Carlo Dante Rota (born 17 April 1961) is a British-Canadian actor. He is known to television audiences for his roles as Yasir Hamoudi on Little Mosque on the Prairie (2007–12), systems analyst Morris O'Brian on 24 (2006–09), and Emilio Solano in Jane the Virgin (2014–15). He is a Gemini Award nominee.
Early life Rota was born in London, England, to Italian parents, Rina, who worked in the restaurant business, and Dante Rota, a chef. He grew up in Osterley with two sisters and one brother. Through his life he has lived in Italy, Hong Kong (where he attended Island School), the Bahamas and the United Kingdom, before his family settled in Toronto.
Rota worked in the culinary industry for many years, operating and owning several restaurants in Toronto until he decided to pursue an acting career. According to his interview in the book Inside Section One: Creating and Producing TV's La Femme Nikita, he said of this decision: "To turn around and tell everyone at the tender age of 30, 'Now I'm going to be an actor', most people just think that you're going through something."
Career Almost immediately thereafter, Rota landed roles in the Canadian TV series Street Legal and the critically acclaimed Canadian independent film Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould. Because of his experience prior to acting, he also hosted the Great Canadian Food Show for CBC television in Canada, a series which was nominated for the James Beard Award for Excellence in Culinary Journalism.
He has appeared in TV series including 24, Queer as Folk (US version), Castle, La Femme Nikita, Relic Hunter, Adventure Inc, A Nero Wolfe Mystery, The Gospel of John, and Traders. Rota co-starred in the CBC sitcom Little Mosque on the Prairie, playing Lebanese-Canadian construction contractor Yasir Hamoudi. In 2008, Rota portrayed Charles, who was a journalist for The Herald, in Saw V.
On 24, Rota portrayed the recurring role of Morris O'Brian, the arrogant but brilliant computer scientist husband of Chloe O'Brian, appearing most extensively in season 6. He had a recurring role on the TV series La Femme Nikita (1997 — 2001) as the smarmy, green-listed terrorist informant, Mick Schtoppel, later revealed to be Mr. Jones, the head of Center, an organization above Oversight that directs all Sections. In turn, Mr. Jones is revealed to be another cover identity for Reginald "Martin" Henderson. Henderson is exposed as an actor working for Center as a decoy for the real Mr. Jones.
He has made guest appearances in many other television series, including Stargate Universe, playing Carl Strom, head of the International Oversight Advisory, the civilian oversight committee that heads up the Atlantis expedition and its funding,Andreeva, Nellie. (15 April 2009) Stargate Universe nabs guest stars. Reuters. as a villain named "The Ghost" on White Collar, as well as roles on CSI: NY, Human Target, Castle, The Mentalist, Bones, and Grimm. He also appeared on NCIS: Los Angeles in the episode "Found" as Kalil Abramson, as well as on AMC's show, Breaking Bad. He was a guest on episode 11 of the second season of Top Chef Canada, the episode dedicated to Italian cuisine 1. He acts as Edmund Wooler, in World Without End on Reelz Channel.
Rota joined the cast of General Hospital in 2024 in the role of Jenz Sidwell.https://abc7chicago.com/post/soapchat-actor-carlo-rota-talks-role-jenz-sidwell-general-hospital/16190622/
Personal life Rota married 24 and Relic Hunter co-star Nazneen Contractor on 1 April 2010. They have two children, a son and a daughter.
During his time on the show 24, Rota spent nine months a year living in Los Angeles, California. He stated in an interview with the Toronto Star that he considers Toronto his home. As of 2008, he owned a house on Queen Street West, having lived on and off in the area for at least 20 years.
