Kunal Nayyar | |
|---|---|
 Nayyar in 2024 | |
| Born | (1981-04-30)30 April 1981 (age 44) London, England |
| Education | St. Columba's School |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Spouse | |
Kunal Nayyar (/kʊˈnɑːlˈnaɪ.ər/,[1]kuu-NAHLNY-ər; born 30 April 1981) is an actor.[2] He gained recognition for playingRaj Koothrappali on theCBS sitcomThe Big Bang Theory (2007–2019), and voiced Vijay on theNickelodeon animated sitcomSanjay and Craig (2013–2016). Nayar was nominated forBest Supporting Actor at the 2021British Academy Television Awards for his role inCriminal: UK.
Forbes listed him 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.[3][4] As of 2024, his net worth is estimated to be $45 million.[5] The asteroid8627 Kunalnayyar is named after him.[6]
Nayyar was born on 30 April, 1981 in theHammersmith district ofWest London, to Indian parents.[7][8] When he was three years old, his family returned to India and he grew up inNew Delhi, where his parents live.[9][10][11] He attendedSt. Columba's School inGole Market, where he playedbadminton for the school team.[12][13]
In 1999, Nayyar moved to the United States to pursue aBachelor of Business Administration inFinance at theUniversity of Portland inOregon.[14] He started taking acting classes and appeared in several school plays while working on his degree.[11]
After participating in theAmerican College Theater Festival at theKennedy Center inWashington, D.C., Nayyar decided to become an actor. He then attendedTemple University inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, where he received hisMaster of Fine Arts degree inActing.[15]
After graduating, Nayyar found work doing American television ads and plays on the London stage.[16] He first gained attention in the US for his role in the West Coast production ofRajiv Joseph's 2006 playHuck & Holden, where he portrayed an Indian exchange student anxious to experience American culture before returning home.[15] In 2006, Nayyar teamed up with Arun Das to write the playCotton Candy, which premiered in New Delhi to positive reviews.[17]
Nayyar made a guest appearance on theCBS dramaNCIS in the season four episode "Suspicion", in which he played Youssef Zidan, anIraqi terrorist.[18]
In 2007, Nayyar's agent heard about a role as a scientist in an upcoming CBS pilot and encouraged him to audition for the part. This led to his casting in the sitcomThe Big Bang Theory, where he played the role ofastrophysicistRaj Koothrappali from its premiere in September 2007 to the show's conclusion in May 2019.[19]
In 2011, he co-hosted theTribute to Nerds show with co-starSimon Helberg at the comedy festivalJust for Laughs.[20]
Nayyar voiced Gupta inIce Age: Continental Drift in 2012. During the same year, he completed the shooting of the film,Dr. Cabbie, produced by Bollywood actorSalman Khan.
In 2013, he produced a documentary calledBeyond All Boundaries, which focuses on three individuals and their love for cricket in India: Sudhir bikes across the country to support his team; Prithvi is a young cricket prodigy; and Akshaya is a female cricketer from the Mumbai slums.[21]
From 5 May to 29 June 2015, Nayyar performed in an off-Broadway production,The Spoils, written by and starring actorJesse Eisenberg. Nayyar played Kalyan, aNepalese student and roommate of the protagonist Ben, played by Eisenberg.[22] The production transferred to London's West End in 2016.
Nayyar published a book about his career journey, titledYes, My Accent is Real: and Some Other Things I Haven’t Told You, in September 2015.[11]
He voiced another animated movie character named Guy Diamond inDreamWorks'Trolls, released in November 2016.
In 2020, Nayyar played a convicted serial killer named Sandeep on the Netflix UK productionCriminal: 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 seriesSuspicion onApple TV+, based on the Israeli thriller TV seriesFalse Flag, alongsideUma Thurman,Elizabeth Henstridge andElyes Gabel.[23]
In 2021, he was announced as having been picked to play the title role of A. J. Fikry in the upcoming comedy-dramaThe Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, alongsideLucy Hale andChristina Hendricks, an adaptation of the best-selling novel byGabrielle Zevin.[24]
In 2024, Nayyar reunited withBig Bang Theory costar,Melissa Rauch, making a guest appearance on an episode ofNight Court.[25]Night Court is a revival of the'80s NBC sitcom of the same name.[25]
Nayyar potrayed Eshaan Sood, an Indian take onScrooge in the 2025 filmChristmas Karma.
In December 2011, Nayyar marriedNeha Kapur, a model andFemina Miss India 2006.[26] According to the University of Portland, Nayyar and his wife have given scholarships for University of Portland students in Performing & Fine Arts and paid for guest artists at the university.[27]
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
| Year | Film | Role | Director(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | S.C.I.E.N.C.E | Pizza Man | Jordan Noce | |
| 2012 | Ice Age: Continental Drift | Gupta | Steve Martino &Mike Thurmeier | Voice |
| 2013 | Beyond All Boundaries | Narrator | ||
| 2014 | The Scribbler | Karim | John Suits | |
| Dr. Cabbie | Tony | Jean-François Pouliot | ||
| 2015 | Consumed | Serge Negani | Daryl Wein | |
| 2016 | Trolls | Guy Diamond | Mike Mitchell | Voice |
| 2019 | Sweetness in the Belly | Dr. Robin Sathi | Zeresenay Berhane Mehari | |
| 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 | Trolls Band Together | Guy Diamond | Walt Dohrn | Voice cameo[28] |
| 2024 | Spaceman | Peter | Johan Renck | |
| How to Date Billy Walsh | Rupert Brown | Alex Sanjiv Pillai | ||
| 2025 | Christmas Karma | Mr Sood | Gurinder Chadha |
| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | NCIS | Youssef Zidan | Episode: "Suspicion" |
| 2007–2019 | The Big Bang Theory | Raj Koothrappali | Main role |
| 2010 | The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson | Himself | |
| 2013–2016 | Sanjay and Craig | Vijay (voice) | Main role |
| 2013–2014 | Sullivan & Son | Sanjay/Neal | Episode: "Ladies Night", "Sexual Healing" |
| 2015 | 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 |
| 2017 | Trolls Holiday | Guy Diamond (voice) | |
| Drop the Mic | Himself | Episode: "Mayim Bialik vs. Kunal Nayyar /Ashley Tisdale vs.Nick Lachey" | |
| 2020 | Criminal: UK | Sandeep Singh | Episode: "Sandeep" |
| 2021 | Trolls: Holiday in Harmony | Guy Diamond (voice) | TV special |
| 2022 | Suspicion | Aadesh Chopra | Main role |
| 2024 | Night Court | Martini Toddwallis | Episode: "A Crime of Fashion" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Garland Awards | Best Male Lead in a Play on the West Coast | Huck and Holden | Won |
| 2011 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | The Big Bang Theory | Nominated |
| 2012 | Nominated | |||
| 2013 | Nominated | |||
| 2014 | Nominated | |||
| 2015 | Nominated | |||
| 2016 | Nominated | |||
| 2017 | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | British Academy Television Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Criminal: UK | Nominated |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
