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Alexander Siddig

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Alexander Siddig
صدّيق الطاهر الفاضل الصدّيق عبدالرحمن محمد أحمد عبدالكريم المهدي(Arabic)
Siddig at the2009 Toronto International Film Festival
Born
Siddig El Tahir El Fadil El Siddig Abdurrahman Mohammed Ahmed Abdul Karim El Mahdi

(1965-11-21)21 November 1965(age 58)
Omdurman,Khartoum,Sudan
Other namesSiddig El Fadil
Alma materLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Occupation(s)Actor, director
Years active1987–present
Spouses
​
​
(m.1997;div.2001)​
Shana Collier
​
(m.2015)​
Children1
RelativesMalcolm McDowell(uncle)
Charlie McDowell(cousin)
Sadiq al-Mahdi(uncle)
Muhammad Ahmad(great-great-grandfather)
Websitewww.sidcity.netEdit this at Wikidata

Siddig El Tahir El Fadil El Siddig Abdurrahman Mohammed Ahmed Abdel Karim El Mahdi(born 21 November 1965) is a British actor and director known professionally asSiddig El Fadiland subsequently asAlexander Siddig.

Siddig is best known for his roles asDr. Julian Bashirin the television seriesStar Trek: Deep Space Nine,former terroristHamri Al-Assadin thesixth seasonof the series24,Doran MartellinGame of Thrones,Ra's al GhulinGotham,and as Philip Burton inPrimeval.He also starred in the filmsSyriana(2005),Hannibal(2006),A Lost Man(2007),Cairo Time(2009), andInescapable(2012).

Early life and education[edit]

Siddig El Tahir El Fadil El Siddig Abdurrahman Mohammed Ahmed Abdel Karim El Mahdi[1][2][nb 1]was born on 21 November 1965[3][4]inOmdurman,Sudan.[5]His father, Tahir El Mahdi, was Sudanese; his mother, Gloria (née Taylor; d. 2001) was English.[1][2][6][7]She was the older sister of actorMalcolm McDowell.[1][8]

Siddig's parents met in the 1960s when his mother travelled to Sudan with a friend who introduced her to Siddig's father.[1]Siddig's father was a student atCambridge Universityin the 1950s and was proficient in English.[1]Siddig's uncleSadiq al-Mahdiwas Prime Minister of Sudan from 1966–1967 and again from 1986–1989.[1][9]Siddig is also the great-great-grandson ofMuhammad Ahmad,aNubianreligious leader who was proclaimed theMahdiby his disciples.[1][9]

Siddig's mother remained in Sudan for three years and returned to London with Siddig and his father.[1][3]Siddig was two years old at the time.[3]Siddig initially spokeArabicwhen he was a child, but by his second year of living in Britain he had forgotten much of it.[1]In 1978, his mother married film director and producerMichael Birkett,and in 1982, the two had a son together named Thomas.[6]Siddig's mother worked as a model and theatrical press agent.[7]

Siddig attendedSt Lawrence College, Ramsgate.[10]He also studied geography and anthropology for a year atUniversity College Londonbefore enrolling at theLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art(LAMDA).[3][11]

Career[edit]

After leaving LAMDA, Siddig worked in theatre as both an actor and director.[3][11][12]Siddig's first television role was aPalestinianman in a British six-part miniseries calledThe Big Battalions(filmed in 1989 but released in 1992) and shortly afterward he won the role of Prince Feisal inA Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia,a 1990 telefilm sequel toLawrence of ArabiastarringRalph Fiennes.[3][12]

Siddig's role inA Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabiabrought him to the attention of Rick Berman, executive producer ofStar Trek: Deep Space Nine(1993).[3]Berman originally considered Siddig for the role of CommanderBenjamin Sisko,but decided in the end that Siddig was too young for the role and cast him asDr. Julian Bashir.[3]Siddig remained withDeep Space Ninefor all seven seasons of the series.[1]He also directed the episodes "Business as Usual"(1997) and"Profit and Lace"(1998).[13][14]In 1995, Siddig also changed his name from Siddig El Fadil to Alexander Siddig.[4]

