Omid Abtahi ( fa, امید ابطحی) is an Iranian-American actor.
[ noorfilmfestival.com Accessed 2016-1-28] He is best known for his roles as Salim in Starz Original ''
American Gods
''American Gods'' (2001) is a fantasy novel by British author Neil Gaiman. The novel is a blend of Americana, fantasy, and various strands of ancient and modern mythology, all centering on the mysterious and taciturn Shadow.
The book was pu ...
'', Doctor Pershing in ''
The Mandalorian
''The Mandalorian'' is an American space Western television series created by Jon Favreau for the streaming service Disney+. It is the first live-action series in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, beginning five years after the events of '' Retur ...
'' on Disney+, Saleem Ulman in ''
NCIS'' on Paramount+, and Homes in the fourth installment of
''The Hunger Games'' film series, ''
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2''.
Early life and education
Abtahi was born in
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
, Iran. At the age of 5 he moved to
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
with his family and later they moved to the United States, finally moving to
Irvine,
Orange County, California
Orange County is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,186,989, making it the third-most-populous county in California, the sixth-most-populous in the United States, ...
when he was 10.
[
Abtahi graduated from University High School in Irvine and attended ]California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton (CSUF or Cal State Fullerton) is a public university in Fullerton, California. With a total enrollment of more than 41,000, it has the largest student body of the 23-campus California State University (CSU ...
. He began studying advertising, then picked up a second major in theater and graduated in 2002.[ ocregister.com Accessed 2016-1-29]
Career
Before acting on television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
, Abtahi performed on stage in many theatrical productions including ''Fraulein Else'' at the Berkeley Repertory, McCarter Theatre and Longwarf Theatre; ''Adoration of the Old Woman'' at the Sundance Theatre Lab and ''Your Everyday Typical Romantic Comedy'' at the Kennedy Centre. He has also guest starred on the television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...
'' JAG'', ''Judging Amy
''Judging Amy'' is an American legal drama television series that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly. Its main character (Brenneman) is a judge who serves in a ...
'' and '' 24''. He played Justin Yates in ''Ghost Whisperer
''Ghost Whisperer'' is an American supernatural television series, which ran on CBS from September 23, 2005, to May 21, 2010.
The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon ( Jennifer Love Hewitt), who has the ability to see and communicate wit ...
''.
After arriving in Los Angeles, Abtahi was a series regular on FX's ''Over There
"Over There" is a 1917 song written by George M. Cohan that was popular with the United States military and public during both world wars. It is a patriotic song designed to galvanize American young men to enlist and fight the " Hun". The son ...
'' and Showtime's '' Sleeper Cell''.
Abtahi made his New York stage debut in ''Urge for Going'' by Mona Mansour.
Filmography
Film
Television
Video game
Short film
References
External links
*
TITANS OF HOLLYWOOD: Tinsel Town's Spotlights Shine on CSUF Alumni
by Cathi Douglas '80, California State University, Fullerton TITAN Magazine (calstate.fullerton.edu), 2011
'Mockingjay' casts Omid Abtahi as Homes
by Andrew Sims (hypable.com), September 24, 2013
by Ethan Hawke (ocregister.com), Sept. 17, 2014 (Updated: Sept. 30, 2014)
Interviews with Young Iranians: Omid Abtahi, Actor
by ParsArts.com - 24 Jan 2007
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abtahi, Omid
1979 births
American male stage actors
American male television actors
Iranian emigrants to the United States
Living people
California State University, Fullerton alumni
21st-century American male actors
Male actors from Tehran
American male film actors
Male actors from Orange County, California
Iranian diaspora film people
American male video game actors