Omar Metwally
"Art is important to me because it connects us to each other. It gives us a sense of shared experience and broadens our imaginations as to what is possible.
Teaching art is important because it can open up so many new possibilities in a kid's life. Art can be an ongoing source of creativity, joy and resilience."
Omar Metwally is an actor and director best known for his roles in Showtime’s The Affair, New Line Cinema’s Rendition, Steven Spielberg’s Munich, and USA Network’s Mr. Robot.
Metwally was born in Queens, New York and later moved to Orange Country, California at age 3. While there, Metwally earned a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco.
Currently, Metwally plays the charming Dr. Vik Ullah in Showtime’s The Affair, alongside Dominic West and Maura Tierney. Metwally has appeared in seasons 2 and 3 of the show and will also be appearing in season 4, to be released in 2018.
In addition to starring in The Affair, Metwally has also recurred for the past two seasons on USA’s Mr Robot as Santiago, a devious double-agent working for both the FBI and Dark Army.
Recently, Metwally appeared in Harmoney Productions’ Breakable You as Samir Kamali, alongside Holly Hunter and Tony Shalhoub, which premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 7th, 2017. He was also recently seen in Josh Marston’s Complete Unknown, released in 2016, alongside Rachel Weisz and Michael Shannon.In January of 2014, Metwally appeared in Universal Picture’s action-thriller Non-Stop with Julianne Moore and Liam Neeson.In 2010, he was seen as Hani in Julian Schnabel’s film Miral.
In 2007, Metwally appeared as Anwar El-Ibrahimi in New Line Cinema’s Rendition, one of his most well-known roles. Metwally appeared alongside Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, and Jake Gyllenhaal. Metwally won the Chopard Trophy at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival in recognition of his work in Rendition.
In 2005, Metwally appeared as Ali in Steven Spielberg’s Munich, with Eric Bana and Daniel Craig. The film received multiple Oscar nominations, including for Best Picture.
On stage, Metwally originated the role of Humayun in Guards at the Taj by Rajiv Joseph at the Atlantic Theater in NYC, which in 2016 won the Obie Award for Best New American Play, and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding New Play. Metwally himself also received an Obie Award for his performance in the play. He is currently appearing in a re-mount of the show at Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago.
In 2003 he appeared on Broadway in Sixteen Wounded, receiving a Tony Award nomination for his performance.
Recently Metwally also starred in the Off-Broadway Lincoln Center production of How to Transcend a Happy Marriage written by Sarah Ruhl, alongside Marisa Tomei.
In addition to his many stage and film roles, Metwally has also appeared on television as a guest star on Grey’s Anatomy, DIG, The Slap, Fringe, Harry’s Law, and The Good Wife, among others.
In addition to receiving a Master of Fine Arts in Acting, Metwally has also received a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of California, Berkeley.
Omar currently resides in New York City.