Rahel Romahn
Birth datec. 1993
Birth placeKurdistan, North Iraq
OccupationActor
Notable worksThe Principal (2015)
Years active2007–present

Rahel Romahn (born c. 1993)[1] is a Kurdish-Iraqi born Australian actor.[1]

Early life

Born in Kurdistan, in Northern Iraq, Romahn's family fled Saddam Hussein’s regime when he was three, initially hiding in Turkey for a year, then emigrating to Australia, where he grew up in Parramatta, in western Sydney.[2]

Despite having to adjust to a new language and culture, Rohman was performing in school productions by grade three, playing Fagin in Oliver Twist and Hook in Peter Pan.[3] Romahn describes himself as "an oddball recluse who loved to mimic people and accents."[4] After watching Al Pacino in Scarface, he was inspired to express himself creatively. He got further into acting, after hearing a radio advertisement for a local drama school when he was 13, and took screen acting workshops in Sydney.

After Romahn finished high school, he worked in customer service for a leading Australian bank, while honing his acting skills at home after hours. Stage and screen appearances followed.[2]

Career

Romahn initially scored a small role in Underbelly in 2010. From there he starred in his breakthrough role in SBS miniseries The Principal.

Other roles he has played include the TV series Shantaram and Mr Inbetween, miniseries Australian Gangster and films Little Monsters, Ali's Wedding, Down Under[5] and Alex & Eve.[6]

He has also appeared in a number of stage roles, most recently as Mozart (opposite Michael Sheen as Antonio Salieri) in Amadeus at the Sydney Opera House in 2023.[7]

For his performance in The Principal, Romahn was nominated for the 2016 AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama[8] and the 2016 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Newcomer.[9] In 2022, he was also the winner of the annual Heath Ledger Scholarship, selected from a field of more than 600 candidates.[2][10]

Personal life

Romahn is a fan of English football club, Liverpool.[4]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleType
2007Battle Therapy TooDeepakFeature film
2008The Ground BeneathLewisShort film
2009The CombinationMoFeature film
2009Bani IbrahimYusofShort film
2012The Day Hollywood DiedCharlieFeature film
2012Smile, LisaRayShort film
2015Alex & EveShadiFeature film
2015BennyTonyShort film (also co-director)
2016Down UnderNickFeature film
2016Ali's WeddingAyoobFeature film
2017The MissingBad GuyShort film
2017Blood OrangeEliShort film (also executive producer)
2019Little MonstersGriffinFeature film [11]
2019The Combination: RedemptionMoFeature film
2020Moon Rock for MondayMooseFeature film[12]
2021Here Out WestRashidAnthology film
2023Streets of ColourTerrence 'Tez' HadidFeature film
2023Crushing SeasonAndoShort film
2024Furiosa: A Mad Max SagaVultureFeature film
2024The SurferConlon, The Estate AgentFeature film[13]
2024The CorrespondentBaher MohamedFeature film
Post-productionWizards!The Man / AlexanderFeature film[14]

Television

YearTitleRoleType
2010Underbelly: The Golden MileTalal AssaadTV miniseries, episode 7: "Full Force Gale"
2010Gangs of OzWahlidTV series, season 2, episode 3: "Young Guns, Loose Cannons"
2011Random DaresRayTV series, season 1, episode 4: "Puppy Dogs"
2015The PrincipalTarek AhmadTV miniseries, 4 episodes
2015Ready for ThisRyanTV series, 2 episodes
2016Janet KingSam NobakhtTV series, season 2, 6 episodes
2016ClevermanLudoTV series, season 1, episode 1: "First Contact"
2016Hyde & SeekJamilTV miniseries, 2 episodes
2017PlansZiaTV miniseries, 7 episodes
2017The Other GuyPaul PerryTV series, season 1, episode 6: "Dog Murphy"
2017PulseAdam AswanyTV miniseries, episode 7
2018Mr InbetweenHassamTV series, season 1, 2 episodes
2019Secret CityNakeeshTV series, season 2, episode 5: "From Whom the Bell Tolls"
2021Australian GangsterMohammed 'Little Crazy' Hamzy, Brothers for Life memberTV miniseries, 2 episodes
2022God’s Favourite IdiotPestilenceTV series, season 1, 2 episodes
20228 Nights Out WestHimselfTV series, season 1, episode 1
2022ShantaramRafiqTV series, season 1, 7 episodes [15]
2023Wolf Like MeKaosTV series, season 2, episode 3
2024Human ErrorJarred PinesTV miniseries, 6 episodes

