD: They’re all good comics. Those two comics definitely have Iranian charm stamped across their stand up and their stage persona. Maz Jobrani too I think is one to watch, I love his voice and his manner.

DK: How can or should our Diaspora Community evolve without denying its roots and identity ?


OD: By firstly integrating and assimilating in and to where ever you are. Having lived as a ˜Brit' abroad myself (in the former Czechoslovakia in the 1990s) I have seen how learning another language and adapting to the mind set of those around you in a foreign land can be the difference between people loving you and just tolerating you. Of course when you do this you are never fundamentally forgetting who you are and where you came from. The idea that you are denying your roots and identity by assimilating is a completely unfounded fear in my mind.

DK: Persian Diaspora actors or celebrities seem to want to use their image also to raise awareness on the plight of Iranians back home. Singer Nazanin Afshin-Jam for instance who is also a Former Miss World Canada is currently trying to draw attention on the case of a young girl who risks execution in Iran (see article). As an Iranian Baha’i do you feel the same commitment or responsibility in regard to your religious community who is also suppressed back home ?


OD: I think there is no question in the minds of all Iranians and indeed the international community that Baha’is have had undue negative treatment in Iran to various degrees since the inception of this peaceful World Faith in the mid 1800s. I suppose in the same way that through me a portion of mainstream Britain/Europe/America sees that Iranians are not all the religious fanatics that the media would have us be, and have a sense of humor and fun (and thus, dare we say it, humanity!) I would like to think that for those who have been brought up with prejudice against Baha’is I am a positive reminder that Baha’is are not all bald and over weight, and that they came out wrong.


DK: You have played so many different colorful characters in movies, and on stage which makes it very difficult to typecast you as an actor. Which one has been your favorite part so far ?

OD: On the contrary, being bald, dark and over weight makes it very easy to type-cast me. However playing Lupo, Heath Ledger’s Valet to his 'Casanova' where I played some sort of posh-talking effete socialite/man-servant was a testament to the fact that I’m not just here for the Middle-Eastern bit-part film ride.

'20 Fingers' (***). Collaboration between the two sets of artistes I believe is an inevitability.

DK: You were Awarded the Persian Golden Lioness Award® this October, along with Shohreh Aghdashloo in the field of Dramatic Arts, and many other Artists in different disciplines.
The Persian Community has alot of young aspiring actors/directors and artists worldwide. What advice would you give them to succeed in this profession ?
OD: To live by my own personal motto ˜screw it, just do it !'..

DK: Any Plans of a tour in California with your No Agenda Stand Up ?

OD: None as yet, too busy sorry.

DK: Thank you Omid for your Time it was truly a pleasure and wishing you all the best in your promising Career.

OD: Ghorbaneh shomah.(Note from Editor : which means in a polite Persian 'goodbye' but also 'I shall sacrifice myself for you' )

DK: Not asking you that much Omid cause we need you in the Arena !! ;0)

[RedWine]

If the Great British actor Peter Ustinov was alive today, he would most probably make the following comment in the form of a friendly tribute to British-Iranian rising Star Omid Djalili quoting his own Mentor the no less great Charles Laughton from a memorable scene in Stanley Kubrick’s Epic Masterpiece Spartacus, in which they portray two slightly decadent yet wise citizen’s of the declining Roman Republic :

“You and I, have a tendency towards corpulence. Corpulence makes a man reasonable, pleasant and phlegmatic. Have you noticed the nastiest of tyrants are invariably thin?”

If you believe in post-mortem reincarnations, then you would agree that there is certainly something of a Peter Ustinov in Omid Djalili. Or is it the contrary? They both seem to share this rare combination of wit and quick tongue humor disguised within a cosmopolitan envelope. Interestingly Ustinov, very much like Djalili today, was first noticed for his supporting roles be it as a blind beggar in the Egyptian, or the mad, yet funny villainous Emperor Nero in another memorable Epic “Quo Vadis?” before achieving international Stardom and critical success with his Oscar winning performance as the colorful Roman Slave dealer Batiatus in Spartacus followed by his other popular on screen personifications such as in the title role of Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in Agatha Christie’s crime film adaptations.

