About Omid Djalili
Omid Djalili, born in Kensington to an Iranian family, studied English and theatre studies at Ulster University before taking his act to Edinburgh. The breakthrough came at the Fringe in 1995 with Short, Fat Kebab Shop Owner's Son, and the next year he doubled down on the cultural material in The Arab and the Jew, a show he shared with the comedian Ivor Dembina. His Fringe run in 2005 broke the festival's box office records. Along the way he picked up the Time Out Award, the EMMA Award and the LWT Comedy Award for best stand-up, and was nominated for the Perrier Award.
BBC One gave him The Omid Djalili Show in 2007, a mix of sketches and stand-up that returned for a second series in 2009, and he has been a panel guest on Have I Got News for You and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. In 2022 he made chat show pilots for the BBC in both Persian and English.
Acting has run in parallel. Film audiences know him from supporting parts in Gladiator, The Mummy, Notting Hill and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, and gamers from the voice of Yusuf Amir in Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony. On stage he played Fagin in Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof at Chichester Festival Theatre. He told his own story in the autobiography Hopeful.
Videos (41)
Videos 1 to 24 of 41.
1:05My Nigerian Cousin.
284.7K views
16:12Omid Djalili - What’s Happening in Iran.
63.7K views
0:59INTERFERING IRANIANS
52.3K views
1:01Meeting Royalty
47.9K views
1:05Sunderland Vs Newcastle
39.6K views
1:08TURKS.
39.5K views
0:49Explaining Shahria Law to the West
38K views
1:01Arab Football Commentary
36.3K views
0:41Proper football fan!
20.9K views
1:02Comedy in a Theocracy
19.1K views
1:01Omid Djalili as Director of BBC TV.
18.3K views
0:29KING CHARLES LEAKY PEN...
18K views
0:32Premier League Comentators
17.1K views
1:07Performing in the USA
16.4K views
0:43Important announcement!
13.6K views
0:58OMID DJALILI LONDON PALLADIUM 11 FEB 27
13K views
0:39IRANIANS SO ANGRY WITH REGIME
9.2K views
0:44IRANIAN FOOTBALL FANS SPEAK OUT
8.8K views
0:32World Cup Commentators take note!
6.3K views
1:20OMID DJALILI - WOMEN OF IRAN
5.9K views
1:30HORRORS INFLICTED BY ISLAMIC REGIME
4.9K views
0:32FIFA Iran flag rules.
4.6K views
0:14OMID DJALILI PALLADIUM SHOW FEB 11
4.3K views
0:19Trolling the Islamic Regime
4.1K viewsGuest appearances (8)
Videos on other comedians' channels featuring Omid Djalili.
Guest appearances 1 to 8 of 8.
11:46WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS! | Omid Djalili Interview
Russell Brand
196.3K views
0:55Omid Djalili on the PudCast. Available everywhere.
Paul Chowdhry
87.1K views
19:01Omid Djalili performs Rob’s material, goes off-script in Oliver! and chats Mamma Mia
Robert Brydon Jones
74.7K views
1:40Opening for Omid Djalili - Paul Chowdhry
Paul Chowdhry
51.4K views
4:40Omid Djalili Didn't Want To Do Rob Brydon's Radio Show
Robert Brydon Jones
6.8K views
1:21:24Little Jodie (with Omid Djalili)
Alexei Sayle
6.3K views
3:51Omid Djalili Explains How He Got Cast in Mamma Mia 2
Robert Brydon Jones
4.9K views
1:26:14Omid Djalili | The Very Funny Podcast: Quarantined with Nemr Edition Episode
Nemr Abou Nassar
2.9K viewsChannels on this page: Russell Brand, Paul Chowdhry, Robert Brydon Jones, Alexei Sayle, Nemr Abou Nassar
Frequently asked questions
What was Omid Djalili's breakthrough?
Omid Djalili broke through at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1995 with Short, Fat Kebab Shop Owner's Son, after studying English and theatre studies at Ulster University.
What is The Arab and the Jew?
The Arab and the Jew is the show Omid Djalili shared with the comedian Ivor Dembina the year after his 1995 breakthrough.
What awards has Omid Djalili won?
Djalili picked up the Time Out Award, the EMMA Award and the LWT Comedy Award for best stand-up, and was nominated for the Perrier Award; his Fringe run in 2005 broke the festival's box office records.
When was The Omid Djalili Show on BBC One?
The Omid Djalili Show, a mix of sketches and stand-up, began on BBC One in 2007 and returned for a second series in 2009.
Which films has Omid Djalili appeared in?
Film audiences know him from supporting parts in Gladiator, The Mummy, Notting Hill and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.
Which stage musicals has Omid Djalili been in?
Omid Djalili played Fagin in Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof at Chichester Festival Theatre.
Has Omid Djalili written an autobiography?
He told his own story in the autobiography Hopeful, and in 2022 he made chat show pilots for the BBC in both Persian and English.
