Philip Shahbaz (born July 1, 1974) is an American actor who is known as the voice of Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad in the Ubisoft video game Assassin's Creed,[1] for his portrayal of Hollywood legend Peter Bogdanovich in Hulu's Welcome to Chippendales, and for his recurring role as Rabbi Akiva in The Chosen, the hit television drama about the life of Jesus, and those who knew him.
Shahbaz was born in Chicago, Illinois. His father is Assyrian, raised both in Iran and Iraq. His mother is Lebanese. They met in Beirut, Lebanon before emigrating to the United States in 1970. His family moved from Chicago to Turlock, California in 1982.
Shahbaz attended college at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. After graduating in 1996 with degrees in both Theatre and Communications, he relocated to the Los Angeles area.
Shahbaz began his acting career in 2005 with a guest appearance on the FX series Over There. Shortly after, he was cast in several principal roles, including shows such as The Unit on CBS, Showtime’s Sleeper Cell, NBC’s E-Ring, and Showtime’s Californication.
In 2007, Shahbaz was cast as the assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad in the Ubisoft video game Assassin's Creed. Since then, Shahbaz has voiced numerous commercials and several Netflix series.
Shahbaz has also made guest appearances on show’s such as 24, Grey's Anatomy, Seal Team, NCIS, Bosch: Legacy, and as Hollywood Legend, Peter Bogdanovich in the Hulu series Welcome to Chippendales.
In 2022, Shahbaz was cast in the historical drama television series The Chosen. His recurring character, Rabbi Akiva, is a Pharisee living in Capernaum and a nemesis of Jesus, who is portrayed by Jonathan Roumie.