Usman Ally is an actor, writer and director based in Los Angeles.
Born in the small kingdom of Eswatini, Southern Africa, Usman is of Pakistani heritage, having grown up in Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania, and having spent the last 25 years all over the United States, from Portland in the Pacific Northwest, to Florida, Chicago, New York and now LA.
As an actor he is a veteran of the stage, having originated several roles that went on to win multiple awards including an Obie, Pulitzer and Drama League Honors, and on television and film can be seen on such award winning series such as Veep, On Becoming A God In Central Florida, Lemony Snicket, The Hunt and more.
As a writer and director, Usman's recent short film Emigre/Americana was Jury nominated at Palm Springs Shortfest 2025, and has just completed a successful festival run at the Academy Award Qualifying Tasveer film festival. Emigre/Americana served as a prelude to his feature film Mimi and Saad: An American Love Story, that received critical praise on the Black List, and is currently under further development with a goal to produce the film soon!
Usman represents a perspective that is not frequently seen or heard as a writer/director: the experiences of a "third culture" individual who is seen as South Asian and Muslim, feels African and carries an American passport. His stories focus on the personal effects that larger socio-political events have on the every day lives of those who struggle to be seen for who they truly are, and how marginalized communities find joy, dignity and hope in challenging situations.
Usman holds an MFA from the University of Florida.