Hamza Haq
- Actor
- Writer
Named one of Canada's Rising Stars by The Hollywood Reporter in 2017, Hamza Haq stars as Bashir "Bash" Hamed in CTV medical drama TRANSPLANT for which he earned three consecutive Canadian Screen Awards wins for Best Lead Actor (2021-2023). The series, a 2021 Canadian Screen Award winner for Best Drama series, centers around an ER doctor who fled his native Syria to come to Canada where he must overcome numerous obstacles to resume a career in the high stakes world of emergency medicine.
On the big screen, he starred in Fawzia Mirza's QUEEN OF MY DREAMS opposite Amrit Kaur as well as in WITH LOVE AND A MAJOR ORGAN directed by Kim Albright, both films having had their premiere at SXSW. He appears in the French Canadian hit VIKING that premiered at TIFF and opposite Margaret Qualley in the MY SALINGER YEAR which opened the 70th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2020. He also holds supporting roles in BON COP BAD COP 2 with Colm Feore, THE DEATH AND LIFE OF JOHN F. DONOVAN directed by Xavier Dolan, Darren Aronofsky's MOTHER! and DELIA's GONE opposite Stephan James and Marisa Tomei.
In 2023 Hamza starred in critically acclaimed Saudi Arabian Netflix hit CRASHING EID. He also appeared alongside William Shatner and Russell Peters as twins Amal and Gopal in the Netflix mini-series INDIAN DETECTIVE, and earned further acclaim with a 2018 Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Guest Performance for his role as Raza Ali in the CBC drama THIS LIFE. Other notable credits include recurring roles on the Cinemax series JETT opposite Carla Gugino, QUANTICO starring Priyanka Chopra, and THE ART OF MORE with Denis Quaid and Kate Bosworth. Additional television credits include DESIGNATED SURVIVOR, THE BOLD TYPE, BEING HUMAN, and BEST LAID PLANS. He hosted two seasons of the International Emmy® Award nominated children's series LOOK KOOL and played Brampton police officer Jassie in the CBC Gem digital original drama THE 410.
In 2020, Hamza was honoured as Playback's Breakout Star of the Year, and was a recipient of RBC'stop 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards. He spoke at TEDxTORONTO Fall digital event series 'Uncharted' using his public platform to speak on issues important to him, including refugees' rights, racial injustice, and combating stereotypes, and has partnered with the Canada Media Fund's MADE/NOUS initiative as ambassador for Islamic History Month in October, as well as their 'Seek More' campaign in Spring 2021. Through his work on Transplant, he has become a loyal advocate for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Raised in Ottawa, Hamza is youngest of four siblings born in Saudi Arabia to Pakistani parents and has called Canada home since he was nine years old. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies with a minor in Law from Carleton University.
On the big screen, he starred in Fawzia Mirza's QUEEN OF MY DREAMS opposite Amrit Kaur as well as in WITH LOVE AND A MAJOR ORGAN directed by Kim Albright, both films having had their premiere at SXSW. He appears in the French Canadian hit VIKING that premiered at TIFF and opposite Margaret Qualley in the MY SALINGER YEAR which opened the 70th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2020. He also holds supporting roles in BON COP BAD COP 2 with Colm Feore, THE DEATH AND LIFE OF JOHN F. DONOVAN directed by Xavier Dolan, Darren Aronofsky's MOTHER! and DELIA's GONE opposite Stephan James and Marisa Tomei.
In 2023 Hamza starred in critically acclaimed Saudi Arabian Netflix hit CRASHING EID. He also appeared alongside William Shatner and Russell Peters as twins Amal and Gopal in the Netflix mini-series INDIAN DETECTIVE, and earned further acclaim with a 2018 Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Guest Performance for his role as Raza Ali in the CBC drama THIS LIFE. Other notable credits include recurring roles on the Cinemax series JETT opposite Carla Gugino, QUANTICO starring Priyanka Chopra, and THE ART OF MORE with Denis Quaid and Kate Bosworth. Additional television credits include DESIGNATED SURVIVOR, THE BOLD TYPE, BEING HUMAN, and BEST LAID PLANS. He hosted two seasons of the International Emmy® Award nominated children's series LOOK KOOL and played Brampton police officer Jassie in the CBC Gem digital original drama THE 410.
In 2020, Hamza was honoured as Playback's Breakout Star of the Year, and was a recipient of RBC'stop 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards. He spoke at TEDxTORONTO Fall digital event series 'Uncharted' using his public platform to speak on issues important to him, including refugees' rights, racial injustice, and combating stereotypes, and has partnered with the Canada Media Fund's MADE/NOUS initiative as ambassador for Islamic History Month in October, as well as their 'Seek More' campaign in Spring 2021. Through his work on Transplant, he has become a loyal advocate for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Raised in Ottawa, Hamza is youngest of four siblings born in Saudi Arabia to Pakistani parents and has called Canada home since he was nine years old. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies with a minor in Law from Carleton University.
