Two Cents and Five Questions With...

... Omi Vaidya, Actor

If you look at Omi's IMDb page, you will see Omi has been on TV on shows such as "Arrested Developement" and "Cuts", but the Office Universe will always consider Omi as Sadiq the IT Guy.

Omi, fresh back from working in Mongolia, sat down with TheTwoCents to share his Two Cents and Five Answers with us!

TwoCents: Would you tell TheTwoCents readers about yourself and how you started in "show biz"?
Omi Vaidya: After attending an arts high school and NYU Film school, I returned to LA and found a small-time agent willing to give me a chance. When I went on auditions, I figured out what casting directors were looking for and added my own flair to characters. People liked this sometimes and I got bit roles in TV and commercials.

TC: What path led you to play the role of Sadiq the "IT Tech Guy" on the "Email Surveillance" episode of "The Office"?
OV: After auditioning and booking a role on "Arrested Development," the same casting director, Allison Jones, called me in to audition for Sadiq. Although I'm not Sikh, I went in wearing a make-shift turban out of a scarf. Going that extra step, plus knowing the show and its subtleties, I had an idea what they were looking for. After the audition I had a callback with Paul Feig and Jennifer Colettta, the Director and Writer of "Email Surveillance" Episode. They liked me and I got a call the next week. The rest is history.

TC: What was the experience like working on a hit show like "The Office" and getting to be in that big ensemble scene at "Jim's" apartment?
OV: The Office is the best TV show I've ever worked on. Because the cast and crew are one of the most skilled in Hollywood and most of the show takes place on one set, the whole setting is very comfortable and enjoyable. The ensemble scene was actually quite fun because A) we got to drink real beer and B) I was able to play the XBOX 360 which was not released at the time(product placement). It was like being at a real party with everyone from the Office except that we had to shoot a few scenes while we were chatting and relaxing. In short, I was quite nervous being the little fish in a big pond, but everyone made it as easy as possible for me to do a good job and I left very satisfied.

TC: What websites do you like to visit for your own entertainment?
OV: I visit a few websites for my enjoyment; mainly Digg.com, StumbleUpon.com, Youtube.com and rottentomatoes.com.

TC: Any chance we will see Sadiq return next season? What can we look forward to seeing you in soon?
OV: Well, if you catch the season premiere of "The Office", you might just find me... I'm also in a Yellow Pages commercial on cable right now. Also, I'll be starring in an International film called "Wrestling Mongolia" which comes out next year.

**TwoCents Bonus Question**
TC: If someone were to climb off a desert island and only have time to watch five movies to learn what American cinema is all about, what five movies would you show them?
OV: Assuming this Desert Islander has never seen an American film, I would show him:
The Birth of a Nation (1915)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Taxi Driver (1976)
Titanic (1997)
The Big Lebowski (1998)

Many thanks to Omi for taking the time out to share with us! Look for Omi in the season 4 premiere of "The Office" on Thursday Sept 27th as well as popping up all over your TV in commercials and more!

[photo courtesy of Omi Vaidya]