Ahmed Best

Ahmed Best

Best during his first convention appearance at the Big Apple Convention in Manhattan, October 2, 2010
Born (1973-08-19) August 19, 1973
New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actor
Years active 1989–present
Website www.ahmedbest.com

Ahmed Best (born August 19, 1973) is an American actor, voice actor, and musician. He gained recognition in the 2000s for providing motion capture and voice of the character of Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars franchise. He also created, wrote, directed and produced his own TV show, which he titled This Can't Be My Life.

Best likewise collaborated with director George Lucas in three films and five episodes of the cartoon show, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. He won the Annie Award for Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production for lampooning Jar Jar Binks in Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II.

Early life

Ahmed Best was born on August 19, 1973 in New York City. He lived the majority of his formative years in the Soundview section of the Bronx. He moved to Maplewood, New Jersey in 1984. He attended Columbia High School. He then studied percussion at the Manhattan School of Music.[1]

Career

In 1994, Ahmed joined the acid jazz group The Jazzhole. He contributed to the success of the group for two years. He co-wrote and co-produced three albums for the group including The Jazzhole, And the Feeling Goes Around and The Beat is the Bomb. In 1995, he co-wrote and co-produced Escape by Bill Evans.

In 1995, he joined the cast of the Obie Award winning cast of Stomp. He toured with the cast of Stomp throughout the US and Europe.[1]

In 1997, after casting director Robin Gurland had observed his flexible, athletic movements in Stomp, Ahmed was cast as Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars prequel trilogy (1999–2005). He reprised the role on the Star Wars themed episode of Robot Chicken (as well as its sequel), Star Wars: The Clone Wars and on an episode of Stephen Colbert's The Colbert Report. Unfortunately for Best, Binks drew hostility from moviegoers. Much to his subsequent credit, Best also appeared with fellow Star Wars alumni Dee Bradley Baker, James Arnold Taylor and Daran Norris on the TV show Big Time Rush.

Discography

Song Note
"The Jazzhole" Co-wrote and co-produced
"And The Feeling Goes Around"
"The Beat is the Bomb"
"Secret"
"Falling Apart"
"Take Time"
"Mean What You Say"
"Sweet Child"
"I Wonder"
"Is It Worth"
"Dear James"
"It's the Jazz" on the album "Vitality of Expression" by Jeff Peretz
"Forms of the Rhythm"

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Note
1989 Lean on Me Extra
1999 Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace Jar Jar Binks (voice and performance capture)
2002 Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones Jar Jar Binks (voice) and Achk Med - Beq
2004 Kangaroo Jack: G'Day U.S.A.! Louis Booker (voice)
2005 Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
2006 Open Window Rufus
2009 Mother and Child Julian
2010 The Pink House Actor judge
2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams Crow
2011 Poolboy: Drowning Out The Fury Sidney Moncrief
Some Guy Who Kills People Mayor Maxwell
2012 FDR: American Badass Curtis
2013 DJ Mouse (Armitage segments)

Television

Year Title Role Note
2002 Armitage: Dual Matrix Mouse (voice) English version
2003 Alias Seth Episode: A Free Agent
2006 The Colbert Report Jar Jar Binks (voice) Episode: George Lucas
2007 Robot Chicken: Star Wars Jar Jar Binks and AT-AT Driver (voice)
2008 This Can't Be My Life Ahmed Episode: The Pink Pages
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II Jar Jar Binks and Stormtrooper (voice) Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production or Short Form
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Jar Jar Binks (voice) Episode: Bombad Jedi
5 Second Movies Himself
2009 Cougar Town Dwayne Episode: Mystery Man
Big Time Rush Marketer Episode: Big Time Audition
2010 Episode: Big Time Blogger
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Jar Jar Binks and Defense Minister (voice) Episode: Supply Lines
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III Jar Jar Binks and Carl the Stormtrooper (voice)
2011 Law & Order: LA Dell Gregory Episode: Van Nuys
Episode: Runyon
Zeke & Luther Sal Sackelson Episode: Bro'd Trip
In the Flow with Affion Crockett Black Jock
2014 Star Wars: The Clone Wars Jar Jar Binks Episode: The Disappeared Parts 1 and 2

Short films

Year Title Role Note
2002 Friendly Criminal Himself
2003 The Stockholm Syndrome Himself
There's a Sucker Born Every Minute Nathan
2005 Escorched Richard Prentiss
2007 Charlie's Bitch Ass Hos Makeafoolofme West
2008 This Can't Be My Life Ahmed

Documentary

Year Title Role Note
1999 From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Magic Himself
2001 The Beginning: Making Star Wars Episode 1 Himself
R2-D2: Beneath the Dome Himself uncredited
2005 Science of Star Wars Himself
2009 Black to the Future Himself
2010 The Life of Bob Marley Bob Marley
2001 Maniacs: Behind the Screams Himself

Music

Year Title Songs
2010 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams "The South's Gonna Rise Again"
"Rot in Hell"
"Hey Hey Howdy Howdy Hey"
"Fun, Games and Feastin'"
"Building From the Ground Up"

Composer

Year Title Note
2008 This Can't Be My Life Episode: The Pink Pages (Theme song)

Director

Year Title Note
2008 This Can't Be My Life Short film
Episode: The Pink Pages

Video games

Year Title Role Note
1999 Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Jar Jar Binks (voice)
Star Wars: The Gungan Frontier
2000 Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles
2001 Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing
2005 Lego Star Wars: The Video Game Uncredited
2006 Scarface: The World Is Yours Unknown (voice) Uncredited
2007 Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga Jar Jar Binks (voice) Uncredited
2009 Ready 2 Rumble: Revolution Unknown Boxer (voice)
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 Cloak (voice)
2015 Disney Infinity 3.0 Jar Jar Binks (voice) [2]

Producer

Year Title Note
2007 The DL Chronicles Episodes: Wes & Robert (executive producer)
Boo & Mark (co-executive producer)
2008 This Can't Be My Life Episode: The Pink Pages (co-producer)

Writer

Year Title Note
2008 This Can't Be My Life Short film
Episode: The Pink Pages

Theatre

Year Title Role Note
1995 Stomp Sarge Winner of Obie Award
1997 The Tempest Lead
2002 Uncle Tom's Cabin Lead
Jack Sammy
2003 Vacuums J. Buttersworth III

References

  1. 1 2 Bio page at Best's official site Archived October 20, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. Avalanche Software. Disney Infinity 3.0. Scene: Closing credits, 5:39 in, Featuring the Voice Talents of.

External links

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