Why Kumail Nanjiani Said Yes to ‘Chippendales’ Role Nearly 10 Years After Turning It Down

variety.com:

Jenelle Riley Deputy Awards and Features Editor Kumail Nanjiani was just Emmy nominated for outstanding lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie for his searing dramatic performance in the Hulu limited series “Welcome to Chippendales.” But the news came at a peculiar time, as the Emmy nods were announced the day before SAG-AFTRA went on strike, joining WGA members on the picket line. “I was extremely surprised,” Nanjiani told Variety that morning, during those last moments before SAG-AFTRA members were no longer able to talk to press about their projects. “And also thrilled because my co-stars Juliette Lewis and Annaleigh Ashford and Murray Bartlett were recognized.

And our costume designers. So, it’s been this pretty good morning … on the eve of a historic strike.” Nanjiani spoke to the Variety Awards Circuit podcast about his nomination, what convinced him to do “Welcome to Chippendales” and his sheer ubiquity on the screen.

But first, on the Awards Circuit Roundtable, we talk about artisans events, Taylor Swift and the Emmys comedy race. Listen below!

Though Nanjiani is best-known for his comedic work on the HBO series “Silicon Valley” and films like “The Big Sick” and “The Eternals,” his performance in “Chippendales” marks a radical departure in many ways.