Ace Bhatti

The father of actor Ace Bhatti was a bus driver and his mother put soap into boxes for a living. Since they were both such hard and practical workers, they were wary of their son entering an uncertain profession like acting. At the age of 14, though, Bhatti received some indication that his ideal career might pan out. He performed in a school play and won praise despite a lead performer's incompetence. He then secured a role on the long-running children's program "Dramarama," as well as free training from three different government-funded programs for young actors. After completing this education, Bhatti enrolled in the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, cleaning the school's restrooms to make ends meet. His first adult part on British television came as Dr. Rajesh Rajah on the medical drama "Cardiac Arrest," a show whose scathing portrait of the National Health Service raised controversy. Other notable series include the surreal comedy "Grease Monkeys," in which Bhatti played a member of an eccentric Indian family running a car repair service, and a recurring part as a strict headmaster on the kid fantasy show "The Sarah Jane Adventures." Being added to the cast of the long-running soap opera "EastEnders" in 2010 as the villainous doctor Yusuf Khan--known unofficially to fans as Dr. Evil--catapulted his career to a new level of fame.