# Shazad Latif
**Shazad Latif** (born 1988) is a British actor known for playing Lieutenant Ash Tyler and the Klingon spy Voq in *Star Trek: Discovery* (2017–2019), Dr. Henry Jekyll in the final season of *Penny Dreadful* (2016), [Captain Nemo](https://www.edgepedia.org/captain-nemo) in *Nautilus* (2025), and Edgar Linton in [Emerald Fennell](https://www.edgepedia.org/emerald-fennell)'s *Wuthering Heights* (2026). He was born in London of mixed English, Scottish, and Pakistani descent.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3691746)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | London, England, UK, in 1988; mixed English, Scottish, and Pakistani descent[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3691746) |
| Training | Bristol Old Vic Theatre School; left early after securing his first television role[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3691746) |
| First major TV role | Tariq Masood in the BBC espionage series *MI-5* (*Spooks*), 2009, in the show's final two seasons[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shazad-latif/) • [3](https://fault-magazine.com/2016/04/we-meet-tvs-newest-jekyll-and-hyde-actor-shazad-latif-for-an-exclusive-shoot-and-interview/) |
| Breakthrough in the US | Lieutenant Ash Tyler and Voq in *Star Trek: Discovery*, 25 episodes, 2017–2019[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3691746) |
| Leading role | Captain Nemo in *Nautilus*, a ten-episode adaptation of Jules Verne's *Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea*, AMC, 2025[4](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/did-nautilus-actually-shoot-scenes-in-the-ocean-shazad-latif-gave-us-full-story-submarine-drama) |
| Film work | Kaz Khan in *What's Love Got to Do with It?* (2022); Edgar Linton in *Wuthering Heights* (2026)[5](https://www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/shazad-latif) • [6](https://charactermedia.com/becoming-edgar-linton-an-interview-with-shazad-latif/) |
## Early life and training
Latif was born into a working-class family in [North London](https://www.edgepedia.org/north-london); his father was a black cab driver and his mother is a cleaner.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3691746) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shazad-latif/) He decided on acting as a young boy and enrolled in the acting program at the [Bristol Old Vic Theatre School](https://www.edgepedia.org/bristol-old-vic-theatre-school), whose alumni include [Daniel Day-Lewis](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-day-lewis) and Josh O'Connor.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shazad-latif/) • [7](https://i-d.co/article/shazad-latif-wuthering-heights-2026-actor-linton-interview/) He left the school early after securing his first television role.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3691746) Stage work followed, including productions of *King Lear* and *Glengarry Glen Ross*.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shazad-latif/)
## British television
**Spooks and early roles.** In 2009 Latif booked his first major television role on the BBC espionage series *MI-5*, known as *Spooks*, appearing in the final two seasons of its ten-season run, which ended in 2010.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shazad-latif/) His breakout role was [Tariq Masood](https://www.edgepedia.org/tariq-masood) on that series.[3](https://fault-magazine.com/2016/04/we-meet-tvs-newest-jekyll-and-hyde-actor-shazad-latif-for-an-exclusive-shoot-and-interview/) He then took guest spots on *Black Mirror* and *[My Mad Fat Diary](https://www.edgepedia.org/my-mad-fat-diary)*, a recurring part as Clem Fandango on the cult comedy *Toast of London*, and a guest role as Tybalt Capulet in *Still Star-Crossed* (2017).[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shazad-latif/)
**Penny Dreadful.** In 2016 Latif joined the Showtime fantasy series *Penny Dreadful* for its third and final season, playing the literary character Dr. Henry Jekyll.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shazad-latif/) The role paired him with the Jekyll and Hyde material that had drawn attention to him earlier that year in a *FAULT Magazine* profile.