Karan Brar

Karan Brar is an Indian-American actor whose career spans film, television, voice acting, and theater. Brar began his acting career at age 11, co-starring as Indian middle schooler Chirag Gupta in the comedy feature film "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." Born and raised in the United States, Brar speaks with an American accent and worked with a dialect coach to perfect his Indian accent for the role. He reprised the role in "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules" and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days," earning multiple Young Artist Award nominations. His work in the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" films and on "Jessie" earned him Young Artist Awards across consecutive years.

Brar landed the role of 10-year-old Indian adoptee Ravi Ross on the Disney Channel comedy series "Jessie." During pre-production, the role of Ravi was originally intended to be a Hispanic boy named Javier from South America, but casting directors recreated the role for Brar after his audition. With his family originally from Punjab, India, Brar recognized the importance of portraying the Disney Channel's first series regular Indian character, contributing to the channel's cultural diversity and sharing his Indian heritage with its audience. His performance on "Jessie" earned him a nomination for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program. When the "Jessie" spinoff "Bunk'd" was announced, Brar reprised his role as Ravi Ross, earning a Young Entertainer Award for his work on the series.

Brar has expanded his career beyond Disney Channel roles, taking on projects in science fiction and animation. He appeared in the Legendary Entertainment/Universal Pictures film "Pacific Rim: Uprising," a science-fiction monster film, playing Suresh, a new cadet in the Jaeger pilot program. To prepare for the role, Brar underwent physical training, including stunt and fight training. He has also contributed voice work to animated projects, voicing Mason in "Mr. Peabody & Sherman" and Prince Zandar in "Sofia the First."

On stage, Brar made his theater debut in the play "Data," portraying Maneesh, a first-generation Indian American programmer at a Silicon Valley tech firm. Brar originated the role when "Data" premiered at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., and reprised it in the Off-Broadway production at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, performing alongside Brandon Flynn, Sophia Lillis, and Justin H. Min.

Beyond acting, Brar is an advocate for mental health awareness and LGBTQ+ visibility. He published a personal essay in Teen Vogue discussing his experiences with PTSD and major depressive disorder, and publicly came out as bisexual, contributing to mental health and LGBTQ+ advocacy in the entertainment industry. Brar supports philanthropic efforts as a celebrity ambassador for Thirst Project, a youth water organization, and raises awareness for the Cameron Boyce Foundation, which works toward detecting and curing epilepsy through research, education, and awareness campaigns. Brar's career reflects a progression from Disney Channel performer to stage actor and advocate for social causes, making him a prominent figure in the entertainment industry.