“My father had tremendous insight into what was required in the communities we live in and what is required especially as marginalized people,” he said, adding that his father felt it was “a tremendous need for people to lead and for people to have intelligence and for people to have courage and to stand their ground no matter what their beliefs were.”, Tawfiq continued, “So I was trained with that since I was born. I basically had to create my own character just from the foundation that they gave me. Prior to pursuing a full acting career, Tawfiq served in the U.S. Marines, deployed during Operation Desert Storm. BHER (161), How Animation Saved ‘The Blacklist’ Season 7 Finale During Lockdown, Here’s How ‘The Blacklist’ Finale Looks With Half Live-Action, Half Graphic Novel Animation (Video), ‘The Blacklist’ Unveils Trailer For Hybrid Live Action/Animated Season 7 Finale Cut Short By Covid-19 Shutdown – Update, Multiple Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series, Iconic Artifacts at the National Comedy Center, What to Watch if You Miss the "Game of Thrones" Cast. He is aptly named Hisham which in Arabic means “generous” or “one who shares.” While this is a popular name in the Middle East, it was not as popular in Harlem where Hisham grew up. He served in Operation Desert Storm, was a corrections officer at a prison, and a firefighter for twenty years. [1] From 1994 to 1996, Tawfiq worked as a corrections officer in the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, New York. Know about Hisham Tawfiq Bio - Affair, Married, Wife, Net Worth, Age, Nationality, Actor, Wiki, Social Media, Gender, Horoscope. Hisham studied at the world renowned Negro Ensemble Theatre Company, which has brought forth such notable actors as Denzel Washington, Ossie Davis, and Phylicia Rashad. Muslim characters are largely absent on television and Muslim characters that also identify as African-Americans are even fewer. Tawfiq knows first-hand, however, the twists that life can take. I knew that one of the major reasons I had the success I had -- even with my father passing when I was a senior in high school -- is because of his strong leadership because of the example that he set,” Tawfiq said. Hisham Tawfiq (born May 17, 1970) is an American actor, best known for playing Dembe Zuma, part of the security detail and very close friend to Raymond "Red" Reddington in NBC's The Blacklist. “In seeing that, I knew important the role of a father and especially a black father.”, Watching #insecurehbo with your significant other is.....HILARIOUS. THE BLACKLIST -- "Dembe Zuma" Episode 416 -- Hisham Tawfiq as Dembe Zuman NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images Sept. 28, 2017, 12:41 AM UTC / Updated Sept. 28, 2017, 12:41 AM UTC By Foluké Tuakli The actor explained that as a religious leader his father was revered by many people and so he channeled the loyalty of his community toward his father and applied it to his character’s relationship with fugitive Redd. Tawfiq has made his character so captivating that viewers have been begging for a spinoff to learn more about the stoic bodyguard. Tawfiq studied at the Negro Ensemble Company, known for educating actors such as Denzel Washington and Ossie Davis. Not the #Dragon noooooooooooooooooo #GameOfThones. He is now serving as a loving father to his son who is 16. "The Blacklist" Premieres on Wednesday, September 27 at 8/7c. Played by actor Hisham Tawfiq, it’s difficult to imagine a Reddington without the loyal and protective Dembe by his side. “A lot of my time in fire department was heavily involved in recruitment process of going out and hitting the high schools and the streets and just spreading the word about the job so that the ranks of people of color could grow.”, https://www.instagram.com/p/yrlF51OBDk/?hl=en&taken-by=hishamtawfiq, One of his biggest influences was his father. Looking for something to watch? From "Veronica Mars" to Rebecca take a look back at the career of Armie Hammer on and off the screen. Tawfiq currently plays Dembe in NBC's The Blacklist. FOOTBALL … on While he feels that the media is principally responsible for demonizing Muslims in this country, he still believes it can also be used as a tool to knock out those false illustrations. Early life. Who is Hisham Tawfiq? Tawfiq starred in the BET film Gun Hill as Capt. [3], Tawfiq performed with The Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Intimate Apparel and played Walter Lee in a production A Raisin in the Sun, which Tawfiq has said to be his dream role.[4]. So I took all of that from my life,” said Tawfiq. Tawfiq Canaan - Tawfiq Canaan (Arabic: توفيق كنعان‎) (24 September 1882 – 15 January 1964) was a pioneering physician, medical researcher, ethnographer, and Palestinian nationalist. Unabashedly a member of #TeamLawrence and a self-proclaimed “sci-fi warrior dragon geek,” Tawfiq loves to tune into and live tweet shows like “Insecure” and “Game of Thrones.” Tawfiq enjoys comic books, dragons and all things GOT. Tawfiq hopes that with the promotion of Dembe’s character the show will be able to tackle some of the misconceptions of Islam and Muslim Americans. One thing is for sure, the possibilities for this renaissance man are limitless. It was basically an interrogation of who I am, what I am about, and why would I be so loyal to Redd.”, Related: Yvonne Orji Hopes ‘Insecure’ Gives Viewers Confidence, In one episode he even read a Muslim prayer, which he noted, “made it even more of a dream come true to be able to show this Muslim character, this African-American character who even though was a criminal in some sorts still had this moral compass and allegiance to Islam, which was one of the reasons he is this upstanding, righteous and loyal and trustworthy guy.". Starting with season 3, he was promoted to series regular. Although it was a source of ridicule at times, he understood that he was destined to stand out and lead others. I made him Muslim and I made myself Muslim. “There’s a lot that can be explored,” he said, musing that as a former child soldier, one idea would be a storyline created around a trip back to Sudan. 5:55 PM PDT Hisham studied at the world renowned Negro Ensemble Theatre Company, which has brought forth such notable actors as Denzel Washington, Ossie Davis, and Phylicia Rashad. On television, Tawfiq has appeared in Lights Out, Law & Order spin-offs Special Victims Unit and Criminal Intent, Kings, Golden Boy, 30 Rock, and the 2013 NBC remake of Ironside. Hisham discovered his passion for the arts while performing the poem "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Poet Laureate Maya Angelou, in a high school English class. The Harlem-native drew inspiration from his experiences as a platoon leader in the Marine Corps, with the New York City Fire Department and his relationship with his father. Those roles informed his discipline and stillness for his role as Dembe. His story is the epitome of giving of yourself to serve your community. Hisham Tawfiq (born May 17, 1970) is an American actor, best known for playing Dembe Zuma, part of the security detail and very close friend to Raymond "Red" Reddington in NBC's The Blacklist.