[3](https://fault-magazine.com/2016/04/we-meet-tvs-newest-jekyll-and-hyde-actor-shazad-latif-for-an-exclusive-shoot-and-interview/)
## Star Trek: Discovery
Latif's American breakthrough came with *Star Trek: Discovery*, the CBS All Access series set about 10 years before Captain Kirk's five-year mission.[8](https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-discovery/news/1007018/star-trek-discovery-recruits-more-stars/) His casting involved a switch: he was originally cast in December 2016 in one of the show's Klingon roles, as the Klingon commander Kol, and moved in spring 2017 to the role of Lieutenant Ash Tyler, a Starfleet officer.[9](https://blog.trekcore.com/2017/07/exclusive-shazad-latif-on-star-trek-discovery-pow-survivor-lt-ash-tyler/) • [10](https://www.startrek.com/news/shazad-latif-talks-the-wolf-inside) Tyler is introduced as a prisoner of war who has survived severe abuse and must find his way back to the ship, interacting with Captain Lorca and First Officer Michael Burnham.[11](https://www.startrek.com/news/inside-discovery-shazad-latif)
The role's central twist made Latif the performer of three connected characters: the Klingon spy Voq, surgically altered to appear human as Ash Tyler, and Voq's counterpart in the Mirror Universe.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3691746) • [10](https://www.startrek.com/news/shazad-latif-talks-the-wolf-inside) He appeared in 25 episodes from 2017 to 2019 and returned for the second season alongside Mary Chieffo, who played L'Rell.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3691746) • [12](https://www.startrek.com/news/chieffo-latif-preview-discovery-season-2) Latif grew up watching *Star Trek: The Next Generation* with his grandfather and uncle, who were, in his words, "huge, huge fans" of the franchise.[11](https://www.startrek.com/news/inside-discovery-shazad-latif)
## Film and later work
Latif's film credits include Kushal Kadania in *The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel* (2015), Chandra Mahalanobis in *The Man Who Knew Infinity*, Vince in *The Commuter* (2018), Abu Bilel Al-Britani in *Profile* (2018), and Sonny Chandra in *Rogue Agent* (2022).[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shazad-latif/) • [5](https://www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/shazad-latif) He played the romantic lead Kaz Khan, a British Pakistani doctor agreeing to an arranged marriage, in [Shekhar Kapur](https://www.edgepedia.org/shekhar-kapur)'s *What's Love Got to Do with It?* (2022), opposite [Lily James](https://www.edgepedia.org/lily-james) and [Emma Thompson](https://www.edgepedia.org/emma-thompson).[5](https://www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/shazad-latif) • [13](https://okpakistan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/march-2023-new00.pdf) On television he voiced Kylan in *The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance* (2019), played Ali in *Departure* (2019) and Alfred Wincham in *The Pursuit of Love* (2021), and appeared in the thriller *Magpie* (2024) opposite Daisy Ridley and the series *Atomic* (2025).[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shazad-latif/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3691746)
**Nautilus.** Latif starred as Captain Nemo in *Nautilus*, a ten-episode adventure series adapted from [Jules Verne](https://www.edgepedia.org/jules-verne)'s 1870 novel *Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas*, portraying the Indian prince stripped of his status and forced to design the engines of a secret submersible.[4](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/did-nautilus-actually-shoot-scenes-in-the-ocean-shazad-latif-gave-us-full-story-submarine-drama) • [14](https://cdn4.creativecirclemedia.com/nmcsd/files/20250626-113425-754-06-27-25_TV.pdf) The series was originally intended for Disney+, which passed on it; AMC acquired the United States rights and Prime Video distributed it overseas, and it premiered on AMC in June 2025.[4](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/did-nautilus-actually-shoot-scenes-in-the-ocean-shazad-latif-gave-us-full-story-submarine-drama) • [15](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/as-nautilus-does-big-numbers-for-amc-shazad-latif-responds-question-about-potential-season-2) Its premiere drew 2.6 million Nielsen Live+3 day viewers, the highest for an AMC premiere since *The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live*.