Background and career
Iqbal Theba ( IK-bahl TAY-bə; born 20 December 1963) is a Pakistani-American actor, best known for his recurring role as Principal Figgins in the show Glee.
Theba was born in Karachi, Pakistan. According to him, his parents are from Gujrat. He speaks Gujrati and Urdu at home belonging to the Theba tribe. His forefathers are originally from Sindh. Theba attended the University of Oklahoma for civil engineering in 1981 and has a B.S. After he got his B.S. he went to the Drama School at the University of Oklahoma and studied acting for three years.
Theba experienced an early career break with a role on the NBC television pilot Death and Taxes. While the pilot was not picked up for a series, it led to a recurring role for Theba on The George Carlin Show. Theba also had brief recurring roles on Married... with Children and ER. He had a recurring role in the ABC/CBS comedy sitcom Family Matters. His other credits include appearances on Nip/Tuck, Alias, Two and a Half Men, Bosch, Roseanne, Kitchen Confidential, Chuck, JAG, Arrested Development, Childrens Hospital, The Tick, The West Wing, Friends, Green Book, Sister Sister, Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, King of the Hill, Weeds, Community, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Theba also appeared in an episode of the sitcom Yes, Dear. In 2009, 2010, and 2013, Theba guest starred in three episodes of NBC's Community as Gobi Nadir, the father of Abed Nadir (played by Danny Pudi). He also guest starred on CBS' NCIS in 2012. He also was seen on the eighth episode of the eighth season of Hell's Kitchen, attending the 100th dinner service. In 2017, Theba voiced Slav in season 2 of Voltron: Legendary Defender. Theba played General Umair Zaman, a Pakistani general who stages a military coup, on the HBO comedy series The Brink.
Theba's longest-running role has been as Principal Figgins in the Fox television series Glee. Throughout the course of the six seasons, Theba appeared in 58 episodes. Although Figgins was initially conceived as white, Theba was cast in the role. He said playing Figgins entails finding "the right mix of someone who is an authority figure but who is also very insecure about his own strengths as a person." In 2012, Theba appeared on the first and ninth episodes of the second season of The Glee Project.
He is married and has two children: a son and a daughter. Theba is a Pakistani-American dual national.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (October 2026), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
