Shpend Xani

Shpend Xani is a classically trained Albanian-American actor based in New York City. Born and raised in Kosovo, he left his native country in 1999 following the war and brought with him a vibrant talent and unique skill set, including a degree in acting from the University of Prishtina, his career as a professional basketball player in Germany, and proficiency in four languages.
On stage, Shpend has appeared in Shakespeare’s King John at Folger Theatre, Antony and Cleopatra at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Coriolanus, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare Theatre-ACA, in the Olney Theatre’s production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information at Forum Theatre. Shpend also performed in the world premiere of Mona Mansour’s The Vagrant Trilogy at Mosaic Theater Company. Other premieres include Rest Upon the Wind at NYU Skirball Center,The Interstellar Ghost Hour at Longacre Lea, Pawnshop Accordions at FringeNYC, Pocono Christmas at Hudson Guild Theatre. Shpend has also appeared in NBC’s TV show The Blacklist as well as other independent features and short films.
Training: MFA in Classical Acting from Shakespeare Theatre’s Academy for Classical Acting & George Washington University, BFA in Acting from Millikin University.