Assad Zaman

Acting

Assad Zaman

Born 1990-05-09 · Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK

Assad Zaman is an English actor born on May 9, 1990. He grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, and his parents immigrated from Bangladesh in the 1980s. He studied acting at the Manchester School of Theatre, graduating in 2013. Zaman has built a strong career in both theatre and television. He made his London stage debut in 2014 and has appeared in several notable productions, including Behind the Beautiful Forevers, White Teeth, and A Doll's House. His television roles include Apple Tree Yard (2017), Hotel Portofino (2022–2023), and Interview with the Vampire (2022–), where he plays the vampire Armand. In addition to acting, Zaman has ventured into writing and directing. His short play Laundry was produced in 2021, and in June 2024, he made his directorial debut with The Fox and the Grapes.

Acting credits

National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers poster
6.0

India is surging with global ambition. But beyond the luxury hotels surrounding Mumbai airport lies a makeshift slum, full of people with plans of their own. Zehrunisa and her son Abdul aim to recycle enough rubbish to fund a proper house. Sunil, twelve and stunted, wants to eat until he’s as tall as Kalu the thief. Asha seeks to steal government anti-poverty funds to turn herself into a ‘first-class person’, while her daughter Manju intends to become the slum’s first female graduate. But their schemes are fragile; global recession threatens the garbage trade, and another slum-dweller is about to make an accusation that will destroy herself and shatter the neighbourhood.

National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers

2015

A Doll's House poster
NR

Niru is a young Bengali woman married to an English colonial bureaucrat – Tom. Tom loves Niru, exoticising her as a frivolous plaything to be admired and kept. But Niru has a long-kept secret. And just as she thinks she is almost free of it, it threatens to bring her life crashing down around her. Tanika Gupta reimagines Henrik Ibsen's classic play of gender politics through the lens of British colonialism, offering a bold, female perspective exploring themes of ownership and race. Performed between September 6 and October 5, 2019 at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, London, UK (filmed October 5, 2019).

A Doll's House

2019

We Work for the Dead poster
5.0

Magnus has a side hustle. He drives for The Night Mail, which isn't a bad gig, if you don't mind being possessed. What is the Night Mail? A delivery service with a dark secret - working for the dead.

We Work for the Dead

2024

Royal Shakespeare Company: Salomé poster
NR

Imprisoned by a fearful Herod, the prophet Jokanaan rejects the sexual advances of Herod’s stepdaughter, Salomé. When she is compelled by Herod to dance, Salomé is filled with lust-driven revenge and demands the head of the prophet as payment.

Royal Shakespeare Company: Salomé

2017

National Theatre Live: East is East poster
10.0

Salford, 1971. George Khan wants to raise his family in the traditional Pakistani way, but his children have other ideas. Abdul and Tariq aren't ready to be married off, Saleem is pushing artistic boundaries, Meenah's skirt is too short, and Sajit just wants to hide in his parka. As relations reach breaking point, their English mother, Ella, is torn between her loyalty to George and the happiness of her children.

National Theatre Live: East is East

2021

The Saint of Southall poster
NR

On a holy day in Southall, a young woman inadvertently appears as a vision of a goddess, compelling a grandmother to try to heal her disabled grandson.

The Saint of Southall

2020

RSC Live: The Winter's Tale poster
NR

Set across a span of 16 years, from the coronation to the moon landings, a new production of Shakespeare's play, staged for the screen by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

RSC Live: The Winter's Tale

2021

Behind the camera