You might recognize him as Captain David Singh on “The Flash, as a Persian General on “300” or as Amir Kapoor in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Disgraced”. The man behind these diverse characters defines himself as a father, a director, a citizen of planet earth and as an advocate for diversity and equality in the arts and media.
Patrick Sabongui’s roots began in Montreal, Canada where he was raised by a mother and father who were open to the ideas of what Sabongui’s three older brothers and younger sister wanted to become. He credits much of his success to growing up with their support and to seeing his siblings maturing into well rounded individuals. They serve as a primary source of research when prepping for roles that relate to their areas of expertise: surgeon, psychologist, musician and activist.
Taking on an overload of information and doing in-depth research is something that he takes very seriously. There is certainly symmetry in his advocacy for diversity and many of the characters he portrays. In the television series “The Flash”, Sabongui’s Captain David Singh is the first openly gay and South-Asian character for DC Comics. He explains:
“Participating in a comic book character on film, you’re now kind of immortalized in the legacy of that universe. For me, or for any comic book fan, it is huge knowing that I get to play a character that is significant in a society that has been overlooked and not included. It was a great social pride for me personally.”
One of his most impactful roles was playing the powerful New York lawyer Amir Kapoor in “Disgraced”. The characters in the 90-minute play include Amir, who is a Pakistani-American, Amir's wife, a white American visual artist, an African American woman, and a Jewish man. The play takes place over the course of a dinner party that turns into a cultural collision as they face different ideas on race, religion, racism, intermarriage and Islamophobia. He noted:
“Most of the story revolved around my character and the struggles he was going through. That was immersive. My wife, Kyra Zagorsky, actually played my wife in the play as well, and so we both kind of went in and really immersed ourselves in that story.”
Another show that does not shy away from engaging in current events is Showtime’s award-winning series, “Homeland” in which Sabongui plays a CUNY law professor and advocate for the Muslim-American community. His character is inspired by a real life attorney and professor who became an invaluable resource to Sabongui as he prepared for this role. As a Middle- Eastern man in America himself, he drew from his own life experiences as well.
“I’m just so grateful that I’m playing parts that matter, that impact people, that further the conversation about diversity and about discrimination. I’m a big advocate of diversity and I think, as an industry, we’re moving towards having more of a conversation about that. We still haven’t resolved those issues. There’s still a lack of representation out there but it’s getting better, the conversation is happening and being able to play parts that engage in that conversation is very important to me.”
As he grows as a man and as a father, it has become of utmost importance for him to play these roles that reflect society and the transitional time in which we currently find ourselves. Through his hard work, dedication and sacrifice, he hopes that chasing his dreams will be an inspiration for his son and daughter to one day do the same. Although he has accomplished much in his acting career, his resume reaches beyond that. Sabongui is also co-director of a non-profit mentorship program called Fulfilling Young Artists (FYA). The program gives young actors guided mentorship for six months. It’s a way to guide young actors to focus on fulfillment rather than employment and to use their artistry to be creative, contributing members of society.
Sabongui can certainly be described as having come full circle, advocating for diversity and equality, on and off the screen, to serving as a mentor for FYA. If you think he’s slowing down, think again. When asked to describe his life in one word, he confidently replied:
Creative Credits
- Written by
- Jodelle Maglaya
- Photography
- Elizabeth Delage
