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{{short description|British actor (born 1981)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kunal Nayyar
| image = Kunal Nayyar at PaleyFest 2013.jpg
| caption = Nayyar at the 2013 PaleyFest
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1981|4|30}}
| birth_place = [[Hammersmith]], [[London]], England
| nationality = Indian
| alma_mater = {{Plainlist|
* [[University of Portland]] ([[Bachelor of Business Administration|BBA]])
* [[Temple University]] ([[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]])
}}
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 2004–present
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Neha Kapur]]|2011}}
}}

'''Kunal Nayyar''' ({{IPAc-en|k|ʊ|ˈ|n|ɑː|l|_|ˈ|n|aɪ|.|ər|}}, {{respell|kuu|NAHL|_|NY|ər}}; [[Hindi|Hindi:]] कुणाल नय्यर; born 30 April 1981) is an Indian actor. He portrayed [[Raj Koothrappali]] on the [[CBS]] sitcom ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'' (2007–2019) and voiced Vijay on the Nickelodeon animated sitcom ''[[Sanjay and Craig]]'' (2013–2016). Nayyar also appeared in the films ''[[Ice Age: Continental Drift]]'' (2012), ''[[The Scribbler (film)|The Scribbler]]'' (2014), ''[[Dr. Cabbie]]'' (2014), ''[[Consumed (film)|Consumed]]'' (2015), ''[[Trolls (film)|Trolls]]'' (2016) and ''[[Sweetness in the Belly]]'' (2019). ''[[Forbes]]'' listed Nayyar as the world's third-highest-paid television actor in 2015 and 2018, with earnings of US$20 million and US$23.5 million, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www3.forbes.com/business/the-worlds-highest-paid-tv-actors-2015/12/|title=The World's Highest-Paid TV Actors|work=[[Forbes]]|access-date=3 February 2020|first=Maggie|last=McGarth|archive-date=19 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319223831/http://www3.forbes.com/business/the-worlds-highest-paid-tv-actors-2015/12/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/2018/10/24/highest-paid-tv-actors-2018-jim-parsons-leads-with-26-5-million/|title=Highest-Paid TV Actors 2018|work=Forbes|access-date=March 21, 2019|first=Natalie|last=Robehmed|archive-date=2 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802113835/https://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/2018/10/24/highest-paid-tv-actors-2018-jim-parsons-leads-with-26-5-million/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Early life==
Nayyar was born on 30 April 1981 in [[Hammersmith]], London, to a family of Indian Punjabi immigrants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=NShO606NpdTIkwEMm2DViQ&scan=1|title=Index entry|accessdate=18 January 2022|work=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS|archive-date=18 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118143156/https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=NShO606NpdTIkwEMm2DViQ&scan=1|url-status=live}}</ref> When he was three years old, his family returned to India and he grew up in [[New Delhi]], where his parents live.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kapoor|first=Kritika|title=I'd rather do social movies: Kunal Nayyar|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_i-d-rather-do-social-movies-kunal-nayyar_1400993|access-date=21 October 2011|newspaper=Daily News and Analysis|date=25 June 2010|archive-date=23 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923013018/http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_i-d-rather-do-social-movies-kunal-nayyar_1400993|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Ahmed|first=Sana|title=Going places|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/06/28/stories/2008062850570400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005020234/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/06/28/stories/2008062850570400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 October 2013|access-date=21 October 2011|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=28 June 2008}}</ref><ref name= accent/> He attended [[St. Columba's School, Delhi|St. Columba's School]], where he played [[badminton]] for the school team.<ref>{{Cite web|title=25 Fun Facts About Kunal Nayyar {{!}} The Big Bang Theory|url=https://www.thefactsite.com/kunal-nayyar-facts/|date=2012-03-08|website=The Fact Site|language=en-us|access-date=2020-05-19|archive-date=25 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025112524/https://www.thefactsite.com/kunal-nayyar-facts/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/television/salman-khan-has-done-such-amazing-things-for-our-industry-kunal-nayyar/article1-1134835.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518125610/http://www.hindustantimes.com/television/salman-khan-has-done-such-amazing-things-for-our-industry-kunal-nayyar/article1-1134835.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 May 2015 |first=Prashant |last=Singh |title=Salman Khan has done such amazing things for our industry: Kunal Nayyar |work=Hindustan Times |date=14 October 2013 |access-date=5 January 2021 }}</ref>

