American actor and author (born 1974)
Maulik Navin Pancholy
(
, born January 18, 1974) is an
American
actor and author who is best known for his roles as Jonathan on
30 Rock
,
Baljeet Tjinder
in
Phineas and Ferb
, Neal in the first season of
Whitney
, and as a character named
Sanjay Patel
in both
Weeds
and
Sanjay and Craig
. His
debut novel
,
The Best at It
(from
Balzer + Bray
/
HarperCollins
), is about a gay, Indian American boy coming into his own.
[1]
In 2022, he released
Nikhil Out Loud
, which tells the story of eighth grade theater kids rising up against homophobia in their community.
[2]
It won the 2023
Lambda Literary Award for Middle Grade Literature
.
[3]
[4]
Early life
[
edit
]
Pancholy was born in
Dayton, Ohio
to Gita Jayantilal and Navin Chimanal Pancholy. He moved around while growing up, living in Ohio, Indiana, and Texas before his family settled in
Tampa, Florida
, where he attended junior high and high school at Berkeley Preparatory School.
[5]
His family comes from
Gujarat
, and his grandparents lived in
Ahmedabad
.
[6]
He is a 1991 graduate of the
Berkeley Preparatory School
in Tampa, and went on to major in Theatre at
Northwestern University
, where he received his
bachelor's degree
in 1995.
[7]
He then attended the
Yale School of Drama
, where he received his
Master of Fine Arts
in 2003.
[8]
Career
[
edit
]
Pancholy played the character of
Jonathan
on the award-winning NBC series
30 Rock
,
Sanjay Patel
on Showtime's
Weeds
and Nickelodeon's
Sanjay & Craig
, Neal on the first season of NBC's
Whitney
, and voiced the character of
Baljeet Tjinder
on Disney's
Phineas & Ferb
.
[9]
Additional television work includes guest roles on
The Good Fight
,
The Good Wife
,
Elementary
,
Dynasty
,
Friends from College
,
Tracey Takes On...
,
The Sopranos
,
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
, and
The Comeback
.
[8]
On February 13, 2017, StarTrek.com stated that Pancholy will play Nambue, Chief Medical Officer of the USS
Shenzhou
in the upcoming TV series
Star Trek: Discovery
. His character appeared in the pilot episode, "
The Vulcan Hello
", which aired on 24 September 2017, and streamed on CBS's online service in America and
Netflix
abroad.
[10]
His stage credits in New York City include the Culture Project's production of
Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom
in 2004, a workshop of the play
Morbidity & Mortality
at the historic
Cherry Lane Theatre
in 2005, and the lead role in
India Awaiting
at the Samuel Beckett Theatre. In January 2015, he joined the cast of
Terrence McNally
's
It's Only a Play
, replacing
Rupert Grint
when the production's Broadway run was extended.
[11]
Washington DC stage credits include Katherina in an all-male version of the Shakespeare Theatre Company's "The Taming of The Shrew" in 2016. He starred as 'Kevin' in the world premiere engagement of Ken Urban's
The Remains
at the Studio Theatre in 2018.
In 2019, Pancholy played 'Tommy' in Bess Wohl's
Grand Horizons
at the
Williamstown Theatre Festival
.
[12]
It was announced that he will reprise the role in
Second Stage
's Broadway production of the play at the
Helen Hayes Theater
.
[13]
Personal life
[
edit
]
Pancholy
came out
as
gay
in a November 2013 interview with
Out
in which he discussed his partner of nine years, chef and caterer Ryan Corvaia.
[14]
They were engaged at the
Taj Mahal
in January 2014 and were married in September that year.
[15]
Pancholy and Corvaia were among the invited guests at a state dinner
President Joe Biden
held for Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
.
[16]
Pancholy speaks
Gujarati
and
Spanish
. He is also proficient in
Hindi
, which he speaks in the
30 Rock
episode "
Khonani
".
[6]
[17]
Political activism
[
edit
]
On April 25, 2014, Pancholy was named to
President
Barack Obama
's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders as part of the
White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
.
[18]
[19]
[20]
On February 25, 2017, Pancholy and nine other members of the commission resigned from their positions, citing administrative actions by President
Donald Trump
that they claimed went "against the commission's principles".