Filmography Film + Year Title Role Notes 1993 Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould CBS Producer Credited as 'Carlo D. Rota' 1995 First Degree Joe Galeno Direct-to-video1996 Maximum Risk Bohemia Bartender Joe's Wedding Art Council Man1997 The Wrong Guy French Restaurant Waiter City of Dark Plato 1998 Clutch Richard1999 Jigsaw Richard The Boondock Saints Giuseppe "Papa Joe" Yakavetta Have Mercy Jack2000 Mission to Mars AmbassadorPassengers Doctor Short film 2001 On Their Knees Walter2002 Rock My World Tony Manson Countdown Bruce Donato Short film 2003 The Gospel of John Chief Temple Guard2005 Horsie's Retreat Spiro The Last Hit Mario Cake Bob Jackman 2007 Small Potatoes Henry Zanzibar Short film2008 Cold Play John / Mortimer Short film Saw V Charles Salomon 2009 Shark City Ventura Ritt The Fatal Five Himself Documentary2010 24: Chloe's Arrest Morris O'Brian The Day the Old Man Knocked Narrator Short film Son of a Don Avi Short film2011 Rehab Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy Solo Man on the Train Max 2014 Small Time Panama hat man Brick Mansions George "The Greek" 2015 After the Ball Richard 2017 People You May Know Bill2018 Spinning Man Santos State Like Sleep Dr. Iyengar Welcome to Nowhere The General Hell Is Where the Home Is Sergeant Daniels2019 Cliffs of Freedom Mustapha Bey The Big Wish Morlett The Diggers Mister Meister 2020 A Perfect Plan Theo 2021 Trigger Point Dwight Logan 2022 Me Tiime Alberto Six Guns for Hire The Bandit
Television + Year Title Role Notes 1992 Street Legal Waiter Episode: "The Phoenix" 1993 Counterstrike Lonnie Blanc Episode: "The Contender" (Credited as Carlo Roti) Matrix Roche Episode: "Shadows from the Past" 1994 TekWar: TekLab Doorman TV movie1995 Young at Heart Bartender TV movie Friends at Last Neil TV movie Down Came a Blackbird Sergeant Manuel Ortega TV movie 1996 The Sentinel Jack Buchanan Episode: The Rig 1996–1998 Traders Burnet 9 episodes 1997–2001 La Femme Nikita Mick Schtoppel / Shtoopel / Mr. Jones 15 episodes1998 Highlander: The Raven Mario Cardoza Episode: "Full Disclosure" Naked City: Justice with a Bullet Findlay Clerk TV movie Black Harbour Grant Episode: "Mr. Sensitivity"1999 Murder in a Small Town Charles TV movie Total Recall 2070 Kelly Episode: "Rough Whimper of Insanity" Earth: Final Conflict Margolis Episode: "Crossfire" Bonanno: A Godfather's Story TV movie PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal Bert Kay Episode: "Happy Birthday, Matt Praeger" The Last Witness Mr. Zander TV movie2000 The Edible Road Show Host Catch a Falling Star Harry Goldberg TV movie Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story Cockney Driver Miniseries Trapped in a Purple Haze David Lebeff TV movie Canada: A People's History David Samwell Documentary series Episode: "When the World Began" Phantom of the Megaplex Tyler Jesseman TV movie 2000–2001 Relic Hunter Sultan / Lagerfeld 2 episodes2001 A Colder Kind of Death Hairdresser TV movie Doc Jason Hemmings Episode: "Pilot: Part 1" Rough Air: Danger on Flight 534 Cal Matthews TV movie2002 Recipe for Murder Simeon Vreeman TV movie A Nero Wolfe Mystery Barry Fleming / Spiros Papps / Felix Courret 4 episodes Adventure Inc. Sergi Borodin Episode: "Village of the Lost" 2002–2004 Queer as Folk Gardner Vance 9 episodes2003 Veritas: The Quest Ali Hassan Rif Episode: "Heist" Train 48 Max Episode: #1.53 Street Time Arthur Marx 2 episodes2004 Show Me Yours Paul Episode: "If You Can't Take the Heat" Il Duce Canadese Avvocato Miniseries2006 This Is Wonderland Giuseppe Burelli Episode: #3.8 Time Bomb Musab