Desmond Chiam

Chiam was born to parents of Chinese Singaporean descent.{{Cite news|url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-11-14/tropes-iconic-villains-have-bad-guy-roles-played-people-color-evolved|title=How 'bad guy' roles have evolved for people of color|work=Public Radio International|access-date=19 November 2018|language=en-US}} As a child he spent a third of the year in Singapore as his father often worked there.{{Cite news|url=http://kore.am/desmond-chiam-on-landing-his-childhood-fantasy-role-in-shannara-chronicles/|title=Desmond Chiam on Landing His Childhood Fantasy Role in 'Shannara Chronicles'|date=10 November 2017|work=Kore Asian Media|access-date=19 November 2018|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123003922/http://kore.am/desmond-chiam-on-landing-his-childhood-fantasy-role-in-shannara-chronicles/|archive-date=23 November 2018|url-status=dead}} He holds a law degree from the University of Melbourne and also a master's degree in screenwriting from University of Southern California.{{Cite news|url=https://talknerdywithus.com/2017/11/03/exclusive-interview-talking-nerdy-with-shannara-chronicles-desmond-chiam/|title=Exclusive Interview: Talking Nerdy with Shannara Chronicles' Desmond Chiam|date=3 November 2017|work=TalkNerdyWithUs|access-date=19 November 2018|language=en-US}}

Chiam first pursued a career as a lawyer after he graduated from the University of Melbourne. Unsatisfied with a law career after three months, he decided to pursue more creative fields in breakdancing and acting.{{Cite news|url=https://hyphenmagazine.com/blog/2017/11/weekday-lawyer-war-lord-shannara-chronicles-desmond-chiam-makes-case-magic-asian-elves|title=From Weekday Lawyer to War Lord: "The Shannara Chronicles'" Desmond Chiam Makes a Case for the Magic of Asian Elves|date=16 November 2017|work=Hyphen Magazine|access-date=19 November 2018|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://pop-culturalist.com/pop-culturalist-chats-desmond-chiam/|title=Pop-Culturalist Chats with Desmond Chiam - Pop-Culturalist.com|date=22 November 2017|work=Pop-Culturalist.com|access-date=19 November 2018|language=en-US}}

He first started in short films in Australia before eventually appearing in Australian television in series such as Neighbours and Better Man. He eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting.{{Cite web|url=https://coldteacollective.com/desmond-chiam-the-reef-breaking-asian-australian-actor-you-need-to-follow-right-now/|title=Desmond Chiam: The Asian-Australian Actor You Need to Follow Right Now|date=20 June 2019|website=Cold Tea Collective|language=en-US|access-date=26 August 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://charactermedia.com/from-lawyer-to-tv-detective-heres-why-desmond-chiam-left-law-behind/|title=From Real-Life Lawyer To TV Detective: Here's Why Desmond Chiam Left The Law Behind|date=15 August 2019|website=Character Media|language=en-US|access-date=26 August 2019}} Chiam has had roles in multiple American television series including NCIS: Los Angeles and Bones, and was also in Con Man, a webseries by Alan Tudyk.{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3706852/|title=Desmond Chiam|website=IMDb|access-date=27 August 2019}}

In February 2017, he joined the main cast of Spike TV's The Shannara Chronicles (the series was formerly on MTV) in the show's second season where he played the villain, General Riga.{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2017/02/the-shannara-chronicles-season-2-cast-production-begins-malese-jow-1201900227/|title='The Shannara Chronicles' Rounds Out Season 2 Cast As Production Begins In New Zealand|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=1 February 2017|work=Deadline|access-date=19 November 2018|language=en-US}} Following the Shannara Chronicles, he was cast as Jethro, boyfriend to Carly played by Kelli Berglund, in the Starz series Now Apocalypse starring Avan Jogia by Gregg Araki.{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2018/06/now-apocalypse-desmond-chiam-taylor-hart-recur-1202413730/|title='Now Apocalypse': Desmond Chiam & Taylor Hart Set To Recur On Starz Comedy Series|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=20 June 2018|work=Deadline|access-date=19 November 2018|language=en-US}} He then joined the cast of the Manila-set film Empty by Design working alongside friends Chris Pang, Osric Chau, Yoshi Sudarso, and Andrea Walter.{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2018/08/babysplitters-danny-pudi-emily-c-chang-maiara-walsh-sam-friedlander-empty-by-design-chris-pang-osric-chau-rhian-ramos-1202448211/|title=Danny Pudi Set For 'Babysplitters'; 'Crazy Rich Asians' Star Chris Pang Joins Osric Chau In 'Empty By Design'|last=Ramos|first=Dino-Ray|date=20 August 2018|work=Deadline|access-date=19 November 2018|language=en-US}}

