Kayvan Novak
Kayvan Novak | |
|---|---|
 Novak atGalaxyConRaleigh in 2024 | |
| Born | 23 November 1978 London,England |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Comedy career | |
| Medium |
|
| Genres | |
| Subject(s) | Practical jokes |
Kayvan Novak(born 23 November 1978)[1]is an English actor and comedian.[2][3]He co-created and starred in the comedy seriesFonejacker(2006–2008) andFacejacker(2010–2012), winning theBAFTA Television AwardforBest Comedy (Programme or Series)in 2008.
He also portrayed Waj in the comedy filmFour Lions(2010), the vampire Nandor the Relentless in the mockumentary seriesWhat We Do in the Shadows(2019–present), andFabian Kingsworthin thetwelfth,thirteenthandfourteenth seasonsofArcher(2021–2023).
Early life
[edit]Novak was born in London to Iranian parents.[4]He was privately educated atHighgate Schooland theFine Arts CollegeinHampstead,before attending theWebber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.[5]
Career
[edit]Novak initially appeared on various British shows, includingFamily Affairs,Holby City,andSpooks.In 2005, he andEd TracycreatedFonejacker,aprank callshow as part ofChannel 4'sComedy Labstrand.[6]After the pilot, he was given a Christmas special and a six-part series, which began airing on 5 July 2007 onE4;and 7 September 2007 on Channel 4. In November 2009, he appeared on the Channel 4 showThe Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret,playing a bomb-disposal officer. In April 2010, Novak began appearing in a spin-off ofFonejackercalledFacejacker,in which he adopted various disguises, including several characters heard inFonejacker.Novak announced onBBC Radio 1in May 2012 that the character Terry Tibbs, a mainstay of both shows, would be getting a spin-off chat show; this aired in August 2012.[7]Novak played Simon in the Channel 4 sitcom pilotBad Sugar.[3]
Novak filmed a scene forThis Is England '86which was cut from the final broadcast, but appears in the DVD extras. He was also one of the main characters in the television showSirens,which began on 27 June 2011 onChannel 4in the UK. Novak also featured in two episodes ofPhone Shop,the first in Series 1, titled "The First Temptation of Chris", and the second in Series 2, titled "Revenge of the Razz". He played area manager Razz Prince. In addition to acting, Novak has made appearances as himself on showsSoccer AM,8 out of 10 Cats,Celebrity Big Brother's Little Brother,andNever Mind the Buzzcocks.
Novak appeared as an intelligence officer in theAcademy Award-winning filmSyriana.In 2008, he appeared in micro-budgetB-movieThe Blue Tower.[8]He also appeared in the 2010 comedyFour Lions,in which he played the dim-witted Waj, a role for which he won the award for Best Comedy Performance in a British Film at the 2010British Comedy Awards,beating fellow actorNigel Lindsay,who was nominated for his role in the same film.[9]
Novak appeared as Alok in the first series ofBBC Radio 4comedyFags, Mags and Bags.He has provided voice work for three video games:Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit,Perfect Dark ZeroandKameo.He also voiced various characters in theITVspoof sketch showHeadcases,and in the 2012 Channel 4 animated seriesFull English.He lent his vocals to British bandBeady Eye's 2013 song "Flick of the Finger".[10]
In 2013, he appeared asEffy Stonem's Boss in theSkinsepisode "Skins Fire".He voiced aCybermanhead called Handles in theDoctor Who2013 Christmas special "The Time of the Doctor".[11]He had a starring role in the last episode of the first series ofUncleas Mo, the Boss of a fictional record label.[12]In 2014, he played Paul in the second episode ( "A Quiet Night In") ofInside No. 9.[13]Also in 2014, he appeared in Episode 1, Series 3 ofRev.as the Imam, Yussef Hasan.[14]
Since 2015, he has voiced the character ofBrainsin the revived ITV seriesThunderbirds Are Go.[15]In 2015, he featured in the sitcomAsylumas "Rafael".[16]In May 2015, he appeared in a new comedy series calledSunTrapon BBC1. In May 2017, Novak appeared inChannel 4'sBritain Today, Tonight.[17][18]
In 2019, Novak was cast as the vampire Nandor The Relentless in themockumentarycomedy horrortelevision seriesWhat We Do In The Shadows.The show is based on the 2014film of the same name.