[21]
[22]
Pancholy is active with several non-profit and social policy organizations including
Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles
, the New York City Anti-Violence Project, and
OutRight Action International
, formerly known as the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.
[20]
[19]
Pancholy is the Chair and Co-Founder of the anti-bullying nonprofit Act To Change. He helped launch the campaign during his time serving on President Obama's Advisory Commission. Act To Change was transitioned outside of the White House after the
2016 presidential election
.
[23]
Filmography
[
edit
]
Film
[
edit
]
Television
[
edit
]
Year
|
Show
|
Role
|
Notes
|
1998
|
USA High
|
Achmed
|
Episode: "Jackson Moves Out"
|
City Guys
|
Rasheed
|
Episode: "Jamal Got His Gun"
|
Malibu, CA
|
Haji
|
Episode: "Surf Sale"
|
Felicity
|
T.A.
|
Episode: "Finally"
|
1999
|
Tracey Takes On...
|
Roberto
|
Episode: "Road Rage"
|
Jack & Jill
|
Barto's Classmate
|
2 episodes
|
Charmed
|
Treasure Hunter #1
|
Episode: "That Old Black Magic"
|
1999, 2000
|
The Wild Thornberrys
|
Kazi/Tenzin/Construction Wallah (voice)
|
Episode: "Happy Campers"
"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yeti"
|
2000
|
Family Law
|
Clerk
|
Episode: "Metamorphosis"
|
2005?2009, 2012
|
Weeds
|
Sanjay Patel
|
Recurring seasons 1?5; 8
|
2005
|
The Comeback
|
Kaveen Kahan
|
3 episodes
|
2006?11, 2012
|
30 Rock
|
Jonathan
|
Recurring seasons 1?2; Main seasons 3?5; 7
|
2007
|
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
|
Aziz Gabriel/Dani Hasni
|
Episode: "Stress Position"
"World's Fair"
|
The Sopranos
|
Dr. Ajit Gupte
|
Episode: "
Stage 5
"
|
2007?2015
|
Phineas and Ferb
|
Baljeet Tjinder
|
Voice only
|
2009
|
The Replacements
|
Kamil Sattar (voice)
|
2010
|
Running Wilde
|
Himself
|
Episode: "Mental Flaws"
|
2011
|
Web Therapy
|
Kamal Prakash
|
Recurring; season 1
|
2011?2012
|
Whitney
|
Neal
|
Main (season 1)
|
2013?2016
|
Sanjay and Craig
|
Sanjay Patel
|
Main role, voice only
60 episodes
|
2014
|
The Good Wife
|
Dev Jain
|
Episode "Parallel Construction, Bitches"
|
Wander Over Yonder
|
N/A
|
|
2016
|
The Muppets
|
Photographer
|
Episode: "Got Silk?"
|
2017
|
Star Trek: Discovery
|
Dr. Nambue
|
Episode: "
The Vulcan Hello
"
|
Friends from College
|
Patel
|
Episode: "A Night of Surprises"
|
2017, 2019
|
Milo Murphy's Law
|
Neal
Baljeet Tjinder
|
6 episodes
|
2018
|
Elementary
|
Alfonse Kapoor
|
Episode: "Our Time Is Up"
|
2019
|
Dynasty
|
Kenneth Desai
|
Episode: "
Filthy Games
"
|
2019, 2020
|
American Dad!
|
Nudist/Improv Actor (voice)
|
Episode: "Stan & Francine & Connie & Ted"
"100 Years a Solid Fool"
|
2019
|
The Good Fight
|
Dev Jain
|
Episode: "The One Where Diane Joins the Resistance"
"The One Where Kurt Saves Diane"
|
Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures
|
Jasper (voice)
|
Episode: "Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!"
|
Helpsters
|
Robbie Runner
|
Episode: "Amazing Alie/Robbie & Rhonda Runner"
|
2020?2022
|
Mira, Royal Detective
|
Ranjeet/Gardening Vendor/Uncle (voice)
|
10 episodes
|
2021
|
Q-Force
|
N/A
|
2 Episodes
|
Only Murders in the Building
|
Arnav
|
3 Episodes
|
2022
|
Would I Lie to You? (US)
|
Himself
|
Episode: "Show Goat"
|
Stage
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"The Best at It - Maulik Pancholy - Hardcover"
.