In 1999, Nayyar moved to the United States to pursue a [[Bachelor of Business Administration]] in finance from the [[University of Portland]] in Oregon.<ref>[http://www.backstage.com/news/successful-actors-talk-about-their-training Successful Actors Talk About Their Training] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111171926/http://www.backstage.com/news/successful-actors-talk-about-their-training/ |date=11 November 2012 }}. backstage.com. Retrieved on 2012-11-17.</ref> He started taking acting classes and appeared in several school plays while working on his degree.<ref name= accent>{{cite book |title= Yes, My Accent Is Real: And Some Other Things I Haven't Told You |first= Kunal |last= Nayyar |date= 2015 |publisher= Atria Books |isbn= 978-1476761824 }}</ref>

After participating in the [[Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival|American College Theater Festival]], Nayyar decided to become an actor. He then attended [[Temple University]] in [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania, where he received a [[Master of Fine Arts]] in acting.<ref name=rediff>{{cite news|url=http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2007/nov/19look.htm|title=Making it as a nerd|access-date=21 October 2011|newspaper=Rediff|date=19 November 2007|archive-date=21 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621213617/http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2007/nov/19look.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Career==
[[File:Kunal Nayyar.png|thumb|upright|right|Nayyar on a tour of ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'' in 2008]]
After graduating, Nayyar found work doing American television ads and plays on the London stage.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sahgal|first=Natasha|title=Geek God|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/geek-god/517505/1|access-date=21 October 2011|newspaper=Indian Express|date=16 September 2009|archive-date=2 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302112448/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/geek-god/|url-status=live}}</ref> He first gained attention in the US for his role in the West Coast production of [[Rajiv Joseph]]'s 2006 play ''Huck & Holden'', where he portrayed an Indian exchange student anxious to experience American culture before returning home.<ref name=rediff/> In 2006, Nayyar teamed up with Arun Das to write the play ''Cotton Candy'', which premiered in New Delhi to positive reviews.<ref>{{cite news|last=Chander|first=Romesh|title=Staging the fluff of dreams|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/06/16/stories/2006061601800300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110417090654/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/06/16/stories/2006061601800300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2011|access-date=21 October 2011|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=16 June 2006}}</ref>

Nayyar made a guest appearance on the [[CBS]] drama ''[[NCIS (TV series)|NCIS]]'' in the season four episode "[[NCIS (season 4)#Episodes|Suspicion]]", in which he played Youssef Zidan, an Iraqi terrorist.<ref>{{cite web |first=Aubry |last=D'Arminio |title=7 NCIS Guests Who Went on to Become Stars (PHOTOS) |date=29 March 2016 |url=http://www.tvinsider.com/gallery/76497/ncis-guest-stars-before-fame-photos/#2 |publisher=tvinsider.com |access-date=5 May 2016 |archive-date=2 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502020454/http://www.tvinsider.com/gallery/76497/ncis-guest-stars-before-fame-photos/#2 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2007, Nayyar's agent heard about a role for a scientist in an upcoming CBS pilot and encouraged him to audition for the part. This led to his casting in the sitcom ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'', where he played the role of an [[Astrophysics|astrophysicist]] [[Raj Koothrappali]] from its premiere in September of that year to the show's conclusion in May 2019.<ref name=telegraph>{{cite news|last=Banerjee|first=Sudeshna|title=Mr Big Bang|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080707/jsp/entertainment/story_9512204.jsp|access-date=21 October 2011|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=7 July 2008|archive-date=29 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120529002914/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080707/jsp/entertainment/story_9512204.jsp|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2011, he co-hosted the ''Tribute to Nerds'' show with co-star [[Simon Helberg]] at the comedy festival [[Just for Laughs]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/TV/126179733.html |last=Wyatt |first=Nelson |title='Big Bang Theory' stars say most people can relate to being nerds |access-date=21 October 2011 |newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press |date=26 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110914120224/http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/TV/126179733.html |archive-date=14 September 2011 }}</ref>

Nayyar voiced Gupta in ''[[Ice Age: Continental Drift]]'' in 2012. During the same year he completed the shooting of the film, ''[[Dr. Cabbie]]'', produced by Bollywood actor [[Salman Khan]].

