Kunal Nayyar

Kunal Nayyar Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: April 30, 1981

Age: 43 years old

Birth Place: London, England, UK

Actor Kunal Nayyar was still a relative newcomer in Hollywood when he landed a lead role on the popular sitcom "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS, 2007- ), as painfully shy physicist Raj Koothrappali. The series was an instant success and provided Nayyar with the perfect opportunity to showcase his comedic chops.

Kunal Nayyar was born on April 30, 1981 in London, England, and spent most of his childhood in New Delhi, India. He began acting in local productions and musicals at a young age and carried that interest all throughout college. His parents supported his dreams of becoming an actor, as long as Nayyar had a back-up plan. At 18, Nayyar moved to the United States and majored in business at the University of Portland in Oregon, where he also took numerous acting classes. His performance in the play, "The Rose Tattoo" (2003), earned him an invitation to compete in the American College Theater Festival, where he won the Mark Twain Award for comedy and a fellowship to the famed Sundance Theater Lab. Nayyar then earned a masters degree in fine arts from Templeton University in Philadelphia, PA. Shortly after, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting full time.

In between auditions, Nayyar co-wrote the critically acclaimed play, "Cotton Candy" (2005), about two guys sitting on a couch discussing their perspectives on drugs and sex in conservative India. In 2007, Nayyar landed a small part on the drama series "NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service" (CBS, 2003- ) as a terrorist. That same year, he was cast on "The Big Bang Theory," as one of four science nerds played by Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons and Simon Helberg. While they were exceptionally brilliant with algorithms, the foursome struggled in most social situations, particularly those involving dating. Nayyar played Raj Koothrappali, a sweater vest-wearing physicist who initially had a crippling inability to talk to women unless drunk. The show's success brought Nayyar more widespread opportunities, including voice roles in the film "Ice Age: Continental Drift" (2012) and the animated series "Sanjay and Craig" (Nickelodeon 2013- ). In 2015, he published the memoir Yes, My Accent Is Real. The following year, he landed his first film lead, in the crime drama "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" (2016).

Credits

SpacemanStream

Actor
Peter
Movie
2024
50%

Night CourtStream

Guest Star
Martini
Series
2023

Trolls Band TogetherStream

Voice
Guy Diamond
Movie
2023
64%

How To Date Billy WalshStream

Actor
Rupert Brown
Movie
2023
20%

The Jennifer Hudson Show

Guest
Talk
2022

SuspicionStream

Actor
Aadesh Chopra
Series
2022
48%

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Actor
A.J. Fikry
Movie
2022

Trolls Holiday in HarmonyStream

Voice
Special
2021

Mira, Royal DetectiveStream

Guest Voice
Naveen
Series
2020

Trolls World TourStream

Voice
Guy Diamond
Movie
2020
72%

Think Like a Dog

Actor
Mr. Mills
Movie
2020

Criminal: UKStream

Actor
KUNAL NAYYAR
Series
2019
92%

The Kelly Clarkson Show

Guest
Talk
2019

The Big Bang Theory: Couple Goals

Actor
Raj Koothrappali
Show
2019

The Big Bang Theory: Your Takeover

Actor
Raj Koothrappali
Show
2019

The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2018

Guest
Show
2018

Trolls HolidayStream

Actor
Special
2017

Drop the MicStream

Contestant
Reality
2017

Trolls Holiday

Voice
Guy Diamond
Movie
2017

TrollsStream

Voice
Guy Diamond
Movie
2016
75%

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Guest
Talk
2015

The Late Late Show With James Corden

Guest
Talk
2015

The Late Late Show

Host
Show
2015

Consumed

Actor
Serge Negani
Movie
2015

Extra Big Bang

Actor
Show
2014

The Scribbler

Actor
Karem
Movie
2014

Dr. Cabbie

Actor
Tony
Movie
2014

The Queen Latifah Show

Guest
Talk
2013

Whose Line Is It Anyway?Stream

Guest
Series
2013

Sanjay and CraigStream

Voice
Vijay
Series
2013

Who Gets the Last Laugh?

