Biography
Rizwan Manji was a Canadian actor who was best known for his comedic TV roles on "Outsourced" (NBC, 2010-11), "Schitt's Creek" (CBC Television, 2015-19), and "Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy" (Crackle, 2018). Born to Indian parents in Toronto and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Maji had a multicultural upbringing. His parents immigrated to Canada from Tanzania and went to great lengths to immerse their young son in Indian culture. When young Rizwan wasn't learning about his Indian heritage, however, he was out playing with his friends and absorbing everything Canadian culture had to offer. Even as a young boy, Manji knew he wanted to grow up one day and be a professional actor. He appeared on stage for the first time in junior high school in a one act play and got his very first laugh. From there, Manji was hooked and decided to pursue his formal training in acting in America. His parents would have preferred their son to get a college degree in a more stable field, yet still encouraged him to move to the States to follow his dreams. He enrolled in the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York and soon graduated with the tools he needed to set out on an acting career. Manji began appearing in small parts in films and TV shows in the late 90s and early 2000s, including "Too Tired to Die" (1998), "Queenie in Love" (2001), "The Guru" (2002), and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (NBC, 2001-2011). By the mid-2000s he was cast in bigger roles in films like "Transformers" (2007), "Charlie Wilson's War" (2007), and a recurring role on the short-lived comedy drama series "Privileged" (The CW, 2008-09). Then in 2010 Manji nabbed his first big break by landing the part of Rajiv on NBC's "Outsourced." The sitcom only lasted for a single season but its nationwide exposure instantly put Manji on the radar of big-time Hollywood casting agents. He began landing roles more frequently, and before long was appearing as a recurring character on the comedy "Schitt's Creek," as well as the fantasy series "The Magicians" (Syfy, 2015- ). Manji also appeared on the web comedy series "Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy." In the fall of 2019 Manji joined the cast of the new NBC sitcom "Perfect Harmony" (NBC, 2019- ). The series also starred Bradley Whitford of "The West Wing" (NBC, 1999-2006) fame.
