Sharif Afifi

Sharif Afifi is an English stage actor. For his performance in The Band's Visit at Donmar Warehouse, he was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award.

Early life Afifi grew up in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire. He is of Egyptian descent. He trained in Professional Musical Theatre at the Hammond School in Chester.

Career Afifi's early work from 2012 to 2017 included a minor role in Rent at Greenwich Theatre, ensemble and understudy roles in The 8th Fold at the Duchess Theatre and on the UK tour of Wonderland, and as Munkustrap in the Royal Caribbean production of Cats. In 2018, he appeared in The Toy Boy Diaries at the Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester and Hadestown at the National Theatre in London. In 2019, he made his U.S. stage debut as Karim in We Live in Cairo at the American Repertory Theater. He also went on the UK tour of On Your Feet! as a cover and in the ensemble.

In 2021, Afifi appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre production of The Magician's Elephant and the Sunset Boulevard concert at Alexandra Palace, and originated the roles of Sultan Valed on the Rumi: The Musical concept album and Osman in You Bury Me at Edinburgh Fringe Festival respectively.

For his performance in The Band's Visit at Donmar Warehouse in 2022, Afifi was nominated for the 2023 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical. Also in 2022, he played Freddy Eynsford-Hill in the London Coliseum production of My Fair Lady and starred in Omar Baroud's presentation of After Elijah at The Other Palace. He reunited with Amara Okereke from My Fair Lady for The Light in the Piazza concert at Alexandra Palace.

Stage Year Title Role Notes 2012 Rent Junkie Greenwich Theatre, London 2013 The 8th Fold Ensemble Duchess Theatre, London 2015 Cats Munkustrap Royal Caribbean 2017 Wonderland Ensemble / Cheshire Cat understudy UK tour 2018 The Toyboy Diaries Toyboy 2 Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester Hadestown Worker National Theatre, London 2019 We Live in Cairo Karim American Repertory Theater, Massachusetts On Your Feet! Ensemble / Emilio Estefan cover UK tour 2021 Sunset Boulevard Artie Green Concert; Alexandra Palace Theatre, London The Magician's Elephant Milliner / Dance Teacher / Police Officer Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon You Bury Me Osman Edinburgh International Festival Rumi: The Musical Sultan Valed London Coliseum, London 2022 My Fair Lady Freddy Eynsford-Hill After Elijah The Other Palace, London The Band's Visit Haled Donmar Warehouse, London The Light in the Piazza Giuseppe Naccarelli Concert; Alexandra Palace Theatre, London

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2023 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical The Band's Visit