Tyrant

Adam Rayner stars as "Bassam 'Barry' Al-Fayeed," an American pediatrician. It’s been a while now since Barry left Pasadena after a self-imposed decades-long exile to attend a wedding in his Middle Eastern homeland. Soft spoken, guarded, idealistic, but capable of making hard choices, Barry internally struggles with the man he is and the man he wants to be. Barry spent the second season escaping a death sentence, defeating the Caliphate and, without them knowing his true identity, leading the people of his native country towards the idea of democracy. Now, with his temperamental older brother Jamal in the ICU, Barry has become interim President of Abuddin, and he plans to fulfill the promises he made to himself and to his people by moving his homeland toward its first free election.&nbsp;

Career Highlights

Since the start of his acting career, British actor Adam Rayner has been involved in a diverse range of critically acclaimed productions spanning television, film and theater.&nbsp;In 2013, Rayner moved to New York to shoot the feature film Tracers, in which he plays “Miller” in a story that follows “Cam” (Taylor Lautner) a New York City bike messenger who is wanted by the mafia.The film was released early 2015 and is now available on VOD.&nbsp;Prior to Tyrant, Rayner was last seen on television screens in the BBC/Discovery Channel co-production The Whale. Shot in Malta, Rayner played “Captain George Pollard,” a man helming his first voyage as captain of the 18th-century whaler The Essex. Also starring Jonas Armstrong and David Gyasi, The Whale was broadcast on BBC1 in December 2013. Also in 2013, Rayner starred as “Simon Templar” in the pilot remake of the popular TV series, The Saint.In 2012, Rayner took on the male lead role of “Aidan Marsh” in the BBC1/HBO co-production Hunted, starring opposite Melissa George. Written by Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files), the eight-part spy drama series was produced by the creators of Spooks, and followed highly skilled operatives working for a private intelligence firm who don’t know who they can trust. The series premiered in October on BBC1 in the UK and on Cinemax in the U.S.In 2010, Rayner appeared in the popular TNT series, Hawthorne, as “Dr. Steve Shaw” for two seasons opposite Jada Pinkett-Smith. He previously starred as the male lead in the primetime BBC1 drama series Mistresses as lawyer “Dominic Montgomery.” Rayner has also appeared in a number of popular television series including: At Home with the Braithwaites, Vincent, The Line of Beauty, Doctor Who, Waking the Dead, Sensitive Skin and the BAFTA Award-winning comedy Miranda as “Dr. Gail,” Miranda Hart’s love interest.Rayner’s notable feature film credits include: Alek Keshishian’s Love and Other Disasters in 2006 with Brittany Murphy, Matthew Rhys and Catherine Tate, and Dan Reed’s revenge thriller Closure in 2007.Rayner has also appeared on stage in This is Our Youth at the Garrick Theatre, where he played drug dealer “Dennis Ziegler,” originally played by Matt Damon on Broadway. Rayner has worked numerous times with the Royal Shakespeare Company, including Marianne Elliott’s 2006 Much Ado About Nothing in which he played “Claudio,” and Nancy Meckler’s 2006 Romeo and Juliet in which he played “Tybalt.” Additionally, in 2004, he appeared on stage as “Jack Absolute” in The Rivals at the Bristol Old Vic, directed Rachel Kavanagh.Most recently, in 2015 Rayner performed to critical acclaim in Michael Attenborough’s Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, playing the lead role of the American doctor.Rayner studied English at Durham University before securing a place at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.“Dennis Ziegler,” originally played by Matt Damon on Broadway. Rayner has worked numerous times with the Royal Shakespeare Company, including Marianne Elliott’s 2006&nbsp;Much Ado About Nothing in which he played “Claudio,” and Nancy Meckler’s 2006 Romeo and Juliet in which he played “Tybalt.” Additionally, in 2004, he appeared on stage as “Jack Absolute” in The Rivals at the Bristol Old Vic, directed Rachel Kavanagh.Rayner studied English at Durham University before securing a place at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Soft spoken, guarded, idealistic, but capable of making hard choices.

Adam Rayner headshot wearing a suit and placing his hand on his month

Adam Rayner as Bassam "Barry" Al-Fayeed in Tyrant

Adam Rayner as Bassam "Barry" Al-Fayeed in Tyrant | FX

About

Cast and Crew

Jennifer Finnigan stars as “Molly Al-Fayeed,” who is Barry’s wife, a successful doctor, and the mother of his children. Molly is a strong, pragmatic and loving woman. She was initially excited by the prospect of visiting Abuddin, until the gruesome underbelly of the country’s political situation cost her husband his life. But now, after learning that her husband is alive and had become the hero she always knew he could be, she is ready to embrace her role as first lady of Abuddin.

Jennifer Finnigan headshot with her arm up and hand on her head

Moran Atias stars as “Leila Al-Fayeed,” who is Jamal’s stunning wife with a laser sharp intellect and her own strong ideas about how Abuddin should be ruled. As the first lady, Leila planned to modernize Abuddin and introduce it to the world stage. But Jamal’s assassination attempt and the changes taking place in Abuddin have put her on the wrong side of the political coin. How will she continue to maintain her power position now that she is no longer in a position of power?

Morgan Atias headshot wearing a red top and big earring

Ashraf Barhom plays “Jamal Al-Fayeed,” who is Barry’s ferocious older brother. Charismatic and volatile, Jamal ruled Abuddin with an unconscionable brutality. But it finally caught up with him when his daughter-in-law, Nusrat, attempted an assassination, and now his life hangs in the balance.

Ashraf Barhom headshot wearing a black shirt

Noah Silver plays “Sammy Al-Fayeed,” who is Barry and Molly’s son. Sammy is handsome, athletic and a real heart-breaker. Now a little older, wiser and more politically aware than when he first came to Abuddin, Sammy must navigate his American sense of freedom in a different part of the world, especially as it relates to his sexuality.

Noah Silver headshot wearing a black shirt and looking up

Alexander Karim plays “Ihab Bin Rashid,” a rising leader within the Caliphate who has only grown more powerful and destructive since the death of his wife, Samira, by Barry’s hands. Revenge is on Ihab’s mind as much as power – it’s not rational and it makes him more dangerous than ever.

Alexander Karim headshot with bloody face and eye patch over one eye 

Chris Noth plays “Willam Cogswell,” an American general who has been sent by the U.S. to advise the Abuddinian military and government. He is seeking to extend American influence in the region. Wry and pragmatic, Cogswell has a world weary sense of the quagmire that is the Middle East, as well as his own jingoistic impulses. But he has history there to back up these feelings, including a history with Leila.

Chris Noth headshot wearing a jacket with a name tag that read "cogswell"

Howard Gordon headshot wearing a striped collar shirt in front of a bookshelf

Christopher Keyser headshot in black and white wearing a black shirt

Gideon Raff headshot wearing black shirt in black and white

Gwyneth Horder-Payton headshot in black and white

Adam Rayner as Bassam "Barry" Al-Fayeed in Tyrant | FX

Career Highlights

Adam Rayner
as Bassam "Barry" Al-Fayeed

Jennifer Finnigan
as Molly Al-Fayeed

Morgan Atias
as Leila Al-Fayeed

Adam Rayner as Bassam "Barry" Al-Fayeed in Tyrant | FX

Adam Rayneras Bassam "Barry" Al-Fayeed

Jennifer Finniganas Molly Al-Fayeed

Morgan Atiasas Leila Al-Fayeed

Adam Rayner
as Bassam "Barry" Al-Fayeed

Jennifer Finnigan
as Molly Al-Fayeed

Morgan Atias
as Leila Al-Fayeed