Novak speaks fluentPersian,as seen on the second episode of Season 2 ( “Ghosts” ) ofWhat We Do in the Shadows.
In 2021, he released eight episodes of "All New Fonejacker Podcast" on Audible and starred as Roger in Disney'sCruella.
Personal life
[edit]Novak is a fan ofLiverpool FC.[19]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Syriana | Arash | |
| 2010 | A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures | Fluffy (voice) | |
| Four Lions | Waj | ||
| 2014 | Cuban Fury | Bejan | |
| Captcha | Clarence | Short film | |
| The Last Sparks of Sundown | Seven | ||
| Paddington | Grant the Animal Supplier | ||
| 2016 | Prevenge | Tom | |
| 2018 | Early Man | Dino, Jurgend (voice) | |
| 2019 | The Day Shall Come | Reza | |
| Men in Black: International | Vungus, Nasr, Bassam | ||
| 2021 | Cruella | Roger Dearly |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The American Embassy | Ahmed Rallah | Episode: "China Cup" |
| Judge John Deed | Ali Abdul Moncheri | Episode: "Political Expediency" | |
| Family Affairs | Amir Sadati | 1 episode | |
| 2003 | Trial & Retribution | Craig Board | 2 episodes |
| 2004 | Holby City | Reza Abbassi | 5 episodes |
| Spooks | Sevilin Ozal | 1 episode (uncredited) | |
| A Line in the Sand | Vahid | TV movie | |
| She's Gone | Arto Fazouk | TV movie | |
| 2005 | Murphy's Law | Masud | Episode: "Boy's Night Out" |
| The Government Inspector | Qasim Hamdani | TV movie | |
| 2006 | Comedy Lab | Fonejacker | 1 episode (voice) |
| 2007 | Be More Ethnic | Ranjit Pradesh | TV movie |
| 2007–2008 | Fonejacker | TheFonejacker | Main cast; 13 episodes
BAFTA Television AwardforBest Comedy (Programme or Series)in 2008 |
| 2008 | Headcases | Various roles | 1 episode (voice) |
| 2008 | The Big Fat Quiz of the Year | TheFonejacker | |
| 2009 | Comedy Showcase | Bomb Disposal Officer | 1 episode |
| 2010 | The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret | Bomb Disposal Officer | Episode: "In Which Claims Are Made and a Journey Ensues" |
| Channel 4's Comedy Gala | Terry Tibbs | ||
| 2010–2011 | PhoneShop | Razz Prince | 2 episodes |
| 2010–2012 | Facejacker | Terry Tibbs, various characters | Main cast; 7 episodes |
| 2011 | Sirens | Rachid Mansaur | Main cast; 6 episodes |
| 2012 | Hacks | Rav | TV movie |
| Verry Terry | Terry Tibbs (Host) | TV movie | |
| Bad Sugar | Simon | TV movie | |
| Full English | Dusty Johnson, Jason Johnson, Squidge | Main cast | |
| 2013 | 10 O'Clock Live | Pat Putterson | 3 episodes |
| Skins | Jake Abbasi | Series 7, episodes 1–2, "Fire" | |
| Doctor Who | Handles | Episode: "The Time of the Doctor" | |
| Homeboys | Sergio | TV movie | |
| 2014 | Inside No. 9 | Paul | Episode: "A Quiet Night In" |
| Uncle | Mo | Episode: "Nephew" | |
| Rev. | Yussef Hasan | 1 episode | |
| Puppy Love | Phil Evans | 1 episode | |
| Walter | DS Mike Minorsky | TV movie | |
| 2015–2020 | Thunderbirds Are Go | Brains,Ned Tedford | Main cast; 21 episodes |
| 2015–2019 | Danger Mouse | Dr. Loo-cifer, Isambard King Kong Brunel | Recurring role |
| 2015 | Asylum | Rafael & Creator | 3 episodes |
| SunTrap | Woody | 6 episodes | |
| Top Coppers | Gerard Cliché | 1 episode | |
| 2016 | Counterfeit Cat | Betty, Throckmorton, various characters | |
| 2017 | Quacks | Kapoor | Episode: "The Mesmerist" |
| 2017 | Britain Today, Tonight | Various characters | |
