Actor Avi Nash , Class of 2008 , says school gave him a space to be creative .
Frisco Graduate Stars in Movies , Television
Actor Avi Nash , Class of 2008 , says school gave him a space to be creative .
Fans of the television drama “ The Walking Dead ” may not realize that the show ’ s character Siddiq is played by a Frisco High School graduate .
Avi Nash , who uses a stage name , graduated from FHS in 2008 and then attended Stanford University before beginning his acting career . His credits include parts in “ Barry ” and ” Learning to Drive .” He has had the opportunity to work with Sir Ben Kingsley , Patricia Clarkson and the very large cast of ” The Walking Dead ” while learning his craft .
“ Once I graduated from Stanford , acting was and is the only thing I ’ ve been lucky enough to do ,” the young actor says .
The arts were always important to Nash and he credits the faculty he knew at Frisco High School for giving him a space to be creative .
Some of his fondest memories are of afternoons spent in the art studios at FHS .
“ Big up to Ms . ( Nancy ) Hardy and Ms .
Avi Nash was introduced as the character Siddiq in the Season 8 premiere of “ The Walking Dead .”
( June ) Wagner for giving us an incredible creative home ,” Nash said . ” There was a solid group of us , both in my year and the one prior , who became close friends while painting , drawing and making general fools of ourselves .”
Nash attended Pioneer Heritage Middle School . It was there that he first met Danny Barrentine , a teacher and coach at the time . Nash says Barrentine , now associate principal at FHS , made a major impact on his life . He still thinks of him as “ Coach .”
“ I still have memories of whistles blowing and sprints ,” Nash said . “ Then I was surprised and excited that he had followed us to FHS as both the world and European history teacher .”
Barrentine was Avi ’ s special guest at the Top Ten luncheon the year he graduated .
“ Coach is a gifted storyteller and that rare kind of teacher who could capture everyone ’ s interest . He inspired all of us to become curious about the world . He ’ s a man for whom I have the utmost respect and I am very lucky to know him ,” Nash said .
Barrentine says his former student is talented , brilliant , wise beyond his years and possesses an awesome sense of humor .
Nash moved frequently before his family landed in Frisco . For him , change had become a constant in his life , even as he grew up in a fast-growing school district .
“ Ultimately , it helped teach me how to adapt to different people , be it their accents , habits or general disposition – all great tools for an actor .” •
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