amir saleem is an actor based in NYC

i grew up in Chelsea, Manhattan, sharing a room with my two older sisters. i think i was always a kid that took up a lot of space, and i needed something that allowed me to do that. 

i started out wanting to be a dancer. i did hip hop in elementary school, but when i got to middle school and didn’t have that outlet anymore, i ended up taking a drama class and did my first play. 

i kept doing theater through high school, but it wasn’t until my senior year, playing Conrad in Stupid Fucking Bird, that I realized I wanted to take this seriously. after that, i auditioned for Juilliard and NYU, i knew i wanted to go all in, and i also knew i wasn’t leaving New York. i ended up at NYU on a full scholarship and have been training at the Atlantic Acting School since.

i care about who gets to be in the audience. theater shouldn’t feel distant or exclusive. i want to be a part of telling new stories, not recycled ones, and reminding people why live performance matters

outside of acting, i’m usually at the gym, singing with friends, rewatching New Girl, or out somewhere in the city eating at a random restaurant because i love food.