Joplin Sibtain is a British actor, who is best known for his role as Brasso in the Disney+ series Andor, a prequel to Rogue One.
Background Information and Early Life
Joplin Sibtain, also known professionally as Chook Sibtain, was born in Waltham Forest, London, in August 1969 to Syed Sibtain and Mary Donaghey and is the youngest of four siblings.
At thirteen, Sibtain attended the Community Centre in Hackney, where he initially learned about acting.
After winning a scholarship, the actor attended the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, performing in various theaters, like the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theater.
Early Career
Sibtain started his career in the theater, performing in productions like The Starry Messenger, Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train, An Oak Tree, and Dara.
He has appeared in multiple theater venues, including the Hampstead Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe, Nuffield Theatre, and Salisbury Playhouse.
Television and Movie Career
Sibtain has appeared in numerous television series and films and won Best Actor at the New York Movie award for his performance as the title role in the 2019 short film Memory Man.
He also starred opposite Nick Nolte in the 2018 comedy Head Full of Money, playing the role of Mickey.
Sibtain’s first acting credit was playing Charlie in the television series Beck, which centered around the work of a missing person agency.
The series lasted six episodes in 1996, with Sibtain appearing in a sole episode. Beck starred Amanda Redman, William Ash, and David Hunt.
EastEnders
In 2000, Sibtain appeared in fifteen episodes of the British soap opera EastEnders playing the character of Jack Robbins.
The series began on the BBC in 1985, with a total of over 6500 episodes, and follows the stories of local residents in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London.
Doctors
Between 2002-2008, the actor played various roles across ten episodes in the British medical soap opera Doctors.
While the series initially was ordered for forty-one episodes, it received positive feedback, and the BBC continued running the soap opera.
The series has had numerous guest appearances, and the show has been quoted as “a British actor’s rite of passage.”
Doctor Who
Sibtain played the role of Tarak Ital in the 2009 “The Waters of Mars” episode of Doctor Who.
The British science fiction series began on the BBC in 1963 and ran until 1989 for a total of twenty-six seasons.
Doctor Who centers around the explorations of a Time Lord called The Doctor, who explores the universe in the TARDIS, a time-traveling spaceship.
Hard Sun
In 2018, Sibtain appeared in six episodes of the pre-apocalyptic British crime series Hard Sun, playing the role of Detective Sergeant Herbie Sarafian.
However, the series was canceled after one season. Hard Sun centers around two police officers who find proof that a mysterious cosmic event will demolish the earth in five years.
Joplin would star in the show alongside his future Andor costar, Varada Sethu.
Safe
Sibtain played Neil Chahal in eight episodes of the British drama series Safe, which crime author Harlan Coben created.
The series revolved around a pediatric surgeon, the widowed father of two teenage daughters. Safe ran for a total of one season and starred Michael C. Hall and Amanda Abbington.
Andor
Most recently, Sibtain appeared in six episodes of the 2022 Disney+ science-fiction series Andor, also referred to as Star Wars: Andor.
The actor plays Brasso, Andor’s co-worker and friend, who is an ordinary man who rises up to fight against Imperial oppression.
Andor is the prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and occurs five years before the events that take place in Rogue One.
The series introduces Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor before he became the well-known rebel in Rogue One.
Fans praised Sibtain for his performance as Brasso and commends his character and actions in regards to Cassian, Marva and B2EMO.
The series has received critical acclaim for its acting, directing, writing, musical score, visual effects, and action sequences and has become a breath of fresh air for Star Wars fans worldwide.
The second season of Andor is currently filming, and all clues point to a return of Sibtain’s character, Brasso and him being an even more significant part of the show.
Sibtain stars in the show alongside other notable British actors like Elizabeth Dulau, Varada Sethu, and Alex Lawther
Video Game Voice Acting
Besides his theater, television and movie work, Sibtain has lent his voice to various video game voice acting roles, including Horizon Zero Dawn (Olin), Star Wars Battlefront II, Triangle Strategy (Sorsley), Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, and A Plague Tale: Requiem (Milo).
Personal Life
Sibtain is married to Charlotte Sibtain, the co-host of BBC Radio 4 ‘The Wedding Detectives’, and the couple welcomed their daughter, Cora, in June 2021.
Fans can keep up with the actor on his Instagram account.