LEADING MAN ZEEKO ZAKI ON: PURPOSE, PRESENCE + POWERING CBS’ FBl
When Zeeko Zaki walks into a room the atmosphere elevates. At 6’5, his physical presence is quite-literally undeniable. But what lingers, isn’t just stature; it’s stillness. A quiet, thoughtful countenance. A sense that behind the physicality is someone who has spent a lifetime learning how to read a room before speaking in it. On screen, as Special Agent Omar Adom "OA" Zidan, that instinct translates into a grounded authority. Off screen, it reveals something more compelling: intention. As we began our chat, one thing rang clear; Zeeko’s presence—both distinct and disarming—was organic. Later learning that it was refined through experience, awareness and an early understanding of how perception works. Long before the leading roles, before Los Angeles and before acting was even a whisper he was already paying attention to people, to energy and to the unspoken dynamics of a space. He learned when to lean in, when to hold back and exactly when to let silence—or a really great laugh—do the heavy lifting. As a useful sense, that instinct seems to have never left him; it’s just evolved into a powerful attribute he wields to bring out the best in endless areas of his life.
THE DESTINED DETOUR
Zaki was born in Alexandria, Egypt and came to the United States at just one month old. His father—a renowned hairstylist who trained under the legendary Vidal Sassoon in the 1970s—had originally planned to build a life in Los Angeles. Instead, the family stopped in Pennsylvania so his grandmother could help raise him. “We never left,” he laughs. In many ways, his current trajectory feels like a completion of that unfinished path—one he eventually reclaimed on his own terms when he finally made his own move to California. But acting was an accidental discovery. While living in Wilmington, North Carolina, Zaki found himself surrounded by a working film industry for the first time. What had once felt abstract, suddenly seemed tangible. “I connected the dots,” he said. “I realized—I think I have the skill set for this.” His journey was anchored by pivotal, quiet moments of faith. He recalls a deeply personal time when his grandmother passed just a week before a play he was starring in opened. Despite the grief, he chose to perform, honoring their last conversation; her advice to not move home & see the play through. It was that specific performance that led to him being signed.
PRESENT ON PURPOSE
Eight seasons into his show, Zaki occupies a rare space—highly visible, yet entirely unconsumed by the raging “influencer" social media era. In an age of constant digital exposure, he has opted for the classic "old Hollywood" approach: less visibility, more presence. This balance is a conscious choice, one he views as a commitment to the work itself. He cites a quote paraphrased from a conversation between Denzel Washington and Michael B. Jordan: “Why would people pay to see you on the weekend if they can see you for free every day?” For Zaki, that distance isn't about absence; it’s about ensuring that when he does appear, it carries weight.
“How much sweeter it is to have the work,” he says. —It is a perspective that allows him to keep his focus exactly where it has always been: on the people who serve as his absolute anchor. Because success for him, is a quiet, internal metric defined overall by the well-being of his family. “Is your family okay?” he asks. “If they’re not, then this is worth nothing.” This grounding transforms his career from a pursuit of visibility into a steady, reliable journey. He isn't looking for the shortcut; he’s invested in the process of building something that lasts. “I’m a journey guy,” he says. “If this all went away, it would be an honor to show the world I could do it again.”
THE PIONEERING “OA” PIVOT
The story of how Zaki landed his present lead role is a study in serendipity. He initially auditioned for a 40-year-old Latin special ops agent—a role he felt was a complete mismatch. Unbeknownst to him, his manager had submitted his tape without an invitation. During the process, something shifted. The character began to evolve—subtly reshaped and expanded to fit Zaki’s specific energy and Egyptian heritage. It was a reinvention of what a lead agent could look like. What emerged was OA, a character who provides a necessary specificity to the screen, without needing to explain his existence. “He’s not defined by any one thing,” Zaki says. “He just does his job.” Believing that this is where the power lies: in showing that a hero can also look like him, without a narrative being forced. For Zeeko, the role is an evolution of the "superhero" archetype—a chance to represent his culture with quiet, undeniable virtue.
