Alan Mehdizadeh
{{short description|English actor, agent (born 1982)}}
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{{Weasel|date=August 2024}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Alan Mehdizadeh
| image = Berlinale Mehdizadeh.jpg
| caption = Mehdizadeh at the 2022 Berlinale
| birth_name = Alan Mehdizadeh
| birth_date = 4 September 1982
| birth_place = Hastings, England
| nationality = British
| occupation = Actor, agent
| years_active = 1990–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Sarah Mehdizadeh|2020}}{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}
| children = 3
}}
Alan Mehdizadeh ({{langx|fa|الان مهدیزاده}}; born 4 September 1982) is a British-Iranian actor, appearing on stage and screen. He has recently played the role of Monk in Graham Moore's The Outfit. He played the role of Don in the West End musical, Kinky Boots.
He is also a talent agent, and runs London-based agency Avenue Agents.
Early life
Alan Mehdizadeh was born in Hastings, East Sussex. His father is Iranian, and his mother is English. He is the eldest of 4 siblings.
His early career started at the Questors Theatre in Ealing, where he appeared in a youth production of 'Godspell',{{Cite web|url=http://archive.questors.org.uk/prods/1997/godspell/page.html|title=The Questors Theatre Archive: Godspell 1997|website=archive.questors.org.uk|access-date=6 June 2016}} when he was 14. He then went on to perform at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in a production of 'Watership Down', where he played Cowslip.{{Cite web|url=http://officialalan.com/about-al.html|title=About Al|website=officialalan.com|access-date=6 June 2016}} He also regularly appeared in popular BBC children's programme 'Grange Hill'.
Education
Mehdizadeh graduated from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth in 2007 (where he read Drama).
Whilst studying, he also founded the long-running Curtain Call Musical Theatre Society. In 2016 the company celebrated its 10th birthday with a gala performance at which Mehdizadeh gave a speech, and sung.
Other educational institutions attended include Richmond Upon Thames College, and Drayton Manor High School. At high school he appeared in school shows with actors such as Adebayo Bolaji, Sian Clifford, and Anthony Welsh.
Career
In 2012, he originated the roles of Dad and The MC in a stage adaptation of Oliver Jeffers' book The Incredible Book Eating Boy at the Belfast arts venue, The MAC.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2012/the-incredible-book-eating-boy-review-at-the-mac-belfast/|title=The Incredible Book Eating Boy review at The MAC Belfast {{!}} Review {{!}} Theatre {{!}} The Stage|newspaper=The Stage|language=en-US|access-date=24 October 2016}}
Mehdizadeh played Big Davey in the West End musical Billy Elliot the Musical,{{Cite web|url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/west-end-theatre/news/04-2013/anna-jane-casey-joins-cast-of-billy-elliot-from-13_575.html|title=Anna-Jane Casey joins cast of Billy Elliot, from 13 May|website=WhatsOnStage.com|date=11 April 2013 |access-date=6 June 2016}} (which he played for two years between May 2013 and May 2015). Mehdizadeh also appeared in the same role for both the worldwide live cinema release, and the subsequent DVD release of the show.{{Cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/billy-elliot-the-musical-live-hits-us-cinemas-tonight-com-335271|title='Billy Elliot the Musical Live' Hits U.S. Cinemas Tonight {{!}} Playbill|website=Playbill|access-date=6 June 2016}} Mehdizadeh further, played the role of Big Davey at the 10th anniversary gala performance in May 2015.
In 2016, Alan was appearing in the UK premiere production of Swap!, written and directed by TV star Ian Ogilvy.{{Cite web|url=http://www.basingstokeobserver.co.uk/the-perils-of-a-house-swap|title=The perils of a house swap|website=Basingstoke Observer|access-date=6 June 2016}} The play toured the UK. Alan played Harry "The Hammer" Henson alongside several TV personalities (including Kim Tiddy & Louisa Lytton).
As of 15 August 2016, Mehdizadeh joined the West End production of Kinky Boots in the role of Don.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kinkybootsthemusical.co.uk/news-article.php?articleid=6|title=Kinky Boots London {{!}} Olivier award-winning KINKY BO…|last=Premier|website=Kinky Boots|language=en-GB|access-date=6 June 2016}} The hit musical recently won Best New Musical at the 2016 Olivier Awards, and continues to play at the Adelphi Theatre in London. Mehdizadeh left the production in June 2018.
In 2021 he appeared in the TV series Whitstable Pearl starring Kerry Godliman. His other recent{{when|date=March 2022}} TV credits include BBC series, The Outlaws (written and directed by Stephen Merchant), and The Power (for Amazon Prime).
Mehdizadeh played the role of Monk in the 2022 Graham Moore film The Outfit.
He is next due to appear in the much-anticipated blockbuster Dune: Part Two, season 2 of popular Star Wars spinoff Andor, upcoming Disney+ series Rivals, upcoming BBC comedy Undoing Martin Parker, and has recently voiced the role of Jilan on video game Diablo IV.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}
Mehdizadeh is also the founder, and artistic director of UK production company What Was That? Productions, with whom he has produced and appeared in many productions.{{Cite web|url=http://officialalan.com/what-was-that-productions.html|title=What Was That? Productions|website=officialalan.com|access-date=6 June 2016}}
References
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Category:21st-century English male actors
Category:Alumni of Aberystwyth University
Category:Alumni of Richmond upon Thames College
Category:English male film actors
Category:English male musical theatre actors
Category:English talent agents