Daniyar

Though many knew Daniyar for his roles on TV series like "Claws" (TNT, 2017- ) and "Sweetbitter" (Starz!, 2018- ), his path to the bright lights of Hollywood was quite unusual. Born in Russia, Daniyar was studying to be a petroleum engineer at Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas when he eventually traveled to the U.S. via an exchange program. Once he was settled in the States, Russia began passing severe legislation against homosexual men and women, which would represent a very real threat to Daniyar's freedom and safety as a gay man if he were to return to his home country. He was eventually granted asylum to remain in America, and now with opportunities he never before could have hoped to dream, he made up his mind to pursue the true love he had harbored since childhood: acting. Daniyar relocated to Los Angeles and began following every lead he could find, appearing in no less than five short films during 2013 alone. He would be cast in a prominent role in the music video for the fka Twigs song "Video Girl" in 2015, and soon landed the recurring role of Yuri II on "Claws." The following year, Daniyar's big break arrived when he took on the role of Sasha on "Sweetbitter."