Hyatti TV movie At the Hotel Albert Miniseries I Am an Apartment Building Host Short TV movie 2006–2009 24 Morris O'Brian 29 episodes 2007–2012 Little Mosque on the Prairie Yasir Hamoudi Main role, 90 episodes2008 Shark Anton Robitaille Episode: "Partners in Crime" Othello the Tragedy of the MoorOthello TV movie Executive producer2009 White Collar Ghovat Episode: "Threads" Stargate Universe Carl Strom 2 episodes Castle Bahir Harun Episode: "The Fifth Bullet" 2010 Love Letters Andy TV movie CSI: NY Joseph Vance Episode: "Sanguine Love" NCIS: Los Angeles Kalil Abramson Episode: "Found" The Good Guys Asher Episode: "Supercops" 2010–2012 Goldilocks Ivan 3 episodes2011 Breaking Bad Benicio Fuentes Episode: "Salud" The Mentalist Dimitri Zubov Episode: "Where in the World is Carmine O'Brien?" Sanctuary Richard Feliz / Feodor "Frank" Glazov 3 episodes Bones Lambert Chaisson Episode: “The Finder”2012 Nikita Ian Damascus Episode: "Shadow Walker" ThunderCats Ratar-O (voice) Episode: "Curse of Ratilla" World Without End Edmund Miniseries Hawaii Five-0 Sean Winston Episode: "Ohuna" 2013 Beverly Hills Cop Trevor TV movie 2014 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Luca Russo Episode: "T.R.A.C.K.S." CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Karl Schrute Episode: "Killer Moves Grimm Hedig Episode: "The Show Must Go On" Scandal Ivan 3 episodes Sequestered Niles Episode: "Ashes to Ashes" Recipe to Riches Host Episode: "Savoury Snacks" 2014–15 Jane the Virgin Emilio Solano 8 episodes 2015 The Player Daoud Raqiv Episode: "The Pilot" 2016 Dark Matter Warden 2 episodes Beauty & the Beast Dr. Albert Garrus Episode: "Meet the New Beast" Major Crimes Alfredo DeConchini Episode: "Family Law" Swedish Dicks Dimitri Nobakov 2 episodes Conviction Vince Scarlata Episode: "A Simple Man" 2017 Lopez Danny Green Episode: "Leaving Las Vegas" Scorpion General Savic Episode: "Rock Block" Jean-Claude Van Johnson Dragan 3 episodes2017–18 Lethal Weapon Guillermo Azoulay 2 episodes Ransom Damian Delaine 3 episodes2018 American Horror Story: Apocalypse Anton LaVey 3 episodes Back in Time for Dinner Host 2019 The Flash Remington Meister Episode: "License to Elongate"2020 Canadian Film Fest Presented by Super Channel Theo Episode: #1.3Segment: "A Perfect Plan" Borrasca Officer Jameson / Pastor 2 episodes Back in Time for Winter Narrator 2021 Titans Oracle (voice) Episode: "51%" 2023 True Lies Francois Episode: "Pilot" High Desert Arman Recurring role, 5 episodes 2024 The Edge of Sleep Dr. Luis Castaneda 2 episodes2024–presentGeneral HospitalJenz SidwellContract Role 2025 The Rookie Anton Petrovich Episode: "The Gala"
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2013 Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist Majid Sadiq Voice and likeness2020 Mafia: Definitive Edition Additional voices Assassin's Creed Valhalla Basim Ibn Ishaq / Loki Voice 2024 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Father Cesare Ventura Voice and likeness2025Mafia: The Old Country Raffaele Fontanella
References
Bibliography Heyn, Christopher. "A Conversation with Carlo Rota." Inside Section One: Creating and Producing TV's La Femme Nikita. Introduction by Peta Wilson. Los Angeles: Persistence of Vision Press, 2006. 82–87. . In-depth conversation with Carlo Rota about his role as Schtoppel on La Femme Nikita, as well as his culinary background and early acting experiences.
External links
Carlo Rota at Apple TV+
Carlo Rota Interview on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos Little Mosque's Carlo Rota a Chameleon, Interview – AOL Entertainment