William El-Gardi
Encyclopedia
William El-Gardi is an English actor of Egyptian, Turkish and Sudanese descent. He lived in Egypt, the Sudan and Switzerland before moving to the United Kingdom
. He trained as an actor at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
in London
. In 2007 he took part in The Container by Claire Bailey, which won a Fringe First and the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression award. Recent theater credits include Failed States (Pleasure Theater) and Time of the Tortoise (Theater 503).
El Gardi has appeared in films and TV as well as theater productions. In 2004 he played the lead villain, bombing mastermind Abu Abassi, in the BBC/HBO film Dirty War
. More TV roles followed, including in Judge John Deed
, The Bill
and Whistleblower
. In 2005 he played the part of Djamel in Djamel's Eyes, and in 2009 played Khalid in Four Lions
, a satire based on a group of four terrorists from the north of England.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He trained as an actor at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts is an independent drama school situated in the Wood Green area of North London. It was founded in 1945 by Peter Coxhead and Ralph Nossek as 'The Mountview Theatre Club', an amateur repertory company staging a new production for a six-day run every second week...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 2007 he took part in The Container by Claire Bailey, which won a Fringe First and the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression award. Recent theater credits include Failed States (Pleasure Theater) and Time of the Tortoise (Theater 503).
El Gardi has appeared in films and TV as well as theater productions. In 2004 he played the lead villain, bombing mastermind Abu Abassi, in the BBC/HBO film Dirty War
Dirty War (film)
Dirty War is a 2004 BBC, in association with HBO Films, made-for-TV movie thriller/drama about a terrorist attack on Central London, written by Lizzie Mickery and Daniel Percival. It was originally broadcast on BBC One on September 24, 2004, on HBO on January 24, 2005, and the first time on...
. More TV roles followed, including in Judge John Deed
Judge John Deed
Judge John Deed is a British legal drama television series produced by the BBC in association with One-Eyed Dog for BBC One. It was created by G.F. Newman and stars Martin Shaw as Sir John Deed, a High Court judge who tries to seek real justice in the cases before him. It also stars Jenny Seagrove...
, The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
and Whistleblower
Whistleblower (TV series)
Whistleblower is a two-part IFTA-winning fact-based RTÉ drama which focuses on the Michael Neary scandal that erupted in the 1990s. Neary is a retired Irish consultant obstetrician/gynecologist who gained notoriety when it was discovered that he had performed what was considered an inordinate...
. In 2005 he played the part of Djamel in Djamel's Eyes, and in 2009 played Khalid in Four Lions
Four Lions
Four Lions is a 2010 British satirical comedy film. It is the debut feature from director Chris Morris, written by Morris, Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong. The film is a jihad satire following a group of homegrown Islamist terrorist jihadis from Sheffield, England.-Plot:A group of young Muslim men...
, a satire based on a group of four terrorists from the north of England.