| 2019–present | What We Do in the Shadows | Nandor the Relentless | Main cast |
| 2019 | A Christmas Carol | Ali Baba | Miniseries |
| 2020 | Robot Chicken | King Arthur,Albus Dumbledore(voice) | Episode: "Max Caenen in: Why Would He Know If His Mother's A Size Queen" |
| 2020–2023 | Archer | Rex, Fabian Kingsworth (voice) | Mainseason 12:7 episodes Recurringseason 11:5 episodes Guestseason 14:1 episode |
| 2021 | Mickey Mouse Funhouse | Trolland theTroll(voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | Toast of Tinseltown | Des Wigwam | Episode: “Anger Man” |
Video games
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit | Lord Victor Quartermaine | |
| 2005 | Kameo | Additional voices | |
| 2005 | Perfect Dark Zero | Additional voice talent | |
| 2008 | Haze | Additional voice talent |
References
[edit]- ^"Instagram".
- ^Pool, Hannah (23 October 2008)."Question time".The Guardian.Retrieved28 February2015.
I'm Iranian, which means I feel that I have more right to take off other races and religions, being an "ethnic" myself... Does being first-generation British give you a particular insight? Yes. It gives you a heightened sensitivity. I was born in London. In a lot of ways I'm English, but I have this Iranianness
- ^abKadivar, DariusSyriana breaks Iranian stereotypesArchived26 August 2007 at theWayback Machine,Persian Mirror.Retrieved 3 August 2007.
- ^"Cuban Fury: why Kayvan Novak isn't playing the 'foreign bad guy' any more".The Guardian.13 February 2014.Retrieved28 April2020.
- ^"kayvannovak.co.tv".kayvan-novak.co.tv. Archived fromthe originalon 1 July 2015.Retrieved28 January2014.
- ^Comedy Lab,Channel 4.Retrieved 3 August 2007.
- ^International Business Times.Retrieved 2 July 2011.
- ^last accessed 1 December 2012.
- ^"British Comedy Awards 2010".The BCA.Retrieved28 January2011.
- ^"Beady Eye Interview".Shortlist. 8 April 2013.Retrieved28 January2014.
- ^"BBC One – Doctor Who, The Time of the Doctor".BBC.Retrieved28 January2014.
- ^"Episode 1.6 – Nephew".British Comedy Guide.Retrieved11 February2014.
- ^"Episode 1.2 – A Quiet Night In".British Comedy Guide.Retrieved9 March2014.
- ^"Rev. (TV Series 2010–2014) - IMDb".IMDb.
- ^John Plunkett (30 September 2013)."Thunderbirds are Go! blends old and new for return of classic series".The Guardian.Retrieved28 January2014.
- ^Newal, Sally (9 February 2015)."Asylum, BBC4 – TV review".Archived fromthe originalon 10 February 2015.Retrieved21 February2015.
- ^"Kayvan Novak to star in new entertainment series".4 November 2015.Retrieved2 May2017.
- ^"Britain Today, Tonight".2 May 2017.Retrieved2 May2017.
- ^"A new Face in the States!".Sky Sports.24 March 2012.Retrieved4 April2021.
External links
[edit]
- Living people
- 21st-century English male actors
- British male actors of Asian descent
- Comedians from the London Borough of Barnet
- Comedians from the London Borough of Brent
- Comedians from the London Borough of Camden
- English male comedians
- English male film actors
- English male television actors
- English male video game actors
- English male voice actors
- English people of Iranian descent
- Male actors from London
- People educated at Highgate School
- People from Cricklewood
- Prank calling
- Actors from the London Borough of Barnet
- Actors from the London Borough of Camden
- Actors from the London Borough of Brent