Themo Melikidze

Themo Melikidze is a classically trained actor and martial artist from the Eastern European country of Georgia. He gained significant industry buzz for his portrayal of the Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev in Mark Wahlberg's highly anticipated film Patriots Day. Melikidze draws from his theater training and Off-Broadway experience to create a nuanced and spine-chilling performance as the mastermind brother behind the terror attacks. Patriots Day tells the story of the Boston Marathon attacks through the eyes and life of Boston Police Commissioner 'Ed Davis' (Wahlberg). The film brilliantly details the events leading up to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the aftermath, which includes the city-wide manhunt to find and capture the terrorists behind it. Themo also appears in FOX's upcoming "24: Legacy," premiering February 5, 2017, immediately following the Super Bowl. "24: Legacy" follows war hero 'Eric Carter' (Corey Hawkins), using the real-time method of narration that the iconic original "24" series was known for. 'Eric' seeks the help of CTU (Counter Terrorist Unit) to help save his life and potentially stop the largest terrorist attack on American soil. Themo plays Khasan DuDayev who is intense and worried as he works with his sister Amira in connection with their plans. Themo is the oldest of three children, including a younger brother and younger sister and at the age of 8, his father, a civil engineer, his mother, a nurse and his two siblings moved to Belgium, to due to economic depression in his home country of Georgia. As a very active child, Themo excelled in sports, including soccer and swimming, before eventually being introduced to martial arts by his father. At the age of 9, Themo began practicing Taekwondo at the Chin Do Jang Bruges, under the guidance of Master Chin Yun Sup. He gained his black belt within five years and began winning national competitions. After winning numerous major tournaments including the Flanders Cup, BeNeLux Open, and Belgian Open International Championship, he earned a coveted spot on the national team to continue his training. Simultaneously, he performed with the National Taekwondo Demonstration Team of Belgium. Themo and his younger brother Giorgi Melikidze used their shared passion for martial arts as well as their remarkable physical abilities and skills to choreograph fight scenes and began performing nationally, gaining a reputation for their unique style of performance. Fascinated with physical movement, movie stunts and athletics, Themo enrolled at the esteemed VHSI Athletic Institute in Bruges where he majored in Sport and Physical studies. There, he became fully occupied with gymnastics, track and field, parkour and calisthenics. However, with his fiercely competitive spirit, Themo was not content as just the school's top sports star, but became the leader in his both his school's dance and theater clubs. Always interested in classic kung fu flicks starring his heroes Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, Themo was first drawn in through the jaw-dropping physicality and action, but it was the storytelling that explained why they were fighting that truly captivated and inspired him. During his senior year, he became determined to study acting in the United States. While finishing school in Belgium, he sent an audition tape to the New York Film Academy. Two months later, Themo graduated from the VHSI Athletic Institute as the highest scoring athlete in their gymnastics program, and had received a scholarship to attend the New York Film Academy. In 2013 Themo's exceptional performance at his New York Film Academy graduation screening grabbed the attention of Carlo D'Amore, the CEO of The LiveInTheater, who offered him a contract to begin his career with the award-winning Off-Broadway theater. During his time with the company, Themo appeared in the Drama Desk nominated show "They Ryan Case 1873," "The Lombardi Case 1975," and "The Murder of Venus Xtravaganza." While still performing at The LiveInTheater, Themo appeared in countless projects, including the short films "Faceless 2014", "City of Revenants" and the feature film "Beautiful Something," directed by Joseph Graham. In addition to his burgeoning acting career, Themo remains extremely physically active through an exhausting regimen of martial arts, swimming, soccer and dance. He relaxes by immersing himself in books and research to learn about the world, science and astrophysics, and with a deck of cards can astonish even the most eagle-eyed skeptic with his close-up magic skills.