Usman Ally
Birth dateAugust 27, 1982 (age 44)
Birth placeSwaziland
EducationLewis and Clark College (BA)
University of Florida (MFA)
OccupationActor

Usman Ally (born August 27, 1982) is a Swazi-born Pakistani-American film, stage and television actor. Marking his acting debut in 2008, Ally won an Obie Award in 2015 for his role in The Invisible Hand.[1]

He has appeared in several stage productions including The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, The Jungle Book and a production of Around the World in 80 Days. He is known for his on-screen roles such as Fernald the Hook-Handed Man in Netflix's adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events, which premiered in 2017 and Andy Malik in Suits.[2]

Background

Ally was born in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) to Pakistani parents.[3][4][5] He grew up in Kenya, Botswana, Tanzania, and Pakistan.[6][7][8] According to Ally, his family regularly moved because his father was involved in international trade.[9][4]

At age 18, Ally moved to the United States and attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, majoring in theater and cultural anthropology.[10] Soon after graduating from Lewis and Clark, he attended the University of Florida, where he graduated magna cum laude with a Master of Fine Arts in acting. He has lived in Portland, Chicago, and Los Angeles.[3]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2008The GroupSunilShort film
2009Chicago OvercoatPawnshop Owner
2011Our FathersAhmedShort film
2012Just Like a WomanOusman
2013Star Trek Into DarknessU.S.S. Vengeance Officer
2015MisledWaseem
2016Love Meet HopeAndrew
2020The HuntCrisis Mike
SuperintelligenceSergei
2022GrimcuttyAmir Chaudhry[11]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2011The Chicago CodeAbrahmEpisode: "St. Valentine's Day Massacre"
DamagesNasim Marwat4 episodes
2012BossJoe Young2 episodes
2013Blue BloodsVendorEpisode: "No Regrets"
2014Mind GamesCharlesEpisode: "Pilot"
Person of InterestJamal RishaEpisode: "Allegiance"
2014–2015Madam SecretaryZahed Javani3 episodes
2015CastleBilal JafariEpisode: "Sleeper"
The PlayerHamidEpisode: "Pilot"
Brooklyn Animal ControlLawyerEpisode 1.1
2016BlindspotHakimEpisode: "Cease Forcing Enemy"
Helen & GraceCoach2 episodes
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.Vincent3 episodes
The LibrariansSecurity Lt. BeckerEpisode: "And the Fangs of Death"
2016–2017VeepAmbassador Al Jaffar6 episodes
2017–2018NobodiesGavinRecurring role
Mike Tyson MysteriesRaji, Mahmoud, Price Abdul Al FarooqVoice, 2 episodes[12]
2017–2019A Series of Unfortunate EventsFernald the Hook-Handed ManRecurring role
SuitsAndrew Malik4 episodes
2017Just Add MagicMr. Morris8 episodes
LifelineNathanMain role
Curb Your EnthusiasmMorsi DriverEpisode: "Never Wait for Seconds!"
2019Better ThingsDr. BabuEpisode: "No Limits"
On Becoming a God in Central FloridaStan Van GrundegaardRecurring role
2019–2020NCISVictor Mir2 episodes
202068 WhiskeyCaptain HazaraRecurring role
2021Call Me KatDr. Kevin KhanEpisode: "Therapy"
Young JusticeKhalid Nassour, Muhammad NassourVoice, recurring role (5 episodes)[12]
2022God's Favorite IdiotMohsin Raza16 episodes[13]
2023The Good DoctorRoland BarnesEpisode: "Old Friends"
2026The PittDr. Raymond JavadiEpisode: "1:00 P.M."

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2016Uncharted 4: A Thief's EndAsavMultiplayer only
2017Uncharted: The Lost LegacyAlso motion capture[12]
Middle-earth: Shadow of WarSerka"Desolation of Mordor" DLC
2019The Elder Scrolls OnlineZamarak
Magic: The Gathering ArenaOko, Thief of Crowns[14]
2020Fast & Furious CrossroadsKai
AvengersGeorge Tarleton / M.O.D.O.K.[12]
2022God of War RagnarökDurlin[12]

References

  1. ^ "2015 Obie Awards". Obie Awards. 2015. Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  2. ^ Sean Fitz-Gerald (January 13, 2017). "Every 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' Actor You Need to Know About". Thrillist. Archived January 10, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  3. ^ "Angry Reader of the Week: Usman Ally". Angry Asian Man. 1 June 2017. Archived 1 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  4. ^ Metz, Nina (14 June 2017). "Like so many others, Usman Ally goes from Chicago to 'Veep'". Chicago Tribune. Archived 1 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  5. ^ "Usman Ally On His 'Veep' Role As a Turning Point for Muslims on TV". Awards Daily. 23 June 2017. Archived 27 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Usman Ally: The Pakistani American Actor Who Seems to Be Everywhere". India West. 12 October 2017. Archived 1 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Five Questions with Usman Ally, Star of 'Nobodies', 'Veep' and 'Series Of Unfortunate Events'". Huffington Post. 24 May 2017. Archived 23 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  8. ^ Soloski, Alexis (27 December 2014). "Usman Ally Discusses his Roles". The New York Times. Archived 1 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Usman Ally on identity politics in ATC's 'Disgraced'". WBEZ. Archived 1 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  10. ^ Waterhouse, Ben (28 September 2015). "Character Builder". Lewis & Clark. Archived 18 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  11. ^ Ganguly, Shrija (October 10, 2022). "Grimcutty review: The John Ross horror film on Hulu works despite a freakish monster and some loose strings". Sportskeeda. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  12. ^ "Usman Ally (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 9, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  13. ^ Wiseman, Andreas & Petski, Denise (February 12, 2021). "Melissa McCarthy Netflix Comedy God’s Favorite Idiot Adds Yanic Truesdale, Steve Mallory, Usman Ally, More". Deadline. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  14. ^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10967214/characters/nm2762669