DISCIPLINE BEHIND-HIS-SCENES
Zaki is candid about the work that doesn’t make the final cut—the internal shifts and the process of letting go of self-surveillance. Having lost over 100 pounds while stepping into an industry that magnifies every facet, he had to navigate deep-seated insecurities. “It’s like the final boss of insecurity,” he says. “Being on TV.” He found freedom in a simple realization passed down from his father: “No one ever looks at you at the same angle that you look at yourself in the mirror.” An easily stated sentiment, but one that created a kind of freedom for Zaki—The ability to move without constantly overcorrecting. “Noone’s really paying attention to anyone else the way we think they are. Everyone’s [actually] just worried about the mustard on their own shirt,” he chimes.
LUXURY IS THE MOMENTWhen he isn’t on set, he’s often [surprisingly] behind a camera he reveals. Photography has become his quiet counterbalance—a way to slow things down and observe instead of perform. Inspired by the idea of "collecting moments," he views the ability to capture a still frame as his personal definition of luxury. “My definition of luxury,” he says, “is anything that slows time down long enough for you to enjoy the moment.”
WHAT ALWAYS REMAINS
Strip away the layers and what remains for Zeeko Zaki is a simple virtue: kindness. “You don’t know whose hand is going to pull you out of the water one day.” he says. “Treat EVERYBODY with kindness”. In a culture that rewards noise, Zeeko Zaki has built something quite admirable -a practical presence that is equal parts authentic and intentional. An energy that doesn’t need to be explained—it resonates naturally, as he enters every room.
It's the end of the first season, the beginning of Maggie and OA's partnership, and one of my favorite moments. It's a time when they've already worked together and are clearly happy to be partners, but they're still getting to know each other for it. This episode has the full set: a vicious villain, a 💣 that's nowhere to be found, a lack of time, and sheer tension. Zibell has the same case, but they have different tasks, and therefore they work in parallel, not together, and therefore Maggie works with a temporary partner, Perkins. At the height of the tension, our vicious villain tells OA that he not only lacks the time to find out the truth, but also the ruthlessness. OA refutes this not only verbally but also demonstrates what he can do if left with no choice but despair. Essentially, he tortures Zev, and Maggie witnesses this moment of OA's ruthlessness. In an instant, OA's resolve vanished, and confusion and fear that Maggie had seen this side of him appeared on his face.
When the crisis has passed, OA can be seen glancing uneasily at Maggie. He's experiencing a personal moment, afraid that what Maggie saw could ruin their relationship, and he knows he must somehow explain himself. However, the first thing Maggie asks is: How are you? - She's not asking about what she saw; she's interested in his condition. OA doesn't know where to begin with what he wants to say, so he asks about Perkins. This isn't idle curiosity; it's a question with a double meaning. It's not just a desire to know how she is and her opinion of Perkins, but a way of asking if she'd like to change her partner, replace him. Maggie genuinely likes Perkins and honestly responds that he's good and has potential. But seeing OA's tension and downcast expression, she adds, under humorous demeanor, "almost as much as my current partner." - And the key here is "current partner". She makes it clear who her partner is. OA, not seeing any rejection from Maggie, nevertheless decides to openly discuss what she saw and explain himself, but Maggie doesn't need it: "… you don't have to explain yourself to me." - This isn't ignorance or indifference, it's understanding. She has enough information she needs; she knows the situation they're in, what's at stake, what kind of person Zev is, and most importantly, she knows OA well enough to understand the reasons behind his actions.
This is a moment of true partnership. OA doesn't shut himself off from her, but strives to mend what could have been broken. Maggie, on the other hand, makes it clear that he doesn't have to answer to her, but also that she understands and accepts him.
This moment also demonstrates that their relationship has reached the stage where Maggie's opinion of him has authority for him.
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