Iqbal Theba

Iqbal Theba is a Pakistani‑born actor whose career in American television and film spans more than three decades. Born on 20 December 1963 in Karachi, Pakistan, Theba grew up speaking Sindhi and belongs to the Theba tribe, a detail that underscores his cultural roots. After completing secondary education, he enrolled at the University of Oklahoma in 1981 to study civil engineering, but his passion for performance led him to leave the program and pursue acting in New York. He later earned a Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering Management and returned to Oklahoma in 1986 to obtain a theater degree before relocating to Los Angeles to launch his professional career. His early break came with the NBC pilot “Death and Taxes,” which, despite not being picked up, opened doors to a recurring role on “The George Carlin Show.” Subsequent guest appearances on popular series such as Married… with Children, ER, Family Matters, Nip/Tuck, Alias, Two and a Half Men, Bosch, Roseanne, Kitchen Confidential, Chuck, JAG, Arrested Development, Children’s Hospital, The Tick, The West Wing, Friends, Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, King of the Hill, Weeds, Community and the film Transformers: Dark of the Moon solidified his reputation as a versatile character actor. His most recognizable role is that of Principal Figgins on Fox’s musical comedy Glee, a part he inhabited for six seasons and 58 episodes, delivering a blend of authority and comedic vulnerability. In addition to live‑action work, Theba lent his voice to the character Slav in the second season of Voltron: Legendary Defender and portrayed General Umair Zaman in HBO’s The Brink. Off‑screen, he is married and the father of two children, balancing a busy acting schedule with family life.