Ahmed Best
Photograph by Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage.com ©
Ahmed Best was born on August 19, 1973 in the South Bronx (Soundview), New York, NY, US to GMA cameraman Adrian Best and artist Ahmondylla. He has an older sister Dunia and a twin brother Khalid and he is of Jamaican ancestry.
Ahmed and his family moved to Maplewood, NJ in 1984 where he attended Columbia High School and after graduating in 1991 he attended The Manhattan School of Music studying percussion in the Jazz and Contemporary Music department where he graduated in 1994. He then joined Jazzhole (acid jazz group)
Ahmed turned down a full athletic scholarship to Syracuse University to study music. He is a veteran of the Off-Broadway musical hit STOMP and has appeared on the 68th Annual Academy Awards Show, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and Reading Rainbow with the group. He was also on stage in Channel to Channel, Lean on Me and in several TV commercials, including Coca-Cola, Michelob Malt, and Target.
George Lucas Discovered Best in the chorus line of STOMP and invited him to try out for the role of Jar Jar Binks.
Best runs his own film production company called "Stop That Bangin'! Productions"
Film
The Pilot Fish's Tale~2015 (short) - Firebird
JFH: Justice for Hire - Retribution Task Force~2014 (short) - Otto
JFH: Justice for Hire~2013 (short) - Original Ebony, Original Ivory, Julian Johnstone
JFH: Justice for Hire - The Motion comic Animation~2012 (animated short) - Original Ebony/ Original Ivory/ Julian Johnstone
W.M.D.~2013 - New Reporter
FDR: American Badass!~2012 - Curtis
Poolboy: Drowining Out the Fury~2011 - Sydney Moncrief
Some Guy Who Kills People~2011 - Mayor Mawell
Aluna: The Motion comic Animation~2010 (animation short) - Nagaric
2001 maniacs: Behind the Screams (video doc short) - Himself
The Untitled Bob Marley Project~2010 (short) - Wailer
2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams~2010 - Crow
Mother and child~2009- Julian
Charlie's Bitch Ass Hos~2007 (short) - Makeafoolofme West
Open Window~2006 - Rufus
Escorched~2005 - Richard Prentiss
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith~2005 - Senator Jar Jar Binks
Kangaroo Jack: G'Day, U.S.A.!~2004 - Louis Booker
There's a Sucker Born Every Minute~2003 -
Stockholm Syndrome, The~2003 -
Star Wars: Attack of the Clones - A Jigsaw Puzzle~2002 (doc short) - Himself
Armitage: Dual Matrix~2002 - voice of Mouse
Friendly Criminal~2002 -
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones~2002 (voice) - Senator Jar Jar Binks/Ackmed Beq
The Beginning: making 'Episode I'~2001 (video doc) - Himself
Armitage: Dual Matrix~2001 (English voice) - Mouse
R2-D2: Beneath the Dome~2001 (V) - Himself (uncredited)
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace~1999 (voice) - Jar-Jar Binks/Senator
Lean On Me~1989 - (uncredited) Extra
S.V.A.~ - Hoodlum
Film Cinematographer
Naked Eye~2012
Film Director
Susan Boyle's First Kiss~2009 (short)
Film Producer
Ghost Light~2014 (short)
A Cuban Love Story~2012 (short) (executive producer)
Worship~2012 (short)
Path of Honor~2012 (short)
Film Soundtrack
2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams (performer: The South's Gonna Rise Again"/"Rot 2010 in Hell"/"Hey, Hey, Howdy, Howdy, Hey"/"Fun, Games and Feastin'"/"Building From the Ground Up"
Film Stunts
Redbelt~2008
TV
Sidetracked~2015 - Jason
Suspense~2015 - Lucius Crane in Nyarlathotep
One & Done~2015 - Tariq Greenberg in Temple Four
Eff'd~2015 - Flash
Star Wars Detours~2015 - voice of Jar Jar Binks
The Nebula~2014 (webseries) -
Star Wars: The Clone Wars~2008-2014 - voices of Jar Jar Binks/Clan Member/Dagoyan Master (7 episodes)
From the Mouths of Babes~2012 - Himself
Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out~2012 - voice of Jar Jar Binks
Big Time Rush~2009-2012 - Marketer/ Rob (3 episodes)
Easy to Assemble~2011 - Wayne Murphy (4 episodes)
Zeke and Luther~2011 - Sal Sackleson in Bro'd Trip