Similarly Omid Djalili is certainly one of the most versatile and successful actors of Iranian decent who has managed to draw attention beyond his community and conquer Hollywood in noticeable appearances opposite some of its greatest Stars. Equally convincing as a slave trader in sword and sandals films like “The Mummy” and “Gladiator” , or as Casanova’s comic side kick Lupo, Djalili often manages to steal the show from such co-stars as the late Oliver Reed or the new sex idol Heath Ledger. He was also to reveal a darker side of his impersonations as the ambitious and ruthless Pablo Picasso opposite Andy Garcia in Mike Davis’ “Modigliani”.

Often dubbed as the only Iranian stand up comic, his noticed performances on the British stage and on American TV shows like Whoopie have drawn large audiences and certainly paved the way for the younger generation of Persian Diaspora artists like Maz Jobrani, Shappi Khorsandi, Dan Ahdoot, Amir Talai or Patrick Monahan.

The former student of the University of Ulster, Coleraine in Northern Ireland who earned a degree in English and theater studies, has surely come a long way. Happily married to British actress/director Annabel Knight and father of three children, Omid Djalili’s talent has been finally acknowledged by his fellow compatriots of the Iranian Diaspora thanks to the Persian Golden Lioness Awards, also known as the Iranian Oscars along with another fellow actor of Persian Decent Mrs. Shohreh Aghdashloo (Oscar nominee for The House of Sand and Fog, 2003).

I had the privilege of interviewing him recently on his life, career and future projects.

You were first noticed in Hollywood particularly for your roles in blockbuster epic films like The Mummy, Jason and the Argonauts or Gladiator, which re-launched a film genre that was virtually oblivious since the 1960’s. What was it like to be part of a Sword and Sandals film?

A great thrill, especially "Gladiator” that from the moment you walked on the sets you knew from the sheer scale of the project you were working on something special. It helped working with special people too. Directors like Ridley Scott and Steven Sommers had the eye for the “big picture” epic that I was brought up on with films like “Spartacus”. “Gladiator” especially has that quality of being thrilling and moving.

Your Stand up No Agenda was a hit at the London Palladium (Now on DVD). Has “taming” a British or American live audience to the Persian sense of humor been as equally challenging as running a gladiator school in ancient Rome?

I don’t know about “taming” but I’m genuinely surprised that my sense of humor is something many people share. Humor is very subjective, and to have reached so many people across so many time zones has bewildered me somewhat. I suppose the fact that I have a genuine interest in people and different cultures has helped me connect with a more multicultural, multi-class and multi-aged audience. The Americans appreciate energy so when I performed in New York for example I was more energized. But every night is a different story.

Who were your role models as a teenager when you were aspiring to become an actor?

I was always a big fan of Jack Lemmon. He performed with so much heart that it was impossible not to feel a little moved as well as entertained whenever I saw him on the screen (and on stage in London in 1989 in a legendary production of “Long Day's Journey Into Night” (*) with a cast that included Kevin Spacey). Al Pacino was always a curiosity especially as I read now that he started out in comedy and is always clowning around on set and trying to get back into comedy much against the wishes of the film Studios. Dustin Hoffman in “The Graduate” affected me a great deal too, and I’ve always been inspired by the great actresses such as Meryl Streep, Glen Close and Julia Roberts. But it was the film "The Deer Hunter”, specifically the Russian roulette scene between Christopher Walken and Robert DeNiro that made me want to be an actor. I remember watching it at home on TV when I was sixteen and standing with my head in my hands pacing about and shouting as I watched the scene unfold.

You grew up caught between two cultures: Persian and British. In a recent excellent BBC documentary (See Below) You seem to regret the “cool” or lets say “positive” image we as Iranians seemed to have before the Revolution. Do you think Western awareness on our history and struggles as a Diaspora community has evolved since the early days of the Revolution?

Not really no. That’s why I keep going.

