Nik Dodani

Interview by Carol Wright Photographer: Kim Newmoney

Multifaceted actor Nik Dodani is continuing to cement himself as an emerging talent to watch in Hollywood with roles in projects such as Atypical and Dear Evan Hanson. Dodani talked to NYOTA about co-creating a space to uplift South Asian artists, being a part of projects that lead to larger conversations, and where he sees Zahid’s story going in the future.

By the end of Atypical Zahid has gone through a lot of personal growth due to his diagnosis. Although the show has ended, in your mind, where do you see Zahid’s story going after the final episode?

By the end of the series, Zahid finally starts to look inward and critically examine himself and his relationship to sex and romance. My bet is that this journey eventually lands him in therapy, where he realizes that the reason he’s only dated white women is because of deep-seated, unaddressed internalized racism. He dumps Honey and ends up with a nice Black or Brown girl who doesn’t put up with his nonsense. That’s what I hope at least…