Siddig toldBidounmagazine that there was an increased demand for Islamic and Arabic character roles in both film and television after theSeptember 11 attacksand that people began to approach him with projects within six months of the event.[1]He played a mountain guide in the thriller filmVertical Limit(2000), starringChris O'Donnell,and Ajay in the post-apocalyptic science fantasy filmReign of Fire(2002) starringChristian Bale.[1][12]In 2003 Siddig played the role of anAlgeriansecret agent on the trail of Islamists in the controversial episode "Nest of Angels"of the British television showSpooks(known asMI-5in the US).[15][16]Siddig appeared in acameorole asKhalid Sheikh Mohammedthe filmThe Hamburg Cellthat premiered the following year.[1]

In 2005 Siddig returned to the live stage, playing the role of Doctor Scott in a production ofWhose Life Is It Anyway?starringKim Cattrallthat played at theComedy Theatrein London.[17][18]That same year Siddig appeared as Saladin's aideImadinRidley Scott's 2005 filmKingdom of Heaven[12][19]and starred alongsideGeorge ClooneyandMatt Damonas Prince Nasir in the filmSyriana.[1][20]

Siddig played the title role in theBBC's 2006 tele-filmHannibal.[21]In 2007 he starred inA Lost Man(French titleUn Homme Perdu) a French language film that screened at theCannes Film Festival.[12][22]That same year Siddig played the role of former terrorist Hamri Al-Assad in thesixth seasonof24.[23][12]

In 2009, he co-starred withPatricia Clarksonin the award-winning filmCairo Timeas Tareq Khalifa, an Egyptian who battles his attraction to his friend's wife.[23][24]Directed by Canadian directorRuba Nadda,the film won the prize for "Best Canadian Feature Film" at the2009 Toronto International Film Festival.[25]He also played Jamal inJulian Schnabel’s 2010 filmMiral.[2]

Siddig played Philip Burton in series 4 and 5 of the ITV science-fiction drama programmePrimeval;both series aired in 2011.[2][26]In 2012, Siddig again worked with director Nadda and played the starring role as a Syrian-Canadian businessman in the filmInescapable,which also starredMarisa TomeiandJoshua Jackson.[27][28]

In 2013, Siddig narrated theBBC Twonature documentary seriesWild Arabiaand played the role ofMinosin the first series of the BBCfantasy-adventureprogrammeAtlantis.[29][30]

From 2013 to 2015, Siddig played Aslan Al-Rahim (aka "The Turk" ) in the BBChistorical fantasydrama seriesDa Vinci's Demons.[12][31]In 2015 and 2016 he appeared in theHBOseriesGame of Thrones;Siddig played the role ofDoran Martell,the ruling Prince of Dorne, in the series' fifth and sixth seasons.[32]He also played Reuben Oliver, an artist and suitor of Polly Shelby, in the third season of the British seriesPeaky Blinders.[33]Siddig also provided the voice of Wolf, a character in the historical fantasy dramaTumanbaythat aired onBBC Radio 4between December 2015 and February 2016.

In 2017, Siddig joined the cast of the televisions seriesGothamasLeague of ShadowsleaderRa’s al Ghul[34][35]and also played the part ofAristotle Onassisin the drama miniseriesThe Kennedys: After Camelot.[36]

In 2019, he appeared in theNetflixseriesThe Spyas Ahmed Suidani, a Syrian security officer.[37][38]That same year he appeared as Issouf Al Moctar in the second season of theFox (UK and Ireland)thriller seriesDeep State,and voiced Avi Singh inStar Wars: The Bad Batch.[39]

Personal life[edit]

