Omar Elba

Omar Elba (Arabic: عمر علبة); (born September 19, 1983) is an Egyptian-American actor, best known for co-starring alongside Tom Hanks in the movie A Hologram for the King. He also had a recurring role as Mark Green opposite Jessica Biel in the Limetown television series. In the A24/ Netflix series, Mo, Omar plays Sameer, a character with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who has trouble fitting in. In preparation for the role, he worked meticulously with a Behavioral Therapist studying specific ASD patients at great length. Omar himself is also a neurodivergent, revealing he was officially diagnosed on the autism spectrum in his late 30s. Elba also starred, wrote and directed Tim, a Freudian short film about the Ego, Id and Superego. In preparation for the 2 main roles, he transformed his body twice by gaining 20 pounds of fat to play Tim and then losing the weight and gaining 10 pounds of ...