Kunal Nayyar
| Kunal Nayyar | |
|---|---|
 Kunal Nayyar shot in 2008 on a tour with the rest of The Big Bang Theory cast. |
|
| Born |
April 30, 1981 London, England, UK |
| Occupation | Actor, writer |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Spouse | Neha Kapur (2011-present) |
Kunal Nayyar (English pronunciation: /ˈkuːnɑːl ˈnɛər/; born April 30, 1981) is an actor best known for his role as Rajesh Koothrappali on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory.
Early life
Nayyar was born in London to a Hindu-Punjabi family[1] and moved to India when he was four years old.[2]
He attended St Columba's School in New Delhi, India, where he played badminton for the school team.[3][4] In 1999 he moved to the US to earn a Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of Portland.[5] While he was working on his degree he started taking acting classes and appeared in several school plays. After he participated in the American College Theater Festival and won its Mark Twain Prize for Comic Brilliance, he resolved to become a professional actor. He then attended Temple University, where he received a Master of Fine Arts in Acting.[6]
Career
After graduating, Nayyar found work doing American television ads and plays on the London stage.[7] He first gained attention in the US for his role in the West Coast production of Rajiv Joseph's 2006 play Huck & Holden where he portrayed an Indian exchange student anxious to experience American culture before returning home.[6] In 2006, Nayyar teamed up with Arun Das to write the play Cotton Candy, which premiered in New Delhi to positive reviews.[8] Nayyar made a guest appearance on the CBS drama NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) in the episode "Suspicion" (Season 4, Episode 12), in which he played Youssef Zidan, an Iraqi terrorist. His agent heard about a role for a scientist in an upcoming CBS pilot and encouraged him to audition for the part. This led to his casting in the sitcom The Big Bang Theory,[1] on which he plays astrophysicist Rajesh Koothrappali.
In 2011 he co-hosted the Tribute to Nerds show with co-star Simon Helberg at Just For Laughs comedy festival.[9]
Personal life
Nayyar married Miss India 2006 winner Neha Kapur in December 2011.[10]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Film | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | S.C.I.E.N.C.E | Pizza Man | |
| 2012 | Ice Age: Continental Drift | Gupta | In post-production |
Television
| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service | Youssef Zidan | Uncredited Episode: "Suspicion" |
| 2007–present | The Big Bang Theory | Rajesh Koothrappali | Lead role |
| 2010 | The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson | Rajesh Koothrappali |
Theater
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Huck and Holden | Navin | Dahlia Theater, Los Angeles |
| 2006 | Loves Labors Lost | Other Parts | Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford upon Avon, England |
Web television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | CollegeHumor Originals | Kunal | Episode "Porn Tech Support" |
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Garland Award | Best Male Lead in a Play on the West Coast | Won | Huck and Holden |
| 2012 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Nominated | The Big Bang Theory |
References
- ^ a b Banerjee, Sudeshna (July 7, 2008). "Mr Big Bang". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080707/jsp/entertainment/story_9512204.jsp. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ Shah, Amar (March 23, 2011). "'Big Bang' star loves cricket's World Cup". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?id=6130411. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ Kapoor, Kritika (June 25, 2010). "I’d rather do social movies: Kunal Nayyar". Daily News and Analysis. http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_i-d-rather-do-social-movies-kunal-nayyar_1400993. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ Ahmed, Sana (June 28, 2008). "Going places". The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/06/28/stories/2008062850570400.htm. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ Alumni | Drama | University of Portland. College.up.edu. Retrieved on 2011-07-05.
- ^ a b "Making it as a nerd". Rediff. November 19, 2007. http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2007/nov/19look.htm. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ Sahgal, Natasha (September 16, 2009). "Geek God". Indian Express. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/geek-god/517505/1. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ Chander, Romesh (June 16, 2006). "Staging the fluff of dreams". The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/06/16/stories/2006061601800300.htm. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ Wyatt, Nelson (July 26, 2011). "'Big Bang Theory' stars say most people can relate to being nerds". Winnipeg Free Press. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/TV/126179733.html. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ "The Talk, CBS". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoR5Xdk7kbs. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
External links
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