Kumail Nanjiani | |
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Nanjiani speaking at WonderCon in Anaheim, California on March 17, 2012
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Born |
Karachi, Pakistan |
February 21, 1978
Alma mater | Grinnell College |
Occupation | Actor, stand-up comedian, podcast host, writer |
Years active | 2008–present |
Spouse(s) | Emily V. Gordon (m. 2007) |
Kumail Nanjiani (born February 21, 1978) is a Pakistani-American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and podcast host. Nanjiani is best known for his role as a main cast member on HBO's Emmy Award-nominated series Silicon Valley, as well as for providing the voice of Prismo on the Emmy Award-winning animated series Adventure Time. In addition he's starred on the TNT series Franklin & Bash and the Adult Swim series Newsreaders. He also co-hosts the Comedy Central show The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail. In addition to his television and film work, he hosts two podcasts: The Indoor Kids and The X-Files Files.
Nanjiani was born in Karachi, Pakistan. He was raised as a Shia Muslim, but became an atheist later in life. He is related to the Pakistani-Scottish radio presenter Shereen Nanjiani.
During his childhood, Nanjiani lived in Karachi and attended Karachi Grammar School. At 18, he moved to the United States and attended Grinnell College in Iowa, from which he graduated in 2001. He completed a double major in Computer Science and Philosophy.
In July 2011, he and X-Play staffer Ali Baker began hosting a video game-themed podcast, titled The Indoor Kids. In late August of the same year Baker left the show and Nanjiani began hosting with his wife, Emily V. Gordon. Until other commitments took over, he appeared regularly on Dan Harmon's podcast Harmontown, where he played Dungeons & Dragons with Harmon as a character named Chris de Burgh. He played a delivery man in the 2013 film, The Kings of Summer.