You’ve probably seen his face pop up on your Disney+ or Netflix homepages lately and wondered where this guy came from. Bilal Hasna is everywhere. Born in 1999, the British-Palestinian actor has moved from the Cambridge theater scene to major streaming hits in what feels like a blink. He doesn't just play characters; he inhabits them with a weird, lovable energy that makes it impossible to look away.
Honestly, he’s one of the few young actors right now who can jump from a bumbling superhero comedy to a gritty spy thriller without breaking a sweat. If you’re trying to keep track of the Bilal Hasna movies and tv shows that actually matter, you’re in the right place. He’s more than just "that guy from Extraordinary."
The Breakthrough: Extraordinary and the Rise of Kash
Most of us first met Bilal as Kash in the Disney+ series Extraordinary. If you haven't seen it, the premise is basically: everyone gets a superpower at 18 except the main character, Jen. Kash is Jen’s best friend’s boyfriend, and his power is the ability to turn back time.
But here’s the thing.
He usually uses this god-like power for the most mundane, selfish reasons imaginable. Trying to undo a social faux pas or fixing a bad joke is his bread and butter. Hasna plays him with this perfect mix of ego and total incompetence. You want to shake him, but you also kind of want to be his friend? It’s a hard balance to strike.
Season 2, which hit screens in 2024, really leaned into his character's growth—or lack thereof. Seeing him navigate the "vigilante" group he tries to start (with zero success) is peak comedy. It’s the role that earned him a BAFTA nomination for Male Performance in a Comedy in 2025. Not bad for a guy who started out doing one-man plays in North London.
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Navigating Identity in Layla
If Extraordinary was his introduction to the masses, Layla was his "serious actor" moment. This 2024 film, directed by Amrou Al-Kadhi, saw Hasna playing a non-binary Palestinian drag queen living in East London.
It’s vibrant. It’s loud. It’s also incredibly quiet in the moments that count.
Hasna spent months preparing for the physical demands of drag, but the real meat of the performance is how he handles the intersection of queer identity and his heritage. The movie follows Layla as they fall for a marketing executive named Max, played by Louis Greatorex. The chemistry is there, but the friction between their two worlds—the "corporate gay" life and the radical, messy drag scene—is where the story really lives.
Critics at Sundance and the BFI Flare Festival were basically obsessed with his range. He goes from being a powerhouse on stage to a shy, guarded son visiting his parents as "Latif." It’s a heavy role that could have easily felt like a caricature in the wrong hands, but Hasna makes it feel lived-in.
Expanding the Portfolio: From Middle-earth to Sci-Fi Thrillers
Most people don't realize that Bilal Hasna is also part of the Lord of the Rings universe. Sorta.
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He voiced the character Lief in the 2024 animated feature The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Going from a drag queen in London to a gritty anime-style warrior in Middle-earth is a wild career pivot. But that seems to be his specialty.
Then you’ve got his television work, which is piling up fast:
- Dead Hot (2024): He plays Elliott in this Amazon Prime comedy-thriller set in Liverpool. It’s a chaotic show about missing people and toxic friendships. If you like dark humor, this is the one.
- 3 Body Problem (2024): He had a brief but memorable stint as Edgar in the Netflix sci-fi epic. Even in a show about aliens and high-concept physics, he managed to stand out.
- The Agency (2024): This Joe Wright-directed spy thriller for Paramount+ saw him playing Simon. It’s a much more straight-laced, intense role compared to his comedy work.
- Black Mirror (2025): He appeared in the "USS Callister: Into Infinity" episode. Fans of Extraordinary were shocked to see him rocking an American accent and a totally different "cool guy" vibe.
What’s Coming in 2026 and Beyond?
So, what’s next for the Bilal Hasna movies and tv shows list? 2026 is looking like another massive year.
He’s set to star in Half Man, a project for the BBC and HBO written by Richard Gadd (the creator of Baby Reindeer). Given Gadd's track record for intense, boundary-pushing storytelling, this is likely going to be a major talking point.
There’s also Christmas Karma, a contemporary Bollywood-inspired take on A Christmas Carol directed by Gurinder Chadha. Bilal plays Eddie Sood in a cast that includes Kunal Nayyar and Eva Longoria. It’s a big, flashy musical—basically the opposite of a gritty spy thriller.
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Why You Should Care
Bilal Hasna represents a shift in British acting. He’s part of a wave of performers who refuse to be pigeonholed by their background. He can be the lead in a queer romance, a goofball in a superhero show, or a voice in a massive fantasy franchise.
He’s also a playwright. His play For a Palestinian, which he co-wrote and performed, showed a deep commitment to his roots and political storytelling before he ever hit the mainstream. That intellectual depth is what gives his screen performances so much weight.
Catching Up: A Quick Watchlist
If you want to get the full Bilal Hasna experience without spending weeks on the couch, start here:
- Extraordinary (Disney+/Hulu): Watch at least the first three episodes to get his comedic timing down.
- Layla (Curzon/BFI): This is his best performance to date. It’s visually stunning and emotionally taxing.
- Black Mirror "USS Callister: Into Infinity": Check this out just to see the sheer contrast in his acting style.
You’re basically watching an A-lister in the making. By the time 2027 rolls around, he’ll likely be a household name, and you can tell everyone you were a fan back when he was just a guy with a time-traveling problem.
To keep up with his latest projects, follow the official casting announcements from HBO and Netflix, as they are currently his most frequent collaborators. Check out Extraordinary Season 2 if you haven't yet; it's the most accessible entry point into his filmography.