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Shelley Malil proudly hails from Kerala, India, and identifies as a Malayalee, a community known for their humor-filled outlook on life. Inspired by his idol Bob Hope, whom he first saw on a neighbor’s TV—the sole set in his fishing village at India’s southern tip—he dreamed of becoming a comedic actor. He gained national recognition as "Chad" in Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser "What are you doing?!" commercials, a witty spin-off of the famous "Whassup?!" campaign. This clever parody was acclaimed as the best Super Bowl commercial by various trade publications, magazines, and entertainment critics.
Shelley arrived in Hollywood in 1995 after two years at New York's prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts. With less than $1,000 and a friend-of-a-friend’s phone number, he drove west in his van. He asked his mother to sew a roll-away mattress so he could sleep in the van until he found housing. Within three weeks, he secured a manager, a guest appearance on FOX’s The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993), his SAG card, and an apartment. Since then, he has consistently worked in commercials, TV shows, and films.
Shelley’s passion for entertaining began on the stages of Big Spring High School in Texas, where his leading roles often won district awards. His family had moved to the U.S. in 1974. As a teen, he was nicknamed "Chili" and "Animal," gaining local fame with “The Animal Fan Club” formed by fellow students due to his popularity in theater and as a radio DJ. After high school, he performed in classic musicals on the Dallas dinner theater circuit before auditioning for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He yearns to return to the stage; his portrayal of "Bottom" in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Stella Adler Theatre earned him a Best Featured Actor nomination at the 1997 Los Angeles Ovation Awards. In his free time, Shelley practices a Zen-like approach to golf, watches about five films weekly, devours motivational books, and recently joined the Big Brother Program.