Guest Star
Show
2013

The Big Bang Theory: Cast and Creators Live at PALEYFEST

Guest
Show
2013

The Big Bang Theory: Extras

Actor
Show
2013

Beyond All Boundaries

Narrator
Movie
2013

Beyond All Boundaries

Producer
Movie
2013

The Mindy ProjectStream

Guest Star
Series
2012
86%

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Guest
Talk
2012

Sullivan & SonStream

Guest Star
Neal
Series
2012

CBS This Morning

Guest
Show
2012

Ice Age: Continental DriftStream

Voice
Gupta
Movie
2012
37%

Sunday Brunch

Guest
Show
2011

Just for Laughs: A Tribute to Nerds

Actor
Show
2011

CBS Fall Preview

Host
Show
2011

ConanStream

Guest
Talk
2010

The TalkStream

Guest
Talk
2010

Lorraine

Guest
Show
2010

Lopez Tonight

Guest
Show
2009

The Wanda Sykes Show

Guest
Talk
2009

The Bonnie Hunt Show

Guest
Talk
2008

The Big Bang TheoryStream

Actor
Raj Koothrappali
Series
2007
81%

etalk

Guest
Show
2006

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Guest
Talk
2005

The Soup

Actor
Talk
2004

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Guest
Talk
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Guest
Talk
2003

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

Late Show With David Letterman

Guest
Talk
1993

News aboutKunal Nayyar

Melissa Rauch and Kunal Nayyar in 'Night Court' Season 2 Episode 6

‘Night Court’: Melissa Rauch Says Kunal Nayyar Will ‘Definitely’ Be Back

Kunal Nayyar and Melissa Rauch for 'The Big Bang Theory'

‘Night Court’ to Host ‘Big Bang Theory’ Reunion With Kunal Nayyar Guest Role

'The Big Bang Theory' cast
Q&A

‘The Big Bang Theory’ Tell-All: Author Jessica Radloff Talks the Book’s Juiciest Bits

The Big Bang Theory cast

‘The Big Bang Theory’: Catch Up With the Cast & Their Latest Roles

Kit Harington in Criminal on Netflix

‘Criminal’ Brings Kit Harington to the Interrogation Table in Season 2 Trailer (VIDEO)

Kaley Cuoco - Big Bang Theory series finale
Exclusive

Looking Back at ‘The Big Bang Theory’ Series Finale One Year Later (PHOTOS)

The Change Constant/The Stockholm Syndrome
Spoiler Alert

‘Big Bang Theory’ Bosses on That Jaw-Dropping Series Finale Guest Star and More

THE BIG BANG THEORY
Finale

In Their Own Words: The ‘Big Bang Theory’ Cast on the Emotional Ending

The Cast Of

‘The Big Bang Theory’ Cast Honored With Historic Handprint Ceremony (PHOTOS)

58004190_134144494316784_767401983268172401_n

See the ‘Big Bang Theory’ Cast at the Emotional Final Episode Taping (PHOTOS)

HyperFocal: 0
Preview

‘The Big Bang Theory’ Cast Reflects on Their 12-Year Run Ahead of the Big Farewell

The Big Bang Theory - Cast

‘The Big Bang Theory’ Cast Celebrates Stage Dedication at Warner Brothers Studios

Preview

What You Need to Know About the ‘Big Bang Theory’ Final Season Premiere

big-bang-theory-wedding

Bazinga! ‘The Big Bang Theory’ Signing Off in 2019 After 12 Seasons

The Big Bang Theory

‘The Big Bang Theory’: Go Behind the Scenes With the Cast on Set (PHOTOS)

Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) in The Big Bang Theory - 'The Monetary Insufficiency'

Could There Be Another ‘Big Bang Theory’ Spinoff in the Works?

The BIg Bang Theory - Kunal Nayyar, Comicon 2017 SIP

‘The Big Bang Theory’: Beth Behrs and Walton Goggins to Guest Star

The Big Bang Theory

‘The Big Bang Theory’: Penny and Leonard Renew Their Vows in the Season 10 Premiere

16-17-2037

The Bang Keeps Getting Bigger on ‘The Big Bang Theory’

NCIS - Kunal Nayyar and Mark Harmon

7 ‘NCIS’ Guests Who Went on to Become Stars (PHOTOS)

!! DO NOT POST/ EMBARGOED UNTIL AUGUST !! the-big-bang-theory_TVGM_WBSIP

Behind the “Bazinga!” Moments on ‘The Big Bang Theory’ (PHOTOS)

Kunal Nayyar

‘The Mindy Project’ Exclusive: ‘The Big Bang Theory’ Star to Guest as Mindy’s Potential Husband