[16]

Stage

YearTitleRoleType
2016A Midsummer Night’s DreamSnug / Moth / A FairySydney Opera House with STC
2017Three SistersSolyonySydney Opera House with STC
2018The Harp in the SouthHerb Lennon / Harry Drummy / Ernest BlaineyRoslyn Packer Theatre with STC
2019Mary StuartDavisonRoslyn Packer Theatre with STC
2019Lord of the FliesPiggyRoslyn Packer Theatre with STC
2019CosiDougSouthbank Theatre, Melbourne, Sydney Opera House with MTC & STC
2020No Pay? No Way!LuigiSydney Opera House with STC
2021Queen FatimaKarimRiverside Theatres Parramatta for Sydney Festival
2022AmadeusMozartSydney Opera House

[17][18][19]

Awards

YearWorkAwardCategoryResult
2016The PrincipalAACTA AwardsBest Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama
2016The PrincipalLogie Awards Most Outstanding Newcomer
2022Rahel RomahnHeath Ledger Scholarship

References

  1. ^ Dale, David (29 September 2015). "Rahel Romahn gets emotional for The Principal". The Sydney Morning Herald
  2. ^ Idato, Michael (28 January 2022). "Bullied and ostracised growing up, now this actor is off to Hollywood". The Sydney Morning Herald
  3. ^ "Standing His Ground. The Victories of Rahel Romahn – The National Treasures Series". thenationaltreasuresseries.com. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
  4. ^ "Meet The Man Behind The March 2022 Issue Of FilmCentral Magazine: Rahel Romahn - FilmCentral Magazine". filmcentralmagazine.com. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
  5. ^ Maddox, Garry (4 August 2016). "Down Under's first four minutes show disturbing images of the Cronulla riots". The Sydney Morning Herald
  6. ^ Groves, Don (13 October 2015). "Multicultural rising star makes his mark". IF Magazine. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  7. ^ Westwood, Matthew (16 July 2022). "'A tale of genius and mediocrity': Amadeus hits the Sydney Opera House". The Australian. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  8. ^ Maddox, Garry (29 October 2015). "5th AACTA Awards: the full list of nominees". The Sydney Morning Herald
  9. ^ Dunk, Tiffany (4 April 2016). "Waleed Aly to vie with Project co-host Carrie Bickmore, Lee Lin Chin, Essie Davis and Grant Denyer for Gold Logie". news.com.au
  10. ^ "HLS2021 Homepage". Australians in Film. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  11. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (2019-11-14). "Little Monsters review – school-trip kids teach zombies a lesson". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  12. ^ Team, The IF (2021-03-12). "'Moon Rock for Monday' (Trailer)". IF Magazine. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  13. ^ Slatter, Sean (2023-12-11). "Julian McMahon, Miranda Tapsell hit the beach with Nicolas Cage in WA for Stan's 'The Surfer'". IF Magazine. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  14. ^ "Wizards! (2023) - The Screen Guide - Screen Australia". www.screenaustralia.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  15. ^ Grobar, Matt (2023-02-06). "'Shantaram's Rahel Romahn, 2022 Heath Ledger Scholarship Recipient, Signs With More/Medavoy Management". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  16. ^ "More Medavoy - Rahel Romahn". portfolio.moremedavoy.com. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
  17. ^ "Rahel Romahn has a new sheen to his career". Limelight. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  18. ^ "Rahel Romahn - Performance Credits". www.abouttheartists.com
  19. ^ https://shanahan.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ROMAHN-Rahel-150524.pdf[dead link]