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 25 to 41 of 41.
0:45Lindsey Graham - US Intervention Iran
3.7K views
1:12Protest Flags
3.6K views
0:04Leila Abolhassani Faces Execution in Iran
3K views
2:26The Power of Football
2.8K views
0:52Greetings Commander
2.4K views
1:01Put the IRGC on the terrorist list.
2.3K views
1:28ARGENTINA V ENGLAND
2.3K views
0:55Why you should listen to your parents
2.1K views
1:30What is the Islamic Regime up to?
1.4K views
1:30The Secret to My Acting Career: Breaking Wind at Will
1.3K views
0:30OMID DJALILI LONDON PALLADIUM 11 FEB
1.1K views
0:47Fantasy Football | Omid Djalili Remembers His Last Season
530 views
0:29Omid Djalili | NAMASTE Tour | Lyceum Theatre, Crewe
421 views
0:29Omid Djalili | NAMASTE Tour | King’s Hall, Ilkley
390 views
0:29Omid Djalili | NAMASTE Tour | Leamington Spa
383 views
1:25We Still Believe
288 views
2:04Why is the flag an issue for Iranians at the World Cup?
56 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.