Siddig began a relationship withNana Visitorwhilst working on the set ofStar Trek: Deep Space Nine.[40]Their son, Django El Tahir El Siddig, was born on 16 September 1996 and Visitor's pregnancy was written into the storyline ofDeep Space Nine.[8][40]Django is Siddig's first child and Visitor's second son.[40]The couple married in 1997 and later divorced in 2001.[40][41]

In an April 2024 interview, Siddig described his sexuality as "not quite straight".[42]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

At TrekExpo in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2005
Year Film Role Notes
1987 Sammy and Rosie Get Laid Partygoer
1992 A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia Emir Faisal I TV film
2000 Vertical Limit Kareem Nazir
2002 Reign of Fire Ajay
2004 The Hamburg Cell Khalid Sheikh Mohammed TV film
2005 Kingdom of Heaven Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani
2005 Syriana Prince Nasir Al-Subaai
2006 Hannibal Hannibal TV movie
2007 The Nativity Story Angel Gabriel
2007 The Last Legion Theodorus Andronikus
2008 A Lost Man Fouad Saleh
2008 Doomsday Hatcher
2008 Espion(s) Malik
2009 Cairo Time Tareq Khalifa
2010 Miral Jamal
2010 4.3.2.1. Robert
2010 Clash of the Titans Hermes
2012 Inescapable Adib Abdel-Kareem
2013 The Fifth Estate Dr. Tarek Haliseh
2013 May in the Summer Ziad
2017 Submergence Dr. Shadid
2019 21 Bridges Adi
2020 Skylines General Radford
2023 Deliver Us Cardinal Russo

Television series[edit]

Year Production Role Notes
1992 Big Battalions Yousef Miniseries, 4 episodes
1993–1999 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Dr. Julian Bashir Credited asSiddig El Fadil(1993–1995)
1993 Star Trek: The Next Generation Episode: "Birthright"
2003 Spooks Ibhn Khaldun Episode: "Nest of Angels"
2005 Agatha Christie's Poirot Mr. Shaitana Episode: "Cards on the Table"
2006 Family Guy Silly Nannies Player (voice) Episode: "Patriot Games"
2007 24 Hamri Al-Assad 7 episodes
2008 Merlin Kanen Episode: "The Moment of Truth"
2009 Waking the Dead Dr Mohammed 2 episodes (Endgame)[43]
2010 Strike Back Zahir Sharq 2 episodes
2011 Primeval Philip Burton Episode 24–36 (series 4–5)[44]
2012 True Love Ismail Episode: "Sandra"
2013–2014 Da Vinci's Demons Al-Rahim 13 episodes
2013 Wild Arabia Narrator Documentary
2013 Atlantis King Minos 8 episodes
2015–2016 Game of Thrones Doran Martell 6 episodes (season 5–6)[45]
2015 Tut Amun Miniseries
2015 Bar Rescue Himself Episode: "Brokedown Palace"
2016 Peaky Blinders Ruben Oliver 6 episodes
2017 The Kennedys: After Camelot Aristotle Onassis
2017–2018 Gotham Ra's al Ghul 12 episodes (season 3–4)
2019 The Spy Ahmed Suidani Miniseries
Deep State Issouf Al Moctar Season 2
2021 Star Wars: The Bad Batch Senator Avi Singh Episode: "Common Ground"
2021 Foundation Advocate Xylas[46] Episode: "The Emperor's Peace" (S01E01)
2022 Shantaram Khader Khan Lead role

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Arabic:صدّيق الطاهر الفاضل الصدّيق عبدالرحمن محمد أحمد عبدالكريم المهديṢiddīq aṭ-Ṭāhir al-Fāḍil aṣ-Ṣiddīq ʿAbd ar-Raḥman Muḥammad ʾAḥmad ʿAbd al-Karīm al-Mahdī

Citations[edit]

