About Babak!
To Kill a Mocking Bird, by Aaron Sorkin, was the first ever play I have watched, at California State University, Northridge. I was in sixth grade in middle school, and after bearing witness to the actors commit, and lean into such a deep subject matter of storytelling truly set me free. I felt empowered, and wanted to start telling stories like that. I had always felt a sense of emboldening when I would watch movies as a kid, but this show. Took that feeling and dialed it to eleven. I went on to do summer camp at the university, and even went out to watch more shows their and at the Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum.
Babak Akavan is an Iranian American actor who believes in the power of storytelling. With more than a decade of experience performing on stage and screen, he has dedicated his craft to bringing meaningful stories to life. For Babak, storytelling is at the heart of all communication. To him, performance is an art that can reground or reshape peoples across all kinds of cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. With the right intention, the correct care, and proper respect, no circumstance is un-explorable. His work is guided by the ancient Persian principle of Good Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds, a value passed down to him by his grandmother and family. Through collaboration and creativity, Babak has found his voice and the desire to amplify perspectives often unconsidered or unheard. Be it a comedy to a tragedy, Babak always strives to embody pure authenticity with honor, safety, and community, with the creatives he works with.
THE JOURNEY
Babak Akavan began his acting journey in 2017, with Lubbock Coronado High School's production of "The Beggar's Opera" by John Gay. Since then, his love for Theatre blossomed. Then on, Babak attended Western Texas College, (in Snyder, TX.) training under, Actor/ Professor, Ray Newton. Specializing in a mix of Anton Chekov and Stanivslaski techniques. He was even introduced to the concepts of "clowning", standardized patient work, and the basics of actor decorum. If Babak found any foundation it was here. Babak tooled around as a work study student contributing to all aspects of on and off stage duties; lights, sound, tech, filming, editing, dramaturgy, and more.
In 2021, Babak moved on to Abilene, TX, where he would perform at McMurry University. Here Babak built skills in Directing, Lighting, Set Design, and Acting. Shadowing, Actress/ Dept. Chair, Neena McLain, Babak took on the acting fundamentals of Uta Hagen and Stella Adler. McMurry University ran as a generalist theatre program which allowed Babak to double down again on more technical theatre opportunities. It was here where Babak honed character acting through Commedia del Arte, and McMurry's annual children's travel theatre company. Babak also was voted as Vice President for the University's Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society (22' - 23').
After earning both an Associates, and a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Theatre, Babak ventured off to east coast state of Georgia for 2024. It was this time where Babak was in pursuit of his Masters of Fine Arts in Acting, at the Savannah College of Art and Design. (SCAD.) It was here where Babak was exposed to an industry paced educational environment. Film, TV, Voice Over, and Theatre were abundant and taught by a wheelhouse of professors dedicated to each niche and genre. His time at SCAD help him re-discover and dive going deeper into the staple acting methodists; Hagen, Stanivslaski, Chekov, Adler, but now he was also learning Fitzmaurice voice work, Meisner's active listening through repetition, and even new kinds of storytelling like improv and devised theatre. Babak has also had the privilege to serve as the Graduate Acting Club GradLab's president (25'-26').
INTERNSHIP
Summer 2025, Babak had the honor to return to his hometown of Los Angeles to intern the "other side" of the Industry at the annual GERSH U. Internship, hosted by the Gersh Talent Agency and Emerson College. Here, Babak mentored under, Head of Culture at Gersh, Jayson Council. Through this time, the door was opened for Babak to masterclass and connect with real talent reps of all branches.(Steven Gersh, Debra Goldfarb, Daisy Wu, etc.) Babak thinks often of what was learned at his time at GERSH U, and highly encourages other creatives to attend, and learn from industry legends.
