AIR May 2019

What I Know Now
MAY 2019: ISSUE 96
AIR
Navid Negahban
ACTOR
The whole journey to Hollywood has
been a crazy adventure – and remains
so; I’m still following the Yellow Brick
Road, to help this Tin Man find his heart.
Growing up during the Iranian revolution
and Iran/Iraq war taught me one thing:
you have to live in the moment because
tomorrow might never arrive.
I also believe that the only thing that
is impossible is the impossible itself.
I was in my twenties when I arrived
in Germany (via Turkey and Bulgaria),
and couldn’t speak German or English
– but I wanted to be an actor.
Now I’m 50, I can say that for sure the
industry is not the bathing in milk
and honey that most people may assume.
But I arrived with no expectations; I just
wanted to tell stories.
What surprised me early on was how
some creators, trying to tell a story about
my part of the world, didn’t discern
between Farsi, Arabic or Turkish. Some
didn’t concern themselves with knowing
the difference, because they were all
considered the ‘same’ language as long
as the words sounded foreign enough
to scare the audience. I’m proud to see
that changing.
I love the psychological challenge of
playing a multi-layered character, as it
allows you to learn more about yourself.
I compare the process to diving into a
swimming pool, sitting at the bottom
while holding your breath, getting to
know your limits, and hoping that you
have enough air left to swim back up and
get out of the pool.
All the screen personas become part of
your library, but you should never forget
that you are the librarian. You have to
monitor that all the books are checked
back in, and are put away when you are
done reading them. If not, it will make
you lose your sanity.
When it comes to advice received, I
could write a book about all the wisdom
I have been given. From my grandma
to my parents, I have been given so
much incredible guidance – and I
believe everyone who crosses your
path is there to deliver a message: you
just need to be open to receive and
decipher it.
A pertinent lesson my father used to tell
me was, “Pesaram (my son): when you
are unhappy about where you are in
your life, look down, as there are
hundreds of people who would like
to be where you are. And when you
are feeling so full of yourself, look up:
there are millions of people above you.”
Navid stars as The Sultan in Disney’s
live-action remake of Aladdin (in
cinemas this month), while in June
he reprises the surpervillan role in
X-Men spinoff series Legion
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