  1. ^abcdefghijklmnMahjoub, Jamal (Summer 2009)."Alexander Siddig: The Accidental Arab".Bidoun.No. 18. Brooklyn, New York, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  2. ^abcdRothe, E. Nina (3 February 2011)."Alexander Siddig — Discovering the Uncommon Hero".HuffPost.Retrieved2 May2020.
  3. ^abcdefghSpelling, Ian (31 December 1993)."El Fadil having time of his life as a jerk".Chicago Tribune.Chicago, Illinois, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  4. ^abCole, Maxine (2 August 1998)."Your Page".The Daily OklahomanTV This Week.Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. p. 17.Retrieved20 April2020– via Newspapers.
  5. ^Harris, Will (19 July 2015)."Alexander Siddig on being Bashir, quitting 24, and getting saddle-sore for Ridley Scott".The A.V. Club.Chicago, Illinois, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.So I did that, and then I was also born in Omdurman, which is in Sudan, which is where the confluence of the Nile, where this great river passes through, so I'm intimately acquainted with the most important thing about ancient Egypt, which is the river.
  6. ^abBurton, Humphrey (18 May 2015)."Lord Birkett obituary".The Guardian.London, United Kingdom.Retrieved20 April2020.
  7. ^ab"Lord Birkett: Film producer who trained at Ealing Studios and championed the arts".The Times.London, United Kingdom. 21 July 2015.Retrieved20 April2020.
  8. ^abLipton, Michael A. (15 July 1996)."A Family Enterprise".People.Vol. 43, no. 3.Retrieved20 April2020.
  9. ^abKeegan, Simon (15 May 2015)."Game of Thrones star Alexander Siddig is descendant of real dynasty of despots".Daily Mirror.London, United Kingdom.Retrieved20 April2020.
  10. ^Mack, Peter (1981). "A Midsummer Night's Dream: A Review of the Production".The Lawrentian, Vol.LXXXI, No.1.Ramsgate, Kent, UK.Siddig El Fadil as Puck was full of energy and mischief.
  11. ^abMesser, Ron (9 August 2010)."Alexander Siddig Exclusive Interview".Collider.Retrieved20 April2020.
  12. ^abcdefgHarris, Will (19 July 2015)."Alexander Siddig on being Bashir, quitting 24, and getting saddle-sore for Ridley Scott".The A.V. Club.Chicago, Illinois, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  13. ^Spelling, Ian (3 April 1997)."Directing 'DS9' Takes Siddig To A Higher Plane".The New York Times.New York City, New York, United States.Retrieved20 April2020– viaChicago Tribune.
  14. ^Handlen, Zack (16 January 2014)."Star Trek: Deep Space Nine:" Valiant "/" Profit And Lace "".The A.V. Club.Chicago, Illinois, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  15. ^Leonard, Tom (11 June 2003)."Bomber onSpooksupsets 1,000 viewers ".The Daily Telegraph.London, United Kingdom.Archivedfrom the original on 12 January 2022.Retrieved20 April2020.
  16. ^"Viewers upset by Muslim plot".BBC News Online.London, United Kingdom. 10 June 2003.Retrieved20 April2020.
  17. ^Inverne, James (7 January 2005)."Kim Cattrall Starts London Previews Jan. 7 in Whose Life Is It Anyway?".Playbill.New York City, New York, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  18. ^""Whose Life is it Anyway?" Full cast confirmed! ".londontheatre.co.uk.25 October 2004.Retrieved20 April2020.
  19. ^Moore, Roger (6 May 2005)."Thrills but not enough soul".Orlando Sentinel.Orlando, Florida, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  20. ^McCarthy, Todd (19 November 2005)."Syriana".Variety.Los Angeles, California, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  21. ^"Hannibal".BBC News.London, United Kingdom. 9 May 2006.Retrieved20 April2020.
  22. ^Jaafar, Ali (1 May 2007)."'Lost Man' finds Cannes slot ".Variety.Los Angeles, California, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  23. ^abOuzounian, Richard (10 October 2009)."Stars sparkle on Cairo Time".Toronto Star.Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Retrieved20 April2020.