One of your very hilarious sketches is about the typical shy Iranian in a Disco who ends up reinventing an entire new dance genre. I think a lot of us can identify with that acute observation. How much of your live performances are improvised and do you think there is a limit to self derision?

One is always open to improvisation because the live genre requires you to be. Finding stuff on the spur of the moment happens all the time but not always on stage, it happens in life which is why I write things down as they happen. Nothing gives me more pleasure though than a something I had just thought of and written out before hand then performed that evening and getting an instant reaction (a big laugh hopefully). And with regards to “self-derision” I am always wary of people who take themselves too seriously.

You seem to have paved the road for other talented Persian Stand Ups in Britain like Shappi Khorsandi, or Patrick Monahan. What is your outlook on this new generation and is there a difference of approach in Humor between British and American Iranians of the Diaspora?

They’re all good comics. Those two comics definitely have Iranian charm stamped across their stand up and their stage persona. Maz Jobrani too I think is one to watch, I love his voice and his manner.

How can or should our Diaspora Community evolve without denying its roots and identity?

By firstly integrating and assimilating in and to where ever you are. Having lived as a "Brit” abroad myself (in the former Czechoslovakia in the 1990s) I have seen how learning another language and adapting to the mind set of those around you in a foreign land can be the difference between people loving you and just tolerating you. Of course when you do this you are never fundamentally forgetting who you are and where you came from. The idea that you are denying your roots and identity by assimilating is a completely unfounded fear in my mind.

[RedWine]

Persian Diaspora actors or celebrities seem to want to use their image also to raise awareness on the plight of Iranians back home. Singer Nazanin Afshin-Jam for instance who is also a former Miss World Canada is currently trying to draw attention on the case of a young girl who risks execution in Iran. As an Iranian Baha’i do you feel the same commitment or responsibility in regard to your religious community who is also suppressed back home?

I think there is no question in the minds of all Iranians and indeed the international community that Baha’is have had undue negative treatment in Iran to various degrees since the inception of this peaceful World Faith in the mid 1800s. I suppose in the same way that through me a portion of mainstream Britain/Europe/America sees that Iranians are not all the religious fanatics that the media would have us be, and have a sense of humor and fun (and thus, dare we say it, humanity!) I would like to think that for those who have been brought up with prejudice against Baha’is I am a positive reminder that Baha’is are not all bald and overweight... hang on, that came out wrong

You have played so many different colorful characters in movies, and on stage which makes it very difficult to typecast you as an actor. Which one has been your favorite part so far?

On the contrary, being bald, dark and over weight makes it very easy to type-cast me. However playing Lupo, Heath Ledger’s Valet to his “Casanova” where I played some sort of posh-talking effete socialite/man-servant was a testament to the fact that I’m not just here for the Middle-Eastern bit-part film ride.

You have proved that you can also play serious roles as with your remarkable portrayal of Picasso opposite Andy Garcia in Mike Davis’ Modigliani, interestingly you both share a similar commitment to your community, have you been tempted by film direction as Garcia with Lost City?

Playing Picasso was indeed a thrill and Garcia is an artiste of some influence. You will, over the next few years, see me direct and produce as this is where the power lies. Already being at the helm of my own TV show at the BBC has been liberating.

There seems to be a cultural and geographical gap between Iranian Cinema and that of the Persian/Iranian Diaspora which is still trying to define an identity, and style. Do you think there is an area to find common ground and maybe even subjects that could lead to cooperation between these two Worlds?

This a very good question. There is so much talent in Iran. I am in contact with some of the “new wave” such as Bijan Daneshmand who along with Mania Akbari blew me away in their film “20 Fingers” (***). Collaboration between the two sets of artistes I believe is an inevitability.

You were awarded the Persian Golden Lioness Award this October, along with Shohreh Aghdashloo in the field of dramatic arts, and many other artists in different disciplines.

The Persian community has alot of young aspiring actors/directors and artists worldwide. What advice would you give them to succeed in this profession?

To live by my own personal motto "screw it, just do it !”.

Any plans of a tour in California with your No Agenda Stand Up?

None as yet, too busy sorry.