From 5 May to 29 June 2015, Nayyar performed in an off-Broadway production, ''The Spoils'', written by and starring actor [[Jesse Eisenberg]]. Nayyar played Kalyan, a Nepalese student and roommate of the protagonist Ben, played by Eisenberg.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/03/theater/review-the-spoils-stars-jesse-eisenberg-as-narcissist.html?_r=0|last=Brantley|first=Ben|title='Review: 'The Spoils' Stars Jesse Eisenberg as Narcissist|access-date=16 June 2015|newspaper=New York Times|date=2 June 2015|archive-date=5 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205093142/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/03/theater/review-the-spoils-stars-jesse-eisenberg-as-narcissist.html?_r=0|url-status=live}}</ref> The production transferred to London's West End in 2016.

Nayyar published a book about his career journey, titled ''Yes, My Accent is Real: and Some Other Things I Haven’t Told You'', in September 2015.<ref name=accent/>

He voiced another animated movie character named Guy Diamond in [[DreamWorks Animation|DreamWorks]]' ''[[Trolls (film)|Trolls]]'', released in November 2016.

In 2020, Nayyar played a convicted serial killer named Sandeep on the Netflix UK production ''[[Criminal: UK]]''. He appeared in the final episode of Season 2, which was released in August 2020. In the same year, he joined the cast of the thriller TV series ''[[Suspicion (2022 TV series)|Suspicion]]'' on [[Apple TV+]], based on the Israeli thriller TV series ''[[False Flag (TV series)|False Flag]]'', alongside [[Uma Thurman]], [[Elizabeth Henstridge]] and [[Elyes Gabel]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/uma-thurman-apple-drama-series-suspicion-israeli-false-flag-remake-1202879240/ |title=Uma Thurman To Headline Apple Drama Series 'Suspicion', Based On Israeli Thriller 'False Flag' |work=Deadline |date=11 March 2020 |access-date=1 September 2021 |archive-date=12 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200312060926/https://deadline.com/2020/03/uma-thurman-apple-drama-series-suspicion-israeli-false-flag-remake-1202879240/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2021, he was announced as having been picked to play the title role of A. J. Fikry in the upcoming comedy drama ''The Storied Life Of A. J. Fikry'', alongside [[Lucy Hale]] and [[Christina Hendricks]], an adaptation of the best-selling novel by [[Gabrielle Zevin]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2021/06/kunal-nayyar-lucy-hale-christina-hendricks-to-star-in-the-storied-life-of-a-j-fikry-mister-smith-launching-sales-cannes-market-1234776179/ |title=Kunal Nayyar, Lucy Hale & Christina Hendricks To Star In 'The Storied Life Of A. J. Fikry', Mister Smith Launching Sales – Cannes Market |work=Deadline |author=Diana Lodderhose |date=16 June 2021 |access-date=1 September 2021 |archive-date=1 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901105619/https://deadline.com/2021/06/kunal-nayyar-lucy-hale-christina-hendricks-to-star-in-the-storied-life-of-a-j-fikry-mister-smith-launching-sales-cannes-market-1234776179/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Personal life==
In December 2011, Nayyar married [[Neha Kapur]], a model, actress, and [[Femina Miss India]] 2006.<ref name=youtube>{{cite web|title=The Talk, CBS|website = [[YouTube]]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoR5Xdk7kbs| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022155132/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoR5Xdk7kbs| archive-date=2013-10-22 | url-status=dead|access-date=3 March 2012}}</ref>

