Omid Abtahi


Omid Abtahi is an Iranian-born American actor. He is best known for his roles as Salim, in the Starz original American Gods, Penn Pershing in The Mandalorian, Saleem Ulman in NCIS, and Homes in the fourth installment of The Hunger Games film series, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. He is also known for his performances as Justin Yates in Ghost Whisperer, and as Detective Jerry Molbeck, in the American TV adaptation of Those Who Kill.
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Early life and education

Omid Abtahi was born on July 12, 1979 in Tehran, Iran. At the age of five, he moved to Paris with his family, before again relocating to the United States, to Irvine, Orange County, California, when he was 10.
Abtahi graduated from University High School, Irvine, in 1997, and attended California State University, Fullerton. He began studying advertising, then picked up a second major in theater, graduating in 2002.

Career

Prior to appearing on television, Abtahi performed with several theater companies, starring in a stage production of Arthur Schnitzler's Fräulein Else at the Berkeley Repertory, McCarter Theatre and Long Wharf Theatre; Adoration of the Old Woman at the Sundance Theatre Lab; and Your Everyday Typical Romantic Comedy at the Kennedy Center.
After arriving in Los Angeles, Abtahi was a series regular on FX's Over There and Showtime's Sleeper Cell, both premiering in 2005.
He has also guest-starred on the television series JAG, Judging Amy, and 24. He played Justin Yates in Ghost Whisperer.
Abtahi made his New York City stage debut in Urge for Going by Mona Mansour in January 2016.
He has also been a voice actor in video games, playing the voice of Farid in Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and of Sergeant John Lugo in Spec Ops: The Line. He also voices Victor "Gator" Diallo in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.

Filmography

Television

YearFilmRoleNotes
2005JAGWahidEpisode: "Heart of Darkness"
2005Judging AmyReza AjamiEpisode: "The New Normal"
2005Over TherePfc. Tariq Nassiri12 episodes
2005–200924Safa / Jibraan Al-Zarian4 episodes
2006Sleeper CellSalim7 episodes
2007CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationChandru 'Dru' KambhatlaEpisode: "The Good, the Bad and the Dominatrix"
2007The UnitThe BossEpisode: "Play 16"
2007–2008Ghost WhispererJustin Yates3 episodes
2008Terminator: The Sarah Connor ChroniclesSumnerEpisode: "Gnothi Seauton"
2008Eli StoneAmir KhanEpisode: "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"
2008My Own Worst EnemyTony Nazari9 episodes
2009Can OpenersAliTV movie
2009BonesHal ShiraziEpisode: "The Bones That Foam"
2009NCISSaleem Ulman2 episodes
2009–2010FlashForwardEd Fiore2 episodes
2009–2010Three RiversDr. Yousef Khouri2 episodes
2010Pleading GuiltyJonathan ZivenTV movie
2010The EventWilliam2 episodes
2010NikitaAmir KomeraEpisode: "Resistance"
2010The MentalistMarkham ShankarEpisode: "Red Hot"
2010Grey's AnatomyAasifEpisode: "Something's Gotta Give"
2010–2013Star Wars: The Clone WarsCadet Amis 2 episodes
2011FringeSimon PhillipsEpisode: "Concentrate and Ask Again"
2011HomelandRaqim Faisel3 episodes
2011HideNeilTV movie
2012The Good WifeSamirEpisode: "Live from Damascus"
2012Family GuyPrince Faisal Episode: "Leggo My Meg-O"
2012Covert AffairsSayid al-MuqriEpisode: "Hello Stranger"
2012–2013Last ResortNigel5 episodes
2013Family GuyMahmoud Episode: "Turban Cowboy"
2013CastleWaqas RasheedEpisode: "Dreamworld"
2013NCIS: Los AngelesAri Sayed2 episodes
2013RevolutionCaptain Riley2 episodes
2014LegendsBashir Al-Kanazer2 episodes
2014Those Who KillDetective Jerry Molbeck10 episodes
2015Better Call SaulDetective Abbasi3 episodes
2016DamienAmani Golker10 episodes
2017ShamelessSameerEpisode: "Frank's Northern Southern Express"
2017Hawaii Five-0Naser SalaamEpisode: "He ke'u na ka 'alae a Hina"
2017–2021American GodsSalim21 episodes
2018The CrossingJake2 episodes
2018We Bare BearsKale Episode: "The Limo"
2019Love, Death & RobotsWes Episode: "Sonnie's Edge"
2019DuckTalesFaris D'jinn 2 episodes; replacing the late Richard Libertini
2019–2023The MandalorianPenn Pershing5 episodes
2021–2022Fear the Walking DeadHoward8 episodes
2021The Lost SymbolInmateEpisode: "As Above, So Below"
2022–2023Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon KnightAlfie 4 episodes
2023Moon Girl and Devil DinosaurAhmed 4 episodes
2023City on FireDetective Ali Parsa8 episodes
2024The BoysSameer Shah2 episodes
2025FBIFaheem EllahiEpisode: "Redoubt"

Short film

YearFilmRoleNotes
2009Not NecessaryLarry Dallas
2009DiplomacyAmerican Interpreter
2009StarsThe Pimp
2010An Idle DreamPascal
2011The Perfect MealSocial Worker
2018Goliath 22Omar