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Kayvan Novak

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Kayvan Novak
Novak at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2024
Born (1978-11-23) 23 November 1978 (age 45)
London, England
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
Years active2002–present
Comedy career
Medium
  • Television
  • film
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 series Fonejacker (2006–2008) and Facejacker (2010–2012), winning the BAFTA Television Award for Best Comedy (Programme or Series) in 2008.

He also portrayed Waj in the comedy film Four Lions (2010), the vampire Nandor the Relentless in the mockumentary series What We Do in the Shadows (2019–present), and Fabian Kingsworth in the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth seasons of Archer (2021–2023).

Early life

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Novak was born in London to Iranian parents.[4] He was privately educated at Highgate School and the Fine Arts College in Hampstead, before attending the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.[5]

Career

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Novak initially appeared on various British shows, including Family Affairs, Holby City, and Spooks. In 2005, he and Ed Tracy created Fonejacker, a prank call show as part of Channel 4's Comedy Lab strand.[6] After the pilot, he was given a Christmas special and a six-part series, which began airing on 5 July 2007 on E4; and 7 September 2007 on Channel 4. In November 2009, he appeared on the Channel 4 show The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, playing a bomb-disposal officer. In April 2010, Novak began appearing in a spin-off of Fonejacker called Facejacker, in which he adopted various disguises, including several characters heard in Fonejacker. Novak announced on BBC Radio 1 in 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 pilot Bad Sugar.[3]

Novak filmed a scene for This Is England '86 which was cut from the final broadcast, but appears in the DVD extras. He was also one of the main characters in the television show Sirens, which began on 27 June 2011 on Channel 4 in the UK. Novak also featured in two episodes of Phone 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 shows Soccer AM, 8 out of 10 Cats, Celebrity Big Brother's Little Brother, and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

Novak appeared as an intelligence officer in the Academy Award-winning film Syriana. In 2008, he appeared in micro-budget B-movie The Blue Tower.[8] He also appeared in the 2010 comedy Four 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 2010 British Comedy Awards, beating fellow actor Nigel Lindsay, who was nominated for his role in the same film.[9]

Novak appeared as Alok in the first series of BBC Radio 4 comedy Fags, Mags and Bags. He has provided voice work for three video games: Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Perfect Dark Zero and Kameo. He also voiced various characters in the ITV spoof sketch show Headcases, and in the 2012 Channel 4 animated series Full English. He lent his vocals to British band Beady Eye's 2013 song "Flick of the Finger".[10]

In 2013, he appeared as Effy Stonem's boss in the Skins episode "Skins Fire". He voiced a Cyberman head called Handles in the Doctor Who 2013 Christmas special "The Time of the Doctor".[11] He had a starring role in the last episode of the first series of Uncle as Mo, the boss of a fictional record label.[12] In 2014, he played Paul in the second episode ("A Quiet Night In") of Inside No. 9.[13] Also in 2014, he appeared in Episode 1, Series 3 of Rev. as the Imam, Yussef Hasan.[14]

Since 2015, he has voiced the character of Brains in the revived ITV series Thunderbirds Are Go.[15] In 2015, he featured in the sitcom Asylum as "Rafael".[16] In May 2015, he appeared in a new comedy series called SunTrap on BBC1. In May 2017, Novak appeared in Channel 4's Britain Today, Tonight.[17][18]

In 2019, Novak was cast as the vampire Nandor The Relentless in the mockumentary comedy horror television series What We Do In The Shadows. The show is based on the 2014 film of the same name.

Novak speaks fluent Persian, as seen on the second episode of Season 2 (“Ghosts”) of What We Do in the Shadows.

In 2021, he released eight episodes of "All New Fonejacker Podcast" on Audible and starred as Roger in Disney's Cruella.

Personal life

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Novak is a fan of Liverpool FC.[19]

Filmography

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Film

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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

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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 The Fonejacker Main cast; 13 episodes

BAFTA Television Award for Best Comedy (Programme or Series) in 2008

2008 Headcases Various roles 1 episode (voice)
2008 The Big Fat Quiz of the Year The Fonejacker
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) Main season 12: 7 episodes
Recurring season 11: 5 episodes
Guest season 14: 1 episode
2021 Mickey Mouse Funhouse Trolland the Troll (voice) 2 episodes
2022 Toast of Tinseltown Des Wigwam Episode: “Anger Man”

Video games

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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

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  1. ^ "Instagram".
  2. ^ Pool, Hannah (23 October 2008). "Question time". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 February 2015. 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
  3. ^ a b Kadivar, Darius Syriana breaks Iranian stereotypes Archived 26 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Persian Mirror. Retrieved 3 August 2007.
  4. ^ "Cuban Fury: why Kayvan Novak isn't playing the 'foreign bad guy' any more". The Guardian. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  5. ^ "kayvannovak.co.tv". kayvan-novak.co.tv. Archived from the original on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  6. ^ Comedy Lab, Channel 4. Retrieved 3 August 2007.
  7. ^ International Business Times. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  8. ^ last accessed 1 December 2012.
  9. ^ "British Comedy Awards 2010". The BCA. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
  10. ^ "Beady Eye Interview". Shortlist.com. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  11. ^ "BBC One – Doctor Who, The Time of the Doctor". BBC. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  12. ^ "Episode 1.6 – Nephew". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  13. ^ "Episode 1.2 – A Quiet Night In". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  14. ^ "Rev. (TV Series 2010–2014) - IMDb". IMDb.
  15. ^ John Plunkett (30 September 2013). "Thunderbirds are Go! blends old and new for return of classic series". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  16. ^ Newal, Sally (9 February 2015). "Asylum, BBC4 – TV review". Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  17. ^ "Kayvan Novak to star in new entertainment series". 4 November 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  18. ^ "Britain Today, Tonight". 2 May 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  19. ^ "A new Face in the States!". Sky Sports. 24 March 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
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