==Filmography==

===Film===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"|-
! Year
! Film
! Role
! Director(s)
! Notes
|-
| 2004
| ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E''
| Pizza Man
| Jordan Noce
|
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Ice Age: Continental Drift]]''
| [[List of Ice Age characters#Gupta|Gupta]]
| [[Steve Martino]] & [[Mike Thurmeier]]
| Voice
|-
| 2013
| ''Beyond All Boundaries''
| Narrator
|
|
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2014
| ''[[The Scribbler (film)|The Scribbler]]''
| Karim
| John Suits
|
|-
| ''[[Dr. Cabbie]]''
| Tony
| [[Jean-François Pouliot]]
|
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Consumed (film)|Consumed]]''
| Serge Negani
| [[Daryl Wein]]
|
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Trolls (film)|Trolls]]''
| Guy Diamond
| [[Mike Mitchell (director)|Mike Mitchell]]
| Voice
|-
| 2019
| ''[[Sweetness in the Belly]]''
| Dr Robin Sathi
| Zeresenay Berhane Mehari
|
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2020
| ''[[Trolls World Tour]]''
| Guy Diamond
| [[Walt Dohrn]]
| Voice
|-
| ''[[Think Like a Dog]]''
| Mr. Mills
| [[Gil Junger]]
|
|-
| 2022
| ''The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry''
| A.J. Fikry
|[[Hans Canosa]]
|-
| 2023
| ''[[Spaceman (2023 film)|Spaceman]]''
| TBA
| [[Johan Renck]]
| Post-production
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! Year
! Series
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 2007
| ''[[NCIS (TV series)|NCIS]]''
| Youssef Zidan
| Season 4, Episode 12 "Suspicion"
|-
| 2007–2019
| ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]''
| [[Raj Koothrappali]]
| Main role
|-
| 2010
| ''[[The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson]]''
| Raj Koothrappali
|
|-
| 2013–2016
| ''[[Sanjay and Craig]]''
| Vijay (voice)
| Main role
|-
| 2013–2014
| ''[[Sullivan & Son]]''
| Sanjay/Neal
| Episode: "Ladies Night", "Sexual Healing"
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2015
| ''[[The Late Late Show (CBS TV series)|The Late Late Show]]''
| Host
| 25–27 February
|-
| ''[[The Mindy Project]]''
| Sendhil
| Episode: "While I Was Sleeping"
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade]]''
| Gupta (cameo/flashback)
| TV special
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2017
|''[[Trolls Holiday]]''
| Guy Diamond
| TV special
|-
| ''[[Drop the Mic]]''
| Himself
| Episode: "[[Mayim Bialik]] vs. Kunal Nayyar / [[Ashley Tisdale]] vs. [[Nick Lachey]]"
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Criminal: UK]]''
| Sandeep Singh
| Episode: "Sandeep"
|-
| 2022
| ''[[Suspicion (2022 TV series)|Suspicion]]''
| Aadesh Chopra
| Main role
|}

===Theatre===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| rowspan=3 | 2006
| ''Huck and Holden''
| Naveen
| Dahlia Theater, Los Angeles, United States
|-
| ''[[Love's Labour's Lost]]''
| Other Parts
| Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford upon Avon, United Kingdom
|-
| ''Love's Labour's Lost''
| Other Parts
| [[Shakespeare Theatre Company]], Lansburgh Theatre, Washington, DC, United States
|-
| 2015
| ''The Spoils''
| Kalyan
| The New Group at The Pershing Square Signature Center, New York, United States
|-
| 2016
| ''The Spoils''
| Kalyan
| Trafalgar Studios, London
|}

==Awards==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Award
! Category
! Title
! Result
|-
| 2006
| [[Back Stage Garland Awards|Garland Award]]
| Best Male Lead in a Play on the West Coast
| ''Huck and Holden''
| {{won}}
|-
| [[19th Screen Actors Guild Awards|2012]]
| rowspan="5"| [[Screen Actors Guild Awards|Screen Actors Guild Award]]
| rowspan="5"| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series|Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series]]
| rowspan="5"| ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[20th Screen Actors Guild Awards|2013]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[21st Screen Actors Guild Awards|2014]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards|2015]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[23rd Screen Actors Guild Awards|2016]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[2021 British Academy Television Awards|2021]]
| [[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA TV Award]]
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]]
| ''[[Criminal: UK]]''
| {{nom}}
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==

* {{IMDb name|id=2471798|name=Kunal Nayyar}}

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nayyar, Kunal}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century British male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:British expatriate male actors in the United States]]
[[Category:British expatriates in India]]
[[Category:British male actors of Asian descent]]
[[Category:British male film actors]]
[[Category:British male television actors]]
[[Category:British male voice actors]]
[[Category:British people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:British people of Punjabi descent]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Indian male television actors]]
[[Category:Indian male voice actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from London]]
[[Category:Male actors from New Delhi]]
[[Category:People from Hounslow]]
[[Category:People from New Delhi]]
[[Category:St. Columba's School, Delhi alumni]]
[[Category:Temple University alumni]]
[[Category:University of Portland alumni]]

Kunal Nayyar - Revision history

WikiDwarfBOT at 21:24, 21 July 2023