{{short description|Egyptian-American actor (born 1990)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Zeeko Zaki | image = File:ZeekoP1088369.jpg | caption = Zaki in 2025 in Queens, New York City | native_name = | birth_name = Zakaria Sherif Zaki | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|1|18}} | birth_place = Alexandria, Egypt | alma_mater = Temple University | occupation = Actor | years_active = 2012–present | notable_works = ''FBI'' | website = | spouse = | partner = | children = }}
'''Zakaria Sherif Zaki''' (Arabic: زكريا شريف زكي; born January 18, 1990),<ref>{{cite news|last=Rose|first=Mike|title=Today's famous birthdays list for January 18, 2023 includes celebrities Kevin Costner, Dave Bautista|work=The Plain Dealer|date=January 18, 2023|accessdate=January 18, 2023|url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2023/01/todays-famous-birthdays-list-for-january-18-2023-includes-celebrities-kevin-costner-dave-bautista.html}}</ref> better known as '''Zeeko Zaki''' (Arabic: زيكو زكي),<ref name=":0">{{Cite press release |url=https://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/fbi/bios?id=zeeko-zaki |title=CBS Press Express {{!}} FBI |website=CBS Press Express |access-date=November 18, 2018}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=July 28, 2018 |title=Arab American stars in new CBS prime-time series |work=Arab American News |url=https://www.arabamericannews.com/2018/07/28/arab-american-stars-in-new-cbs-prime-time-series/ |access-date=November 18, 2018}}</ref> is an Egyptian-American actor best known for his role portraying Special Agent Omar Adom "OA" Zidan on the CBS television series ''FBI''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/928115-connie-nielsen-cast-in-dick-wolfs-cbs-drama-fbi|title=Connie Nielsen Cast in Dick Wolf's CBS Drama FBI|date=March 6, 2018|work=ComingSoon.net|access-date=November 18, 2018}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Zaki was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and immigrated with his parents Eman and Sherif Zaki to the United States when he was one month old. Zaki's maternal grandparents immigrated to the U.S. before he and his parents arrived.<ref name="HelloMag">{{citation|url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/20220712145222/fbi-star-zeeko-zaki-extraordinarily-100lb-weight-loss/|title=FBI star Zeeko Zaki details extraordinary 100lb weight loss|website=hellomagazine.com|date=July 11, 2022 }}</ref> His extended family remained in Egypt. During his childhood Zaki spent summers in his hometown, his aunt has a villa in Agami Region where he and his relatives gather.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 4, 2019 |title=بطل مصري لمسلسل أمريكي.. حكاية زيكو زكي |publisher=elsaha.com |language=ar |url=https://www.elsaha.com/a/518874.html |archive-date=February 4, 2020 |access-date=November 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204131041/https://www.elsaha.com/a/518874.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> He grew up in West Chester, Pennsylvania. His mother manages a salon in Wilmington, Delaware, and his father is a stylist. Zaki has two younger siblings: a brother, Zeyad, and a sister, Zeina.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 9, 2011 |title=Delaware Today magazine Women in Business: Emon Zaki is operations manager at Sherif Zaki Salon & The Oasis Spa |url=https://delawaretoday.com/uncategorized/delaware-today-magazine-women-in-business-emon-zaki-is-operations-manager-at-sherif-zaki-salon-the-oasis-spa/ |access-date=June 15, 2022 |website=Delaware Today}}</ref>
==Career== Zaki discovered a passion for acting during his freshman year high school performance of ''Seussical'' at Unionville High School. He also acted in the community theatre group Unionville Players. He briefly attended Temple University in Philadelphia.