In December 2018, he was cast as the male lead Wyatt Cole in ABC and M6's 2019 summer crime series Reef Break opposite Poppy Montgomery.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/12/reef-break-desmond-chiam-star-abc-summer-crime-drama-series-poppy-montgomery-m6-france-1202516229/|title='Reef Break': Desmond Chiam To Star In ABC/M6 Crime Drama Series|first1=Denise|last1=Petski|first2=Nellie|last2=Andreeva|date=7 December 2018|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=7 December 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.spoilertv.com/2018/12/reef-break-desmond-chiam-to-star-in-abc.html|title=Reef Break - Desmond Chiam to Star in ABC Summer Series|last=Anop|first=Nirat|website=SpoilerTV|access-date=7 December 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/06/reef-break-review-abc-poppy-montgomery-1202151584/|title='Reef Break' Review: ABC's Goofy Drama Rides the Crime Wave for Escapist Summer Fare|last=Nguyen|first=Hanh|date=20 June 2019|website=IndieWire|language=en|access-date=21 June 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Media-Entertainment/After-Crazy-Rich-smash-Hollywood-embraces-Asian-faces|title=After 'Crazy Rich' smash, Hollywood embraces Asian faces|website=Nikkei Asian Review|language=en-GB|access-date=26 August 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.romper.com/p/who-plays-wyatt-cole-on-reef-break-desmond-chiam-is-a-name-you-should-know-18561149|title=Want More Wyatt On 'Reef Break'? Me Too.|website=Romper|date=8 August 2019 |language=en|access-date=26 August 2019}} Following Reef Break's cancellation, Chiam joined the cast of the Marvel series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as Dovich.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/12/the-falcon-and-the-winter-soldier-desmond-chiam-miki-ishikawa-disney-plus-marvel-studios-1202808396/|title='The Falcon And The Winter Soldier' Adds 'Reef Break' Star Desmond Chiam And 'The Terror's Miki Ishikawa|last=Ramos|first=Dino-Ray|date=13 December 2019|website=Deadline|access-date=14 December 2019}}

Chiam was cast as Nick Zhao in With Love, Amazon’s one-hour romantic comedy series from Gloria Calderón Kellett and her GloNation Studios and Amazon Studios.{{Cite web|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=2021-06-09|title='With Love': Rome Flynn, Isis King, Todd Grinnell, Desmond Chiam Join Gloria Calderón Kellett's Amazon Series|url=https://deadline.com/2021/06/with-love-rome-flynn-isis-king-todd-grinnell-desmond-chiam-join-gloria-calderon-kelletts-amazon-series-1234771666/|access-date=2021-09-27|website=Deadline|language=en-US}} Chiam has also made a foray into the world of voice acting and can be heard as the English voice of Werewolf Cookie in the popular game Cookie Run: Kingdom.{{Cite web|title=Werewolf Cookie|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Cookie-Run-Kingdom/Werewolf-Cookie/|access-date=2021-09-27|website=Behind The Voice Actors|language=en-US}}

Chiam starred alongside Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, Ashley Park and Sabrina Wu in Joy Ride, Adele Lim's directorial debut.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=2021-10-05 |title=Desmond Chiam, Alexander Hodge & Chris Pang Board Adele Lim Comedy From Lionsgate & Point Grey |url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/desmond-chiam-alexander-hodge-and-chris-pang-board-adele-lim-lionsgate-comedy-1234850326/ |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=Deadline Hollywood |publisher=Penske Media Corporation |language=en-US}} He also appeared in Netflix's adaptation of Partner Track featuring Arden Cho.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=2021-10-29 |title='Partner Track': Desmond Chiam And Tehmina Sunny Join Netflix Series As Recurring |url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/partner-track-desmond-chiam-tehmina-sunny-join-netflix-series-as-recurring-1234865048/ |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}

Chiam was CLEO Singapore's Bachelor of the Year in 2011.{{Citation|last=SPH Razor|title=The most eligible bachelor in Singapore (Cleo 50 Most Eligible Bachelor 2011 Pt 1)|date=25 July 2013|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Jk6pVgo7Kk|access-date=19 November 2018}}

He resides in Los Angeles with his wife.

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• {{Instagram|deschiam}}
• {{IMDb name|3706852}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Male actors from Melbourne

Category:Australian people of Singaporean descent

Category:Australian male television actors

Category:Australian people of Chinese descent

Category:Australian male film actors

Category:21st-century Australian male actors

Category:Male actors of Chinese descent

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:University of Melbourne alumni

Category:University of Southern California alumni

Category:Australian expatriate male actors in the United States