[15](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/as-nautilus-does-big-numbers-for-amc-shazad-latif-responds-question-about-potential-season-2) Filming used a large water tank on the Warner Bros lot on the [Gold Coast](https://www.edgepedia.org/gold-coast) in Australia rather than the open ocean, with CGI layering for underwater exteriors.[4](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/did-nautilus-actually-shoot-scenes-in-the-ocean-shazad-latif-gave-us-full-story-submarine-drama)
**Wuthering Heights.** Latif plays Edgar Linton, the well-to-do suitor who marries Catherine, in Emerald Fennell's 2026 film adaptation of [Emily Brontë](https://www.edgepedia.org/emily-bronte)'s *Wuthering Heights*, opposite [Margot Robbie](https://www.edgepedia.org/margot-robbie) as Cathy and [Jacob Elordi](https://www.edgepedia.org/jacob-elordi) as Heathcliff.[6](https://charactermedia.com/becoming-edgar-linton-an-interview-with-shazad-latif/) • [16](https://observer.co.uk/culture/interviews/article/an-hour-with-shazad-latif) He has described his Edgar as a layered, patient figure, "someone who could actually stand against Heathcliff," and has said the film was his best experience on a set.[17](https://www.dazed.me/film-tv/shazad-latif-on-carving-space-wuthering-heights-and-putting-pressure-back-on-the-big-boys) He credited an unconventional audition, in which he spoke at length with Fennell before the casting director arrived, with helping him land the role.[6](https://charactermedia.com/becoming-edgar-linton-an-interview-with-shazad-latif/)
## References
1. [Shazad Latif, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3691746)
2. [Shazad Latif – Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shazad-latif/)
3. [We meet TV's newest Jekyll and Hyde, actor Shazad Latif, FAULT Magazine](https://fault-magazine.com/2016/04/we-meet-tvs-newest-jekyll-and-hyde-actor-shazad-latif-for-an-exclusive-shoot-and-interview/)
4. [Did Nautilus Actually Shoot Scenes In The Ocean? Shazad Latif Gave Us The Full Story, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/did-nautilus-actually-shoot-scenes-in-the-ocean-shazad-latif-gave-us-full-story-submarine-drama)
5. [Shazad Latif Movies and TV Shows – Reviews & Ratings, RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/shazad-latif)
6. [Becoming Edgar Linton: An Interview with Shazad Latif, Character Media](https://charactermedia.com/becoming-edgar-linton-an-interview-with-shazad-latif/)
7. [Shazad Latif Interview on Wuthering Heights, Emerald Fennell and Playing Edgar Linton, i-D](https://i-d.co/article/shazad-latif-wuthering-heights-2026-actor-linton-interview/)
8. [Star Trek: Discovery Recruits More Stars, Paramount+](https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/star-trek-discovery/news/1007018/star-trek-discovery-recruits-more-stars/)
9. [SCOOP: Shazad Latif on DISCOVERY's P.O.W. Survivor, Lt. Ash Tyler, TrekCore](https://blog.trekcore.com/2017/07/exclusive-shazad-latif-on-star-trek-discovery-pow-survivor-lt-ash-tyler/)
10. [Shazad Latif Talks "The Wolf Inside", StarTrek.com](https://www.startrek.com/news/shazad-latif-talks-the-wolf-inside)
11. [Inside Discovery: Shazad Latif, StarTrek.com](https://www.startrek.com/news/inside-discovery-shazad-latif)
12. [Chieffo & Latif Preview Discovery Season 2, StarTrek.com](https://www.startrek.com/news/chieffo-latif-preview-discovery-season-2)
13. [Ok! Pakistan, March 2023 issue](https://okpakistan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/march-2023-new00.pdf)
14. [TV weekly listing featuring Shazad Latif in Nautilus](https://cdn4.creativecirclemedia.com/nmcsd/files/20250626-113425-754-06-27-25_TV.pdf)
15. [As Nautilus Does Big Numbers For AMC, Shazad Latif Responds To Question About A Potential Season 2, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/as-nautilus-does-big-numbers-for-amc-shazad-latif-responds-question-about-potential-season-2)
16. [An Hour With... Shazad Latif, The Observer](https://observer.co.uk/culture/interviews/article/an-hour-with-shazad-latif)
17. [Shazad Latif on carving space, Wuthering Heights and "putting pressure back on the big boys", Dazed MENA](https://www.dazed.me/film-tv/shazad-latif-on-carving-space-wuthering-heights-and-putting-pressure-back-on-the-big-boys)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames L to Mb*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license