In 2010, Zaki moved to North Carolina, where he worked in theater before auditioning for television roles. He appeared in bit part roles in various films and television series before landing recurring roles in ''Six'' and ''24: Legacy'', portraying antagonists, and in ''Valor'', in which he portrayed a door gunner of a U.S. Army special operations aviation unit. Zaki was cast in his first lead role playing Special Agent Zidan in Dick Wolf's procedural show ''FBI''. The role was originally written for a Latino actor but Wolf, impressed by Zaki's audition tape, changed the character's ethnicity to mirror Zaki's background.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=October 29, 2018 |title=Zeeko Zaki Finally Gets to Play the Good Guy |magazine=Harper's Bazaar |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a24082498/zeeko-zaki-fbi-interview/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 10, 2018 |title=Muslim 'FBI' star advocates for better TV representation |work=New York Post |url=https://nypost.com/2018/10/10/muslim-fbi-star-advocates-for-better-tv-representation/}}</ref>
Zaki has said that he wants to prove to the world that Muslims and Arabs are not terrorists.<ref>{{Citation |title=حصريا .. قصة زيكو زكى النجم المصرى العالمى في هوليوود .. بدأ كومبارس وبقى بطل مسلسل "FBI" | date=January 5, 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfEcKZQZ8dI |access-date=June 14, 2022}}</ref>
== Personal life == Zaki is a Muslim.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=September 25, 2018 |title=Actor Zeeko Zaki Is Ready to Change the Narrative of Arab Men on the Small Screen |work=Town & Country |url=https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a23362351/zeeko-zaki-interview-new-dick-wolf-drama-fbi/ |access-date=November 18, 2018}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite magazine |title=I'm a Muslim American and I Play the Hero in a TV Show. Here's What My Experience Has Taught Me About How We Can Change Hollywood |url=https://time.com/5423372/zeeko-zaki-fbi/ |access-date=November 18, 2018 |magazine=Time |date=October 16, 2018 |archive-date=November 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120185859/http://time.com/5423372/zeeko-zaki-fbi/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Zaki spoke Egyptian Arabic at home until the age of six.<ref name=":2" />
== Filmography == === Film === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | rowspan=2| 2012 | ''{{sortname|The|Therapy Session|nolink=1}}'' | Michael | Short film |- | ''Stuck in Love'' | Gus | |- | rowspan=2| 2013 | ''Heart of the Country'' | Prisoner | |- | ''McDuffy: The Urban Eagle'' | Chocolate Pretzel | Short film |- | 2014 | ''Tuesday'' | Andrew's friend | Short film |- | rowspan=2| 2015 | ''Max'' | Afghan policeman | |- | ''Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip'' | Paparazzo #2 | |- | 2016 | ''{{sortname|The|Divergent Series: Allegiant}}'' | Factionless squad leader | |- | 2018 | ''Escape Plan 2: Hades'' | MDLF soldier | |- | 2022 | ''Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again'' | Ra the Sun God (voice) | |}
=== Television === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | rowspan=2| 2012 | ''Homeland'' | Sergeant | Episode: "State of Independence" |- | ''Revolution'' | Militia Soldier | Uncredited; episode: "Nobody's Fault But Mine" |- | 2013 | ''Under the Dome'' | Customer #2 | Episode: "The Fire" |- | 2014 | ''{{sortname|The|Game|dab=U.S. TV series}}'' | Cameron | Episode: "Chardonnay Goes Kissing" |- | 2015 | ''Satisfaction'' | Russell | 2 episodes |- | 2016 | ''{{sortname|The|Inspectors}}'' | Dario Resta | Episode: "The Return of Ronnie" |- | rowspan=5| 2017 | ''Six'' | Akmal Barayev | 8 episodes |- | ''24: Legacy'' | Hamid | 7 episodes |- | ''NCIS: Los Angeles'' | Aimon Shah | 2 episodes |- | ''{{sortname|The|Night Shift|dab=TV series}}'' | Duke | 2 episodes |- | ''Daytime Divas'' | Cab driver | Episode: "Truth's a Mutha" |- | 2017–2018 | ''Valor'' | Staff Sergeant Matt Darzi | 5 episodes |- | 2018–present | ''FBI'' | rowspan=3| FBI Special Agent Omar Adom ‘OA’ Zidan | Main role |- | 2020–2023 | ''FBI: Most Wanted'' | 3 episodes |- | 2021 | ''FBI: International'' | Episode: "Pilot" |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Zaki, Zeeko}} Category:21st-century American male actors Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:American male voice actors Category:Temple University alumni Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States Category:Egyptian emigrants to the United States Category:American Muslims Category:21st-century Muslims Category:1990 births Category:Living people