Jack Topalian: How One Armenian Actor’s Unshakeable Identity Fuels a Thousand

Jack Topalian is known to casting directors as “the man of many faces” for his remarkable ability to portray a wide range of characters and ethnicities with authenticity. A multitalented artist, he works as an actor, screenwriter, producer, and director. Topalian is also skilled in numerous accents, including Russian, Arabic, Farsi, Armenian, Turkish, New York/Brooklyn, Italian, and Greek, and is fluent in English, Armenian, and Russian.

Born in Armenia, Topalian emigrated to the United States at age 10. He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he initially found success as a businessman. In his 40s, however, he chose to pursue his lifelong passion for acting. After studying at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, he relocated to Los Angeles in 2012 to further his career in film and television, training with some of the industry’s top acting coaches.

Topalian quickly attracted the attention of casting directors and producers, landing guest-starring roles in popular television series such as NCIS: Los Angeles, Weeds, Ray Donovan, Transparent, Bones, True Detective, With Bob & David, Bosch, General Hospital, Major Crimes, SEAL Team, Madam Secretary, and The Blacklist.

His film credits include Shock and Awe, directed by Oscar-nominated Rob Reiner, in which he portrayed real-life Iraqi financier Ahmed Chalabi. He also appeared in the Oscar-winning film Argo, directed by Ben Affleck, and in Betrayal, where he played an Armenian mob boss seeking revenge. In Senior Moment, he appeared as a comedic cab driver.

In 2021, Topalian appeared in The Little Things, directed by John Lee Hancock. He later portrayed a shady crime boss in the 2022 indie hit Emily the Criminal. In 2024, he had a recurring role in the Hulu limited series Clipped, and in 2025, he appeared as Greek-Sal, a mob boss, in the HBO series Duster.

Looking ahead, Topalian is set to recur in the Apple TV+ series Sugar and is slated to be a series regular in the highly anticipated HBO drama Euphoria, where we caught up with him for an interview (edited for clarity).

How did you decide to enter acting?

In my childhood, I studied and played music. I had a band, and I played guitar. I enjoyed watching movies.  Later, in my 40s, when I lived in San Francisco, I would take my two sons and my daughter to casting auditions. One day, they asked me if I wanted to be in the movies. That moment planted the seed. I began acting while still based in the Bay Area. Eventually, I moved to L.A. to pursue acting full-time.

How did you become affiliated with Arpa International Film Festival (Arpa Foundation for Film, Music, and Art)?

I’ve attended the festival in Hollywood several times. Silvia Minassian, the founder and president, recently invited me to serve as an award presenter at an upcoming festival, which is a great honor.

How did you segue into producing and working behind the camera?

I have made multiple short films and feature-length movies. These are films that I have written and directed, produced, and starred in.  Aside from that, I like to write. I like to write screenplays. I started writing one day without formal training. I have stories that I wanted to tell. Later, I learned about Final Draft, a software tool that helps me organize everything. 

My best preference is to be in front of the camera, to be an actor. But I also really love writing and directing. I think I am a good director because I understand actors well. I know what it is to be an actor in a good way; they can give you the best performance, so I enjoy all parts of it.

How do you master different accents?

I have friends of different ethnicities, and I have traveled to many parts of the world. So, I pick up the accents very easily. Also, I speak multiple languages, such as Armenian, Russian, and some Arabic. And if I have to speak another language for a role, they give me the script in that language. Once, I played an Afghan role and needed to learn Pashto, which is similar to Farsi. The studio had a language coach work with me for this role. 

What are the challenges and rewards of being an immigrant actor?

Being an actor whose roots are in another country has never been a problem for me. I’m very proud to be Armenian, and all who know me or work with me know this. 

What do you do for self-care after playing challenging roles?

I do my job and leave.  I don’t take the role home with me. 

What projects are you working on? 

I have a personal project. It’s something I’ve written: a contemporary Armenian story set in Glendale, Los Angeles, and Armenia.

What is your message to young filmmakers and actors?

If you have a story to tell, do it. There is an audience for it out there, whatever that story is. So whether you are writing or acting, pursue it and present it. Some people might not like it, but who cares? That’s life. People have different tastes.