  24. ^Taylor, Ella (5 August 2010)."Looking For Love On 'Cairo Time'? Prepare To Wait".NPR.Washington, District of Columbia, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  25. ^"2009 Toronto International Film Festival Winners".tiff.net.Archived fromthe originalon 12 November 2013.
  26. ^Wightman, Catriona; Mansell, Tom (26 December 2010)."'Primeval' Week: Q&A with Alexander Siddig ".Digital Spy.Retrieved20 April2020.
  27. ^Arrazola, Luis-Enrique (16 March 2012)."All surprisingly calm on the set of Inescapable".National Post.Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Retrieved20 April2020.
  28. ^Schneller, Johanna (14 September 2012)."Inescapable: Anatomy of a DIY blockbuster".The Globe and Mail.Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Retrieved20 April2020.
  29. ^Wollaston, Sam (22 February 2013)."Last night's TV: Wild Arabia – review".The Guardian.London, United Kingdom.Retrieved20 April2020.
  30. ^Gelt, Jessica (27 November 2013)."BBC America picks up second season of fantasy show 'Atlantis'".Los Angeles Times.Los Angeles, California, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  31. ^Truitt, Brian (7 October 2015)."Sneak peek: Da Vinci, mom in 'Demons'".USA Today.McLean, Virginia, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  32. ^Robinson, Joanna (23 September 2016)."Game of Thrones Actor Gives Scorching Exit Interview".Vanity Fair.New York City, New York, United States:Condé Nast.Retrieved20 April2020.
  33. ^Hughes, Sarah (5 May 2016)."Peaky Blinders recap: series three, episode one – welcome back boys!".The Guardian.London, United Kingdom.Retrieved20 April2020.
  34. ^Phillips, Jevon (2 March 2017)."'Gotham' finds its Ra's Al Ghul in 'Game of Thrones' actor Alexander Siddig ".Chicago Tribune.Chicago, Illinois, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  35. ^Bryant, Jacob (2 March 2017)."'Gotham' Casts 'Star Trek' Alum Alexander Siddig as Ra's al Ghul ".Variety.Los Angeles, California, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  36. ^Shanahan, Mark (13 June 2016)."Katie Holmes on the set of 'The Kennedys: After Camelot'".The Boston Globe.Boston, Massachusetts, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  37. ^Rabinowitz, Dorothy (5 September 2019)."'The Spy' Review: A Life Undercover ".The Wall Street Journal.New York City, New York, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  38. ^Sepinwall, Alan (3 September 2019)."'The Spy' Review: Sacha Baron Cohen Goes Undercover — This Time Not for Laughs ".Rolling Stone.New York City, New York, United States.Retrieved20 April2020.
  39. ^"Senator Avi Singh Voice".Behind the Voice Actors.Archivedfrom the original on 10 June 2022.Retrieved15 March2023.
  40. ^abcdO'Hare, Kate (15 June 1997)."Love, marriage and baby carriage on 'Star Trek'".The Times,TV Times (insert).Munster, Indiana, United States. Tribune Media Services. p. 19.Retrieved20 April2020– via Newspapers.
  41. ^"Original to Enterprise: 50 Years of 'Star Trek' Crews".Newsweek.New York City, New York, United States. 10 July 2016.Retrieved20 April2020.
  42. ^Lloyd, Kelas (9 April 2024)."Interview: STAR TREK's Alexander Siddig celebrates Arab-American Heritage Month".The Beat.Retrieved25 June2024.
  43. ^"BBC Programme Information: Week 39".BBC Press Office. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  44. ^"Primeval is back on ITV1 – ITV Press Centre".Itv. Archived fromthe originalon 11 April 2010.Retrieved13 August2010.
  45. ^Friedlander, Whitney (25 July 2014)."'Game of Thrones' Announces New Cast Members ".Variety.Retrieved4 September2014.
  46. ^East, Michael (24 September 2021).Foundation premiere review: "The Emperor's Peace" and "Preparing to Live".FanSided,Minute Media, 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.

External links[edit]

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