In the Flow with Affion Crockett~2011 - Black Jock
Law & Order~2011 - Dell Gregory in Runyon Canyon
The Pink House~2010 - Actor Judge
Cougar Town~2009 -
Black to the Future~2009 - Himself
This Can't Be My Life-~2009 - Ahmed in The Pink Pages
Star-ving~2009 - Black Network Executive in Just One Drink
5 Second Movies~2008 - Himself (archive footage of Star Wars: Episode I)
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II~2008 - Jar Jar Binks/Carl the Stormtrooper
Robot Chicken: Star Wars~2007 - Jar Jar Binks/AT-AT Driver
The Colbert Report~2006 - Jar Jar Binks in George Lucas
Science of Star Wars~2005 - (archive footage)
R2D2: Beneath the Dome~2001 - Himself
Alias~2001 - Seth in Free Agent
From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & Magic~1999 - Himself
68th Academy Awards - appearing with Stomp
Today - appearing with Stomp
Good Morning America- appearing with Stomp
TV Composer
This Can't Be My Life~2008
TV Director
Bandwagon: The Series~2011 - (7 episodes, 6 as co-director)
This Can't Be My Life~2008 (The Pink Pages)
TV Editor
This Can't Be My Life~2008
TV Music Department
This Can't Be My Life~2008 (theme music) (The Pink Pages)
TV Producer
The DL Chronicles~2005
This Can't Be My Life~2008 (The Pink Pages)
TV Writer
Bandwagon: The Series~2011 (Dreams Don't Buy Dreams
This can't Be My Life~2008 (The Pink Pages)
Commercials
Reading Rainbow -
Target
Coca-Cola - Percussionist
Michelob Malt
Commercials Director
The Body Factory
Audio Books
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (read-along)~1999 - Jar-Jar Binks
Theater
The Tempest~2001 - playing a spirit of the Island (Fremont Center Theatre, South Pasadena, CA)
Uncle Tom's Cabin~ - (Sacred Fools Theatre Company, Hollywood, CA)
Jack~ - Sammy (Sacred Fools Theatre Company, Hollywood, CA)
Vacuums~ - J. Buttersworth III
Stomp~1990's - Sarge (Orpheum Theatre, New York, NY; tour)
Channel to Channel~ - African (for the Negro Ensemble Company in New York)
CDs/Music (co-wrote, co-produced, performed)
Black Cherry Acid Lab~2002 - with David ‘Fuze’ Fiuczynski. Provides rap vocals/frontman
Refuge~1999 - ballad contributor (charity album)
JazzHole: The Beat is the Bomb~1996 - vocals
True Meaning (CorMega)~1996
Hip Hop Jazz: Acid Metropolis, Vol. 1~1996 -
JazzHole...And the Feeling Goes Round~1995 - vocals
Escape (Bill Evans)~1995 - rapper/Vox Organ
Phat Jazz Flava '95 (Various artists)~1995 - performer
Jazzhole (JazzHole)~1994 - rapper
Jelly's Last Jam~ (NY) - Percussionist
Music Producer
Little Pieces1993 - 1995 (Agent Ninety Nine)~1998
Video Games
Disney Infinity 3.0~2015 - Jar Jar Binks
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2~2009 - Cloak
Ready 2 Rumble Revolution~2009 -
Scarface: The World is Yours~2006 -
Reservoir Dogs~2006 -
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds~2002 (voice) - Jar Jar Binks
Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing~2001 - Jar-Jar Binks
Star Wars: Episode I - Jedi Power Battles~2000 (voice) - Jar-Jar Binks
Star Wars: Episode I - The Gungan Frontier~1999 (voice) - Jar-Jar Binks
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace~1999 (voice) - Jar-Jar Binks
Video Games Soundtrack
Pro BMX 2~2002 - (writer) (Forward Motion)
Awards, Honors and Nominations
Annie Awards:
Rec'd 2009 Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production or Short Form for Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II
GLAAD Awards:
Rec'd for Executive Producing The DL Chronicles
Razzie Awards
Rec'd 2000 Worst Supporting Actor (shared with Jar-Jar Binks) for Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace
Nom 2000 Worst New Star of the Decade (shared with Jar-Jar Binks) for Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace
Social Media
Official Site:
AhmedBest.com
Instagram:
@bestahmed
Twitter:
@ahmedbest
YouTube:
ahmedbest
Miscellany
Founded a company called, "Stop That Bangin'! Productions"
Studied piano under Joy Askew (jazz musician)
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