Thank you Omid for your time and wishing you all the best in your promising Career.

Ghorbaneh shomah.

[RedWine]

BBC Series

After a successful pilot, Omid has been commissioned to do a six-part stand-up series for BBC1 (UK), ‘The Omid Djalili Show’. The show sketches similarly to Dave Allen’s, 20 years ago. With contributions from Otiz Cannelloni, Will Smith, Roger Drew, Ricky Grover and Dave Fulton in addition to Omid’s original work, this is a must-see! The show is produced by Kenton Allen (executive producer) and Alex Walsh-Taylor, with Steve Punt as script editor.

Omid will be shooting the series early next year as he has to fit some stand-up try-outs in two films, including a double role in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean III’.

[bidjan]

Click here TO PLAY:
http://www.omidnoagenda.com/video/clip_3.html

[donsaeid]

thanx bidjan :) that was funny

poor guy! everybody goes after his balls :D

[bidjan]

Just click on it to play...
http://www.omidnoagenda.com/video/clip_1.html
http://www.omidnoagenda.com/video/clip_2.html
http://www.omidnoagenda.com/video/clip_3.html
http://www.omidnoagenda.com/video/clip_4.html
http://www.omidnoagenda.com/video/hbo1.html
http://www.omidnoagenda.com/video/hbo2.html
http://www.omidnoagenda.com/video/apollo1.html
http://www.omidnoagenda.com/video/apollo2.html
http://www.omidnoagenda.com/video/apollo3.html
http://www.omidnoagenda.com/video/apollo4.html

[RedWine]

'One ship sails east, the other west, by the self same winds that blow; it's the set of the sails, and not the rules, that decides the way to go' -Errol Flynn


http://www.persianmirror.com/Images/Articles/1453/01.jpg



As Summer approaches and everyone is preparing their kids for the Sea Shores of the Caspian or the Pacific Ocean, take in mind not the Get Wet ;0)



The Upcoming Summer Blockbuster 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End' starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and the beautiful Keira Knightly will be setting for the last Adventure or so announced. It will certainly be of interest to know that they will be confronted to a number of fellow actors of Persian Heritage Once More! ;0)



Omid Djalili as Askay/Pusasn

Marshall Manesh as Sumbhajee

And David Zahedian appeared in the previous episode as a Turkish Guard



Plot:

After Elizabeth (Keira Knightly), Will (Orlando Bloom), and Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) rescue Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) from the clutches of the Kraken, they must face their foes, Davey Jones (Bill Nighy) and Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander). Beckett, now with control of Jones' heart, forms a dark alliance with him in order to rule the seas and wipe out the last of the Pirates. Now, Jack, Barbossa, Will, Elizabeth, Tia Delma, and crew must call the Pirate Lords from the four corners of the globe, including the infamous Sao Feng (Chow-Yun Fat), to a gathering that will make their final stand against Beckett, Jones, Norrington, the Flying Dutchman, and the entire East India Trading Company.

Following a long tradition of swashbuckling heroes in Hollywood best symbolized by the Great Errol Flynn, Gore Verbinski has successfully brought back the genre and modernized it with Fantasy and humour.



Will there be a sequel to this movie? It is hard to say after the Mega Success and accumulation of work (All three episodes were shot one after the other for three different releases) that was in itself an adventure for the entire cast. What is sure is that it will certainly remind many of the great hours of Warner Bros' greatest Swashbuckler Errol Flynn and his Pirate Buddies. Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum!



VIVE LE CINEMA!

[RedWine]

http://www.searchles.com/links/show/id/78535

[RedWine]

Omid Djalili - episode 6 part 3

YouTube - Omid Djalili - episode 6 part 3

[maryam9]

hes my favorit iranian comic actor :D
technically 3 more than germany

[RedWine]

Omid Djalili, 42, was born in London to Iranian parents and is now acclaimed as one of Britain’s finest stand-up comedians. He has featured in films including The Mummy, Gladiator and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, and has made numerous television appearances, including his own series, The Omid Djalili Show. He is currently touring the UK and lives in London with his wife and three children, aged 14, 12 and 8

"Disaster always seems to strike four or five days into my holidays. Our last was to Evia, in Greece, in the summer. We stayed in a lovely hotel at the foot of a hill, right next to the sea, with beautiful gardens and fantastic food, and for the first few days it was paradise.

