Bilal Hasna
{{Short description|British actor}}
{{distinguish|Bilal Hassan}}
{{Infobox person
| image = Sundance Film Festival 2024 - Layla - Bilal Hasna-104A1481 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Hasna at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival
| birth_name = Bilal Ali Hasna
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1999}}
| birth_place = Westminster, London, England
| alma_mater = University of Cambridge
| occupation =
| years_active = 2020–present
}}
Bilal Ali Hasna ({{IPAc-en|b|ɪ|ˈ|l|ɑː|l|_|ˈ|h|æ|s|n|ə}};{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/MedicalAidforPalestinians/videos/bilal-hasna-1-min/2678652322312795/|title=Bilal Hasna% 1 min|publisher=Medical Aid for Palestinians|date=21 April 2023|access-date=12 October 2023}} born 1999) is a British actor and playwright. He starred in the film Layla (2024). On television, he is known for his roles in the Star series Extraordinary (2023–24) and the Amazon Prime series Dead Hot (2024).
Hasna was named a 2023 Screen International Star of Tomorrow.
Early life
Hasna was born in central London to a Palestinian father and a Pakistani Punjabi mother.{{Cite web|url=https://thetheatretimes.com/aaron-kilercioglu-and-bilal-hasnas-for-a-palestinian-at-camden-peoples-theatre-emotionally-intense-exploration-of-identity/|title=Aaron Kilercioglu and Bilal Hasna's "For A Palestinian" at Camden People's Theatre|journal=The Theatre Times|first=Aleks|last=Sierz|date=26 September 2022|accessdate=22 March 2023|archive-date=22 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322183035/https://thetheatretimes.com/aaron-kilercioglu-and-bilal-hasnas-for-a-palestinian-at-camden-peoples-theatre-emotionally-intense-exploration-of-identity/|url-status=live}} Hasna attended Haberdashers' Boys' School in Elstree. He graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. During university, he participated in theatre with the Marlowe Society and Pembroke Players.{{cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/features/stars-of-tomorrow-2023-bilal-hasna-actor/5183291.article|website=Screen Daily|title= Stars of Tomorrow 2023: Bilal Hasna (actor)|first=Dan|last=Jolin|date=28 June 2023|accessdate=29 June 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.camdram.net/people/bilal-hasna|title=Person: Bilal Hasna|website=CamDram|accessdate=18 August 2023}}
Career
Having come up with the idea in 2021,{{Cite web|url=https://cptheatre.co.uk/artist_blogs/Creating-For-A-Palestinian|title=Bilal Hasna and Aaron Kilercioglu on For A Palestinian|website=Camden People's Theatre|date=2022|accessdate=6 September 2023|archive-date=6 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906170633/https://cptheatre.co.uk/artist_blogs/Creating-For-A-Palestinian|url-status=live}} Hasna co-wrote and starred in the one-man play For a Palestinian with Aaron Kilercioglu, which was staged in 2022 at Camden People's Theatre and also featured at the Bristol Old Vic.{{cite web|url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/whats-on/reviews/palestinian-moving-meaningful-political-play-7711656|website=Bristol Post|first=Estel|last=Farrel Roig|date=22 October 2017|title=For a Palestinian is a 'moving and meaningful' political play|accessdate=29 June 2023|archive-date=29 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629142037/https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/whats-on/reviews/palestinian-moving-meaningful-political-play-7711656|url-status=live}}
After making appearances in Sparks and Screw,{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/extraordinary-disney-plus-cast/|title=Extraordinary cast: Meet the stars of Disney Plus superhero comedy|journal=Radio Times|first=James|last=Hibbs|date=25 January 2023|accessdate=11 October 2023|archive-date=8 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508185041/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/extraordinary-disney-plus-cast/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bilal-hasna/|title=Bilal Hasna|website=British Comedy Guide|accessdate=11 October 2023}} in 2023, Hasna had his first main television role as Kash in the Disney+ Star superhero comedy Extraordinary.{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/extraordinary-cast-interview-luke-rollason-sofia-oxenham/|website=Collider|title='Extraordinary' Cast Talks Superpowers and What Drew Them to the Series|first=Abby|last=Cavanaugh|date=28 January 2023|accessdate=29 June 2023|archive-date=4 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240504030700/https://collider.com/extraordinary-cast-interview-luke-rollason-sofia-oxenham/|url-status=live}} He made his feature film debut as the titular character of Amrou Al-Kadhi's Layla.{{cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/amrou-al-kadhis-queer-love-story-layla-wraps-uk-shoot-for-film4-bfi-first-look-revealed-exclusive/5175693.article|website=Screen Daily|title=Amrou Al-Kadhi’s queer love story ‘Layla’ wraps UK shoot for Film4, BFI; first-look revealed (exclusive)|first=Ben|last=Dalton|date=1 December 2022|accessdate=29 June 2023|archive-date=31 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131094643/https://www.screendaily.com/news/amrou-al-kadhis-queer-love-story-layla-wraps-uk-shoot-for-film4-bfi-first-look-revealed-exclusive/5175693.article|url-status=live}} He joined the voice cast of the animated film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/06/lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim-brian-cox-miranda-otto-1235045883/|website=Deadline Hollywood|accessdate=29 June 2023|title='The Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim': Anime Voice Cast Counts Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, Miranda Otto & More|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|date=June 15, 2022|archive-date=29 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629144300/https://deadline.com/2022/06/lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim-brian-cox-miranda-otto-1235045883/amp/|url-status=live}} He also has an upcoming lead role opposite Vivian Oparah in the Amazon Prime comedy thriller series Dead Hot.{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a44836726/dead-hot-thriller-prime-video/|title=Stay Close and It's a Sin bosses' new thriller series gets release window|website=Digital Spy|first=Iona|last=Rowan|date=17 August 2023|accessdate=17 August 2023|archive-date=17 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817160746/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a44836726/dead-hot-thriller-prime-video/|url-status=live}}
Personal life
Filmography
| class="wikitable"
|+Key | style="background:#FFFFCC;"| {{dagger|alt=Not yet released}} |Denotes works that have not yet been released |
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2024
| Layla | Layla | |
| 2024
| The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim | Lief | Voice role |
| 2025
| Christmas Karma{{dagger}} | | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2020
| Sparks | Shahid | Episode: "Shahid's First Shave" |
| 2022
| Screw | DS Norris | 1 episode |
| 2023–2024
| Kash | Main role |
| 2024
| Edgar | 3 episodes |
| 2024
| Dead Hot | Elliott | Main role |
| 2024
| Simon | 10 episodes |
| 2025
| Kris El Masry | Episode: "USS Callister: Into Infinity" |
| 2026
| Half Man{{dagger}} | | |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|13176459}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:hasna, bilal}}
Category:21st-century English dramatists and playwrights
Category:21st-century English male actors
Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge
Category:English male dramatists and playwrights
Category:English people of Pakistani descent
Category:English people of Palestinian descent
Category:English people of Punjabi descent
Category:LGBTQ people from London
Category:Male actors from London