From Degrassi to Designated Survivor

 

Who is Raymond Ablack?

Raymond Ablack is a Canadian actor, who rose to stardom as a child actor with the stage role of Young Simba in the play “The Lion King” (2001) and as Sav Bhandari in the TV series “Degrassi: The Next Generation” (2007-2011), in addition to many other notable appearances he’s had throughout his career.

Raymond Ablack Wiki: Age, Childhood, and Education

Raymond Ablack was born on 15 November 1989, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He’s the son of Indo-Guyanese parents, and is the oldest in the family, with two younger sisters, Cassandra and Rebecca, and a younger brother, Jared.

To speak of his education, Raymond enrolled at Ryerson University after high school, from which he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio and Television, Media Production, with an English minor.

After this, he honed stand-up comedy and improv at The Second City in Toronto, while also completing a 4-year arts specialty diploma in choral music at Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts.

Career Beginnings

Ablack discovered his passion for acting at a young age, and began performing in school plays. After a while, he began appearing in commercials and advertisements, and then in 2001, he won the role of Young Simba in the theatre production of “The Lion King”, performed at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto.

This lasted for a year, before he focused on his education, and waited to finish high school to start pursuing acting professionally.

Rise to Prominence

In 2007, Ablack auditioned for the role of Sav Bhandari, a popular student dealing with cultural identity issues – he impressed the producers with his audition and was cast in the role for the show’s seventh season. Ablack’s portrayal of Sav Bhandari was one of the standout performances in the later seasons of “Degrassi”. The character was a high school student who struggled with balancing his Indian heritage with his desire to fit in with his Canadian peers, as well as a complicated romantic life, with relationships with several of his female classmates throughout the series.

Ablack’s performance as Sav earned him critical acclaim, and he quickly became a fan favorite and one of the most recognizable faces in the show. During his time in “Degrassi” Ablack worked alongside a talented cast of actors, including Melinda Shankar, Stefan Brogren, Aislinn Paul, Drake, and many others.

He had a number of notable moments while on the show, including when his character performed a Bollywood dance routine for his school’s talent show, and when he had to deal with the fallout from a sex tape scandal.

He featured in several ‘Degrassi’ television movies too, including “Degrassi Goes Hollywood” (2009) and “Degrassi Takes Manhattan” (2010), while he also portrayed Sav Bhandari in the spin-off series “Degrassi: Minis” (2008-2011).

Career After ‘Degrassi’

Raymond continued his career in a stunning fashion. First, he appeared in the independent film “Fondi ’91” as the character Anil, directed by Tony Sebastian Ukpo, and which follows a group of friends who are trying to make sense of their lives as they approach their thirties. Ablack’s performance in the film received positive reviews, with critics praising his ability to bring depth and complexity to his character.

Then he appeared in four episodes of the popular sci-fi series “Orphan Black” between 2013 and 2016, playing the character of Raj Singh. The series, which starred Tatiana Maslany in multiple roles, follows the story of a group of women who discover that they’re clones, and must fight to uncover the secrets of their origins.

Ablack’s character Raj was a loyal friend of the lead character Felix, played by Jordan Gavaris, and a supporting role in the series.

From 2014 to 2017, Raymond starred as Gabriel in the web series “Teenagers”. The show, which was created by M. H. Murray and produced by Don Carmody Television, followed the lives of a group of high school students as they navigated the challenges of adolescence. Ablack’s character is a popular jock who struggled to balance his relationships and personal life with the demands of his team and family.

The series received critical acclaim and was nominated for multiple awards, while Raymond’s performance was also praised, and he took home the Indie Series Award in the category for Best Supporting Actor – Drama.

From 2016 to 2018, Ablack played the character of Raj in the popular fantasy series “Shadowhunters”. He appeared in a recurring role in seasons one and two, in a total of six episodes, and made a guest appearance in season three.

In 2017, Ablack appeared in the popular Netflix series “Narcos” as Stoddard, a member of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) who worked closely with the Colombian police to bring down the drug cartels operating in the country. While he only appeared in five episodes, Ablack’s performance was praised for its intensity and authenticity.

From 2021 to the present, Raymond stars as a main character. Joe, in the Netflix series “Ginny & Georgia”. The show follows the story of a mother and daughter who move to a new town in search of a fresh start, but soon find themselves grappling with the secrets of their past.

Ablack’s character Joe is a charming bartender who becomes romantically involved with the lead character Ginny, played by Antonia Gentry. Other co-stars include Brianne Howey, Diesel La Torraca, Sara Waisglass and Scott Porter, among others.

To speak further of his accomplishments, Raymond appears in the TV award-winning series “Workin’ Moms” as Ram, having joined the seriesin early 2023.

It’s the most wonderful *crime* of the year. ☃️ 🔪

Listen to our new cozy mystery series, ‘Mistletoe Murders’ with @CobieSmulders, @RayAblack and @annacathcart only on Audible. https://t.co/qT07DciEQK #MistletoexAudible pic.twitter.com/BZi7vP4wKp

— Audible Canada (@audible_ca) December 7, 2022

Net Worth

According to authoritative sources, Raymond Ablack’s net worth is estimated at over $3 million, as of early 2023.

Personal Life, Dating, Girlfriend, Married, Single?

Raymond has been in a romantic relationship with documentary filmmaker Jordan Steinhauer since 2019. They’ve often been spotted together, and share pictures of themselves on social media.

Appearance and Vital Statistics

Raymond Ablack has brown eyes and black hair. He stands at a height of 6ft (1.8m), while he weighs approximately 165lbs (75kgs). His vital statistics are unknown, but he has a slim figure.