Tamer Riad

At the age of 5 while he was living in Cardiff, Wales, Tamer was asked to play the role of the King in his school play, Snow White an adaptation of the cartoon movie. Though he gave an outstanding performance, after saying his lines "we shall call her snow white" he was so nervous that he ran off the stage and it was an embarrassing moment for him though everyone took it as a moment of comedy. At the age of 7 he was back in the theatre in a more serious role in the famous production based on the Shakespeare play "Merchant Of Venice", though he very much wanted the role of Antonio he was asked to play the role of Shylock due to his typecasting even at such a young age. Despite his family's disapproval of the role due to cultural and religious conflicts, he never looked at it as anything more than a role in a play. That role is what earned him an award in the talent category at his school, as well as his first recognition as a talent artist in the field of drama and acting. In 1985 he was living in Queens, New York while he attended Russell Sage Jr. High, he participated in the off Broadway play Sing as a dancer for the role of an insurance salesman, and again in 1986 in Forest Hills High School for the same production, this time as a Greasy Guy. However he never did care for the lighter side of theatre but more of the serious dramatic side. That same year he was asked to audition for the role of The Foreman in 12 Angry Men, though he didn't get the part he fell in love with the play itself and didn't really care but settled for the part of the Juror #12 and again he gave an outstanding performance. In 1987 that following year he was asked to participate in a play that was very important to him due to his distant relationship with his father, it was the role of Biff Loman (Willie's Son) in the play Death Of A Salesman he insisted on playing Willie Loman and finally got the part. Though he began the play in New York, his family picked up and moved to Texas later that same year where he was happy to learn that he was asked to audition for the same play in 1988 and finally gave it his all. His Last year in school he took part again and for the last time in a Gothics variation of the off-Broadway play Sing (1990) where he played a dancer again but this time he was cast as the role of a Monk another controversial role in his many plays. In 1991 he caught the attention of a casting director at a hotel was asked to play a part in his very first move The Trust based on the true story of William Marsh Rice the founder of Rice University. During which time he was approached by a local talent agent ironically for modeling jobs but of course as well as for roles in films. Without hesitation he signed on with his very first talent agency and began his acting and modeling career at the age of 20. He was still attending college meanwhile and changed his major from business drama. After so many productions he continued to work on his own after his contract was up and when he was in between talent agents. In 1997 he again caught the attention of yet another casting director but this time it was from Playboy and was asked to portray a high class business man in one of their special edition issues. The very next year he was hand picked for the cover of a local magazine by the owner. There he realized his real sense of humor and decided to try for the Laff Stop a comedy club that said to him that he should go pro. in his career. Something he will pursue in the future.