Dhruv Trivedi
Adhir Kalyan is a South African actor known for his many roles on popular TV shows like ‘Arrested Development,’ ‘I Love Dick,’ and ‘Second Chance.’ Kalyan became popular after starring as Timmy on the hit CBS comedy show ‘Rules of Engagement’ for five seasons from 2009 to 2013, and has recently been recalled by the studio to headline sitcom legend Chuck Lorre’s (‘The Big Bang Theory,’ and ‘Two and a Half Men’) show ‘The United States of Al.’
Despite having appeared on a long list of TV shows and movies, the actor had an average following, but with his lead role as Al, stardom seems to be right around the corner for Kalyan. We decided to dig around and get some details on the rising star about what he does when he’s working and who he spends his time with when he’s not. Here’s what you need to know!
Adhir Kalyan’s Acting Career
Adhir Kalyan had an affinity towards acting since childhood and was enrolled in the Saira Essa Drama School at the age of 4. At age 9, he self-admittedly wanted to be in every profession that he saw on television and realized that only acting would allow him to be in all of them. Kalyan moved to London when he was in his early 20s to pursue his career in acting, where he scored roles in the BBC series ‘Holby City,’ the action film ‘MI-5,’ as well as in British spy drama ‘Spooks’ and ‘Fair City’ on the Irish Network RTE One.
Prior to the aforementioned films and shows, he had been part of several theatre productions in South Africa including Charles Dickens’ ‘Oliver Twist’ and an adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s ‘The Ground Beneath Her Feet.’ Kalyan then caught the attention of American producers and proceeded to feature as a recurring character on medical drama ‘Nip/Tuck’ as well as play lead on the short-lived sitcom ‘Aliens in America’ in which he appears as a Pakistani high school student living with a family in Wisconsin.
Kalyan also scored the role of a recurring character, Timmy, on the popular sitcom ‘Rules of Engagement’ season 3 and became a series regular from season 4 onwards, which significantly boosted his popularity. His casting as the titular character in Chuck Lorre’s sitcom ‘United States of Al,’ which was announced in 2019, is a further step towards stardom for Kalyan. The South African actor has also taken on roles in multiple movies like ‘Up in the Air’ starring George Clooney, ‘High School,’ ‘No Strings Attached’ as well as appearing in both ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop’ and ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2.’
Adhir Kalyan’s Wife and Daughter
Adhir Kalyan got engaged to actress Emily Wilson in April 2015, and the couple tied the knot the next year on October 1, 2016, in Palm Springs, California. They also held a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on December 30 at Kendra Hall in Durban, South Africa, where Kalyan was born and brought up. In an interview, Kalyan said that both Emily and he embrace each other’s beliefs and that she helps to light the lamp every day, which is a religious Hindu practice.
Wilson is known for her role as Ellie Trout on the long-running ABC soap opera ‘General Hospital,’ which incidentally holds the Guinness World Record for being the longest-running American soap opera in production and celebrated its 14,000th episode in 2018.
Kalyan and Wilson announced in early March 2021 that they were soon about to have a child. The couple’s first daughter, Mira, was born on March 23, 2021. In an earlier interview, the couple had stated that they intended to raise their children with both Hindu and Christian influences. Both Kalyan and Wilson are followers of Buddhist teachings themselves.
Read More: Where Is United States of Al Filmed?