Then we started hearing reports on the news about forest fires that were devastating parts of the country. When the sky turned an apocalyptic red, and ash began to fall onto the hotel, it was time to leave. The hotel rep told everyone not to panic, but to leave within four hours.

So we ignored his instructions, panicked, jumped in our hire car and raced the forest fires back to Athens. At one point, the fire had crossed the road, forcing us to veer around it. It was pretty scary, but quite exciting, and by the time I had retold the episode a few times, I had personally hosed the flames and prevented Athens from burning.

My ideal holiday would be to go somewhere by myself. For most of my life, I have been surrounded by people. My parents used to fill the house with sick Iranians, who paid to stay while awaiting treatment and occupied my bedroom. I had to sleep in the lounge, but only after they had all finished sitting there and gone to bed.

I used to dream of being in a house on my own, and one of the best holidays I ever had was when I first left home to go to university in Northern Ireland. I hired a cottage in Coleraine and stayed there, by myself, watching political party conferences by day and Just Good Friends by night, ordering curries and reading. It gave me a complete sense of freedom, which is what holidays should be about.

We had only two family holidays, both to Iran to visit relatives. The first I was too young to remember, but the second is rooted in my mind because of the horrors it contained. I was six years old and we went to stay with my grandfather in Tehran. It was alternately very hot and very cold; I was unused to the food and sick most of the time; and, when I was well enough to venture out, the local Tehranian youth stole my western toys.

To complete the happy holiday, there was no sewer system, and I nearly died after falling into the pit of human excrement where everyone emptied their various receptacles. I’ve never been back, but I would love to go, not least because Iran is probably one of the few places where I will be able to waltz through customs.

My first thought when those planes hit the Twin Towers was that travelling for me would never be the same again. I’d already encountered a few problems, because of having a threatening name, but since 9/11 I’ve learnt to allow extra time to be detained by customs officers.

On one occasion, I went to America to film the sitcom Whoopi, with Whoopi Goldberg, and had to wait several hours while they phoned the production office to find out whether the sitcom was for real or just an elaborate ploy by a well-known terrorist. In the past year, it’s got better, as they’ve started to recognise me. Instead of searching me, customs officers ask for my autograph.

Arab countries are easier and one of the most unusual places I’ve been is the village of Aït Benhaddou, in Morocco, where we filmed part of Gladiator. The village is in the Atlas Mountains, near Ouarzazate. It was incredible to be among the local Berber people, who still live simple lives, largely untouched by the modern world – apart from large film crews and Russell Crowe.

I went back to Morocco a year later to make the film Spy Game and discovered that I had become a huge celebrity there – I was in The Mummy, which had been showing four times a day, prior to our arrival, on Moroccan national television. I’ve got a great photograph of myself surrounded by an autograph-hungry mob in Casablanca.

In the background, Brad Pitt and Robert Redford, the big stars of the film, are hovering completely unknown and unnoticed. That sort of reception is so much better than being under suspicion in America."

[RedWine]

I'd highly recommend Louis CK. I'm always dubious when people are tipped as "one of the best comedians around" but even Ricky Gervais has been talking about this guy being the best comedian he has ever seen.

I also think Tim Minchin is very funny. He's like an Australian Bill Bailey. He plays the piano and his show is mostly comedy songs but he also does stand-up.

Then there are the Honourable Men of Art, a bunch of comedians including Daniel Kitson, Andy Zaltzman and Alun Cochrane. They are quite cerebral and just give a very different view-point on life. It is mostly stand-up and is very uplifting.

[RedWine]

Prince Charles of England was subjected to a roast this past week, mostly about his lengthy wait to inherit the throne, from some of the worlds highest profile comedians at a gala to celebrate his 60th birthday. See Omid Djalili piece in this video clip.

YouTube - Omid Djalili WAMA