Ajay Naidu
About
Biography
Filmography
Notes
Naidu was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award as Best Supporting Male for his performance in "subUrbia".
Biography
Ajay Naidu has avoided stereotyping by playing a variety of characters ranging from Latinos to Arabs to Pakistanis. The son of Indian immigrants, he was born and raised in the Chicago area. Encouraged by a grade school teacher, Naidu auditioned for--and won--the role of Maria Conchita Alonso's son in the feature "Touch and Go" (1985) which led to a handful of TV appearances (including "No Greater Gift," a 1985 "ABC Afterschool Special") and two other film roles in "Where the River Runs Black" (1985) and "Vice Versa" (1988). After appearances in local theater, he spent two years at the Institute for Advanced Theatre Training run by the American Repertory Theatre (ART) at Harvard. Naidu appeared at ART while a student and after completing his degree landing leading roles in "Romeo and Juliet" in Denver and "Everyman" in Chicago. Richard Linklater tapped the actor to portray the Pakistani owner of a convenience store in "subUrbia" (1997), which in turn led to parts in such independent films as "Once We Were Strangers" (1997), Adam Goldberg's "Scotch and Milk" (1998) and Darren Aronofsky's "Pi" (1998), among others. Naidu also made his TV series debut as a regular playing the people-pleasing intern working at a network news show in "Lateline" (NBC, 1998-99).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Life Events
1985
Acting debut in episode of the TV series "Lady Blue" (ABC)
1986
Film debut in "Touch and Go", as Maria Conchita Alsonso's 11-year old son
1988
Last film for nearly a decade "Vice Versa"
1997
Had featured role as the Pakistani owner of a convenience store in "subUrbia"
1998
TV series debut as regular on "Lateline" (NBC)
1999
Co-starred in Mike Judge's "Office Space"
Bibliography
Notes
Naidu was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award as Best Supporting Male for his performance in "subUrbia".
