‘The Night Of': Who’s Who in HBO’s Crime Drama (Photos)
“The Night Of,” HBO’s summer crime drama, is based on the British series “Criminal Justice.” As we head into the finale, here are the big names you should remember.
Spoiler alert! Don’t read on if you haven’t yet seen the show.
Naz (Riz Ahmed)
Nasir “Naz” Khan is a shy, tentative Pakistani-American who attends college in New York, and the state’s only suspect in the murder around which “The Night Of” is oriented. He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would wind up accused of extreme violence. Or he didn’t at the start of all this mess — since being accused of murdering Andrea Cornish and getting locked up at Rikers island awaiting trial, Naz has bulked up, shaved his head and has participated in several incidents of prison violence.
Salim and Safar Khan (Peyman Moaadi and Poorna Jagannathan)
Naz’s parents are hardworking immigrants. Salim drives a taxi that Naz sometimes borrows for his own personal use. When the story opens, he’s using his dad’s taxi to drive to a party in the city. Now the taxi is the property of the state, dad is a food delivery guy and mom is a janitor because nobody will give her better work. What they experience is a big part of what “The Night Of” is really about beyond the murder mystery.
Andrea (Sofia Black D’Elia)
The catalyst for the entire events of “The Night Of.” Thinking his taxi is for hire, the mysterious Andrea climbs in back, leading to what essentially amounts to a long first date. The pair then head back to her place. After a night of drinking, drugs and sex, Andreea ends up dead — but Naz doesn’t know why or how.
Trevor (J.D. Williams)
He and a friend ran into Naz and Andrea outside Andrea’s swanky house, directs some racial slurs at Naz, then continues on. The man he was with has become of particular interest. Speaking of which…
Duane Reade (Charlie Hudson III)
… this guy, who glares back at Andrea’s porch as she and Naz walk up the steps. Why the hard stare? We’re not sure. It turns out this guy, who has the same name as a ubiquitous NYC drug store, has a rap sheet as long as his arm, which might just be important.
Neighbor (Steven Randazzo)
During the night, some weird things happen in and around Andrea’s apartment. And witnessing some of them is this guy, who just happens to peel back the curtain at opportune moments.
