Sacha Dhawan

Sacha Dhawan is a British actor of Indian descent whose career spans stage, film, television, and radio. Dhawan began as a child actor at age 12 and attended the Laine-Johnson School of Acting in Manchester. His early television work included recurring roles in British series, and his interest in writing contributed to his breakthrough. At 18, while working in his father's clothing store, he wrote poetry and performed a poem referencing playwright Alan Bennett during his audition for the play "The History Boys." Bennett later noted that Dhawan's poetry distinguished him during the audition process.

Dhawan originated the role of Akthar in Alan Bennett's play "The History Boys," performing in the original stage production and reprising the role in the Broadway, Sydney, Wellington, and Hong Kong productions, as well as the radio and film adaptations. He gained further recognition with the Channel 4 drama "Bradford Riots," for which he received the Royal Television Society Award for On-Screen Breakthrough. Dhawan's television credits include "Last Tango in Halifax," "Utopia," and "Mr. Selfridge." He played Davos in both seasons of the Netflix series "Iron Fist."

Dhawan's profile expanded with his lead performance in the BAFTA-nominated BBC drama "The Boy with the Topknot," where he starred as Sathnam. The feature-length drama achieved high ratings for BBC2. He also portrayed the Master, a well-known villain in British television, in four episodes of the twelfth series of "Doctor Who," acting opposite Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, and reprised the role in the special "The Power of the Doctor." Dhawan played Count Orlo, advisor to Catherine the Great, in the comedy-drama series "The Great," earning a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

Dhawan has continued to take on diverse projects, including a major role in Audible's full-cast "Harry Potter" audiobook series as Quirinus Quirrell. He starred as Alfie Bird in "The Iris Affair," an eight-part Sky Atlantic thriller written by Neil Cross, about a genius who steals the code for a dangerous piece of AI technology.

Throughout his career, Dhawan has spoken about his experiences navigating the entertainment industry as an actor of color, emphasizing a commitment to diversity and color-blind casting. He has stated that he turns down roles that do not feel authentic, reflecting his approach to representation in film, television, and theater.