---
name: "Hisham Tawfiq"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/hisham-tawfiq"
fi1m_id: "hisham-tawfiq"
imdb_id: "nm1399346"
tmdb_id: 144583
wikidata_id: "Q19463744"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "17 May 1970"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-23T14:00:04.454657+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Hisham Tawfiq

## Identity

Hisham Tawfiq

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/hisham-tawfiq
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** hisham-tawfiq
- **IMDb ID:** nm1399346
- **TMDB ID:** 144583
- **Wikidata ID:** Q19463744
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hisham_Tawfiq, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19463744, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1399346/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/144583

Actor. Born 17 May 1970 in New York City, New York, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 17 May 1970, New York City, New York, USA
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hisham_Tawfiq, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19463744, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1399346/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/144583

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*The Blacklist*](https://film.one/tv/the-blacklist.md) (63)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Hisham Tawfiq is an American actor. He was born on 17 May 1970 in New York City. He is best known for playing Dembe Zuma in the NBC series *The Blacklist* (2013–2023), appearing in over 200 episodes after promotion to series regular from season 3.

Tawfiq studied at the Negro Ensemble Company and with acting coach Susan Batson. Before acting full-time, he served in the US Marines during Operation Desert Storm, worked as a corrections officer at Sing Sing, and was a firefighter with the New York City Fire Department for 20 years.

His other television credits include episodes of *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit*, *Law & Order: Criminal Intent*, *30 Rock*, *Kings* and *The Equalizer*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *The Blacklist* (2013), Fi1m 63, as Dembe Zuma — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-blacklist.md)

## Complete filmography (22)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Found* (2023), series, as Alonso Mitchell
- *Harlem* (2021), series, as Dr. Obinna Tseggai
- *The Equalizer* (2021), series, as Sameer Bentang
- *Conrad* (2018), series, as Officer Daniel Nack
- *A Girl* (2018), as Sterling
- *Skate Kitchen* (2018), as Lawrence
- *Jinn* (2018), as Imam Khalid
- *Dope Fiend* (2017), as Prince
- *Gun Hill* (2014), as Captain Sanford
- *Ironside* (2013), series, as Cop
- *The Blacklist* (2013), series, as Dembe Zuma — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-blacklist.md)
- *Dead Man Down* (2013), as Harry's Jamaican #3
- *Golden Boy* (2013), series, as Father Steven Truitt
- *Say Grace Before Drowning* (2010), as Chris
- *Five Minarets in New York* (2010), as High Roller
- *Nurse Jackie* (2009), series, as Angry Patient
- *Kings* (2009), series, as Serviceman Walter
- *30 Rock* (2006), series, as African Dictator — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/30-rock.md)
- *Lost Money* (2003), Actor
- *Snitch in New York* (2002), as Hutch
- *Law & Order: Criminal Intent* (2001), series, as Souleyman Camara
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Jules, FDNY Vestry

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/hisham-tawfiq