Shazad Latif: British Actor With Pakistani Lineage Who Plays Edgar Linton in Emily Brontë’s Classic ‘Wuthering Heights’

British actor Shazad Latif has landed a plum role in one of the most anticipated films of 2026: Edgar Linton in Emerald Fennell’s controversial adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel “Wuthering Heights,” which premieres February 13.

The 37-year-old actor plays the wealthy, aristocratic neighbor who marries Catherine Earnshaw (Margot Robbie) but must contend with her obsessive relationship with Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi.

The Hollywood Reporter reported that the role came after a months-long search, with Latif ultimately chosen to play Edgar, who falls in love with and marries Catherine but must then face Heathcliff’s return to enact revenge on both Catherine and the Earnshaw family.

From North London Council Flat to Hollywood

Born Iqbal Amin on July 8, 1988, in London, Latif is of mixed Pakistani, English, and Scottish descent, according to Wikipedia. His paternal family is Pakistani, specifically Punjabi, from Jhelum in Punjab, Pakistan, with one grandfather originally from Rajasthan, while his mother is mixed English and Scottish, according to the same source.

Latif grew up in Tufnell Park, North London, in what he described as humble circumstances. In a 2018 interview with Burnt Roti, a South Asian lifestyle publication, Latif revealed his working-class roots.

“In short, my mum is English/Scottish and my dad is from Jhelum, Pakistan. I grew up in a tiny council flat in North London. My mum was a cleaner, my dad was a taxi driver,” Latif told Burnt Roti. “Very humble background you know, my mum pretty much raised us as a single mum, so it was a struggle growing up.”

Despite the challenges, Latif maintained strong connections to his Pakistani heritage. “Oh, very very connected,” he told Burnt Roti when asked about his Pakistani roots. “My dad was one of eight siblings and he was the first from his family to come to London, and slowly you know other members would start coming over. So I grew up with a lot of my Pakistani cousins, you know going for curries round their house, going to mosque, all of that stuff.”

His father was Javed Iqbal, a black cab driver, according to multiple sources including IMDb and Wikipedia. Latif’s late father’s name would later take on special significance in his career.

Training and Early Career

Latif studied at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where he performed in many stage productions, including “King Lear” (playing Cornwall) and Richard Sheridan’s comedy “School for Scandal” (as Joseph Surface), according to Wikipedia and MN2S talent agency.

However, he left the school a year before graduation after landing his first major television role, according to Rotten Tomatoes and MN2S. “When I was 18 I joined Bristol Theatre School, I didn’t finish it, I actually met my agent there, and was offered the role of Spooks the TV show on BBC, it sort of just got the ball rolling from there,” Latif told Burnt Roti.

His breakthrough came in 2009 when he joined the cast of the British espionage series “Spooks” (known as “MI-5” in the United States), playing Tariq Masood, a highly skilled technician and data analyst. He appeared in the show’s final two seasons, which ended in 2010.

Building a Career: Comedy and Drama

After “Spooks,” Latif demonstrated his versatility by moving between comedy and drama. He appeared in all series of “Toast of London” as the recurring character Clem Fandango (sometimes credited as Clem H. Fandango), one of the studio staff recording the voice of lead character Steven Toast, played by Matt Berry.

His career continued to build with guest appearances on acclaimed shows including “Black Mirror” and “My Mad Fat Diary,” according to Rotten Tomatoes.

International Breakthrough: Star Trek and Beyond

Latif’s career took a significant turn in 2016 when he joined the cast of Showtime’s “Penny Dreadful” as the literary character Dr. Jekyll. He played the role in the show’s third and final season in 2016.

The following year brought his true breakthrough: In 2017, Latif was cast as Chief of Security Lieutenant Ash Tyler in “Star Trek: Discovery” on CBS All Access (now Paramount+). The role, which he played from 2017 to 2020, brought him international recognition and a dedicated fanbase.

However, the role had a twist. After initially being announced as playing a human, it was later revealed that Latif had also portrayed the Klingon Voq in the series, credited under his late father’s name to conceal a related plot twist, according to Wikipedia. This dual role showcased Latif’s range and added emotional weight to his performance by honoring his father’s memory.

In 2020, Latif was featured on one of a set of 18 British commemorative postage stamps celebrating the “Star Trek” television and film franchise, pictured as Lieutenant Ash Tyler, according to IMDb. The stamps were issued as 12 individual stamps honoring captains and crew members, and 6 stamps in a single souvenir sheet highlighting heroes and villains.

Film Work and Recent Projects

Latif’s film credits include “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” (2015).In 2018, he played ISIS fighter Bilel in the thriller film “Profile” by Timur Bekmambetov. Other film work includes “The Man Who Knew Infinity” and “The Commuter” starring Liam Neeson, according to Deadline.

This year, Latif starred opposite Daisy Ridley in the neo-noir thriller “Magpie,” based on a story by Ridley, according to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter. The film debuted at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival and received a theatrical release in October 2024.

He also recently starred opposite Lily James in the romantic comedy “What’s Love Got to Do With It?”

On Diversity and Representation

Latif has been outspoken about the importance of diversity in media. In his 2018 Burnt Roti interview, he addressed the significance of representation.

“So important, you know growing up, I never really saw anyone on TV who looked like me, so my role models so to speak were limited,” he told the publication. “You know we’re lucky, we got actors like Riz Ahmed and Dev Patel who really started breaking down those barriers and continue to make way for actors, you know, like me, or from my background.”

He also discussed his early experiences with racial stereotyping in the industry. “So many times. I mean a lot of my first roles you know, I played the IT guy, the tech guy, the Asian guy. Actually, the first five years of my CV I just played roles that were all Asian names you know, but now you know it’s easing up,” he told Burnt Roti.

Latif drew a clear line on what roles he would accept. “I would never play a terrorist or something racially derogative like that you know, I think we’re better than that,” he said, adding: “There is a lot of change coming, but it has to come from both angles you know, from bottom up to top down, and I think people are finally listening. So I have hope you know.”

This story was aggregated by AI from several news reports and edited by American Kahani’s News Desk.