Navid Negahban is an Iranian-American actor who portrayed Abu Nazir on Homeland. He is also known for portraying the Shadow King in Legion, Al-Owal in Arrow, and Abir in Dead Air.
Biography[]
Born on June 2, 1968 in Mashrad, Iran, actor Navid Negahban left his homeland as a teenager in 1985, both to escape the political conditions in Iran (which was in the midst of a brutal war with Iraq) and to escape his own to come closer to the dream of being an actor. His path first took him via Turkey to Germany, where he traveled through the country with an acting troupe for several years, even though he initially spoke neither German nor English. After more than eight years in Germany, he now speaks fluent German, and in addition to Persian, of course, English and Dari. In 1993, David Neghaban moved to the USA and continued to refine his art there.
With September 11, 2011, a lot changed for Navid Neghaban, as the roles he was offered changed drastically. Most of the time he could only play terrorists or Islamists, but in addition to his frustration with Hollywood's one-sided view of his culture, he also developed a kind of professional pride and made it his goal to breathe as much life and facets into these roles as possible. Since he knows the culture of these characters from his own experience, he sees it as his chance to portray them in a responsible way.
His best-known roles, in addition to countless guest appearances in relevant crime series such as "Navy CIS", "CSI: Miami", "Law & Order: New York" and many more, include the part of the sadistic Ali in the film "The Stoning Of Soraya M" . This role not only impressed Navid as an actor, he also stuck in the minds of many viewers, so he keeps meeting people who confront him with this disturbing film.
Over time, Navid Negahban has repeatedly played larger parts in series. He played a supporting role in the eighth season of "24 - Twenty Four", but is particularly well known for his important role in the first two seasons of "Homeland". . There he played the main antagonist Abu Nazir. For this role he traveled with the entire production team to Israel, where the scenes of the series that take place in the Middle East are filmed. He took the opportunity to see the country and himself to exchange ideas with Israelis and Palestinians about the complex situation in the region.
In his free time, Navid Negahban works on antique furniture and prepares for his next roles. Because he doesn't see the actual filming as work, the process of creating a character is the part that is the real art.
Trivia[]
Negahban: 'Homeland' Depicts Nuanced Villain
Filmography[]