HarperCollins Publishers: World-Leading Book Publisher
. Retrieved
2019-09-05
.
- ^
Pancholy, Maulik (2022).
Nikhil out loud
(1st ed.). New York.
ISBN
978-0-06-309192-4
.
OCLC
1345290131
.
{{
cite book
}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link
)
- ^
"2023 Winners"
.
Lambda Literary
. Retrieved
2023-06-10
.
- ^
Schaub, Michael (2023-06-12).
"2023 Lambda Literary Award Winners Are Revealed"
.
Kirkus Reviews
. Retrieved
2023-06-13
.
- ^
"Angry Reader of the Week: Maulik Pancholy"
.
Angry Asian Man
. October 10, 2014
. Retrieved
April 24,
2018
.
- ^
a
b
Dayal, Priyanka.
"Rock Star: A Conversation with Maulik Pancholy"
.
ABCD Lady
. Retrieved
29 April
2015
.
- ^
"Maulik Pancholy - Biography"
.
The Internet Movie Database
. Retrieved
15 March
2012
.
- ^
a
b
Gregory Kirschling (11 May 2007).
"Maulik Pancholy: You Might Know Me From...The 33-year-old"
.
Entertainment Weekly
. Archived from
the original
on 13 May 2007
. Retrieved
15 March
2012
.
- ^
"Maulik Pancholy"
.
IMDb
. Retrieved
2019-09-05
.
- ^
Schwindt, Oriana (February 13, 2017). "'Star Trek: Discovery' Adds Three More Starfleet Members". Variety. Archived from the original on February 14, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2017
- ^
Gordon, David.
"It's Only a Play's New Stars Martin Short, Katie Finneran, and Maulik Pancholy Meet the Press"
theatermania.com, January 13, 2015
- ^
BWW News Desk.
"Williamstown Theatre Festival Announces Additional Casting; Ellen Barkin, Thomas Sadoski, and More"
.
BroadwayWorld.com
. Retrieved
2019-09-05
.
- ^
Evans, Greg (2019-08-05).
"Michael Urie, Thomas Sadoski, Maulik Pancholy Among Cast Of Broadway-Bound 'Grand Horizons'
"
.
Deadline
. Retrieved
2019-09-05
.
- ^
"Out100: Maulik Pancholy"
.
Out Magazine
. 11 November 2013
. Retrieved
11 November
2013
.
- ^
Kennedy, Ed (September 28, 2014).
"Maulik Pancholy Woke Up a Married Man"
.
The Backlot
. Retrieved
29 April
2015
.
- ^
House, The White (22 June 2023).
"White House Releases State Dinner Guest List"
.
The White House
. Retrieved
24 October
2023
.
- ^
Pancholy, Maulik (4 August 2011).
"That Khonani brings it out of me"
. Twitter
. Retrieved
29 April
2015
.
- ^
Garcia, Michelle (27 April 2014).
"Out Actor Maulik Pancholy Named to White House Commission"
.
The Advocate
. Retrieved
22 June
2017
.
- ^
a
b
Withers, James (27 April 2014).
"Out actor Maulik Pancholy appointed to White House advisory commission"
.
Gay Star News
. Retrieved
22 June
2017
.
- ^
a
b
"President Obama Announces his Intent to Appoint Fourteen Individuals to the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders"
(Press release). The White House. 24 April 2014
. Retrieved
22 June
2017
.
- ^
Lee, Traci G. (16 February 2017).
"10 Resign from President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders"
.
NBC News
. Retrieved
22 June
2017
.
- '
^
Hughes, William (18 February 2017).
"
30 Rock
s Maulik Pancholy just quit a presidential commission because of Donald Trump"
.
The A.V. Club
.
Onion, Inc.
Retrieved
22 June
2017
.
- ^
"Act to Change |"
.
Act to Change
. 2018-12-05
. Retrieved
2019-09-05
.
- ^
Sabrina Siddiqui (11 November 2010).
"30 Rock & Weeds Star on Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey and Shattering Stereotypes"
.
Divanee
. Archived from
the original
on 27 March 2018
. Retrieved
15 March
2012
.
External links
[
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]
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