Actor Hisham Tawfiq was born in the United States on May 17, 1970. On the NBC television program The Blacklist, he is best known for playing Dembe Zuma, a member of the security squad and Raymond “Red” Reddington’s close buddy.
Tawfiq, a New York City native, first became interested in the arts while he was a high school student after reading Maya Angelou’s poem “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”
At the Negro Ensemble Company, a school renowned for producing performers like Denzel Washington and Ossie Davis, he continued his education. Coach Susan Batson offered advice to Tawfiq as well.
Tawfiq served in the U.S. Marines and deployed during Operation Desert Storm before dedicating himself totally to the acting profession. He served as a prison officer at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, New York, between 1994 and 1996.
Tawfiq worked as a firefighter for the New York City Fire Department for 20 years while also pursuing a career in acting.
Tawfiq has been in a number of plays, including A Raisin in the Sun, in which he played Walter Lee Younger, a part he has called his dream role, and Intimate Apparel at The Arkansas Repertory Theatre, where he played a role.
What is Hisham Tawfiq doing now?
Hisham Tawfiq is a private man hence not much is known about his current dealings.