Nabil Shaban (1953-2025) was born in Amman, Jordan and arrived in England when he was three for treatment for his osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle-bone disease). He spent the next six years in hospital and seven in a children's home. In 1980, he and Richard Tomlinson founded Graeae (pronounced Grey Eye), a professional theatre company of disabled performers. A writer and performer with many film and television credits, he was probably best known to television viewers for his role as ruthless businessman Sil in the Doctor Who stories 'Vengeance on Varos' and 'The Trial of a Time Lord' (BBC, 1985 + 1986).
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Nabil Shaban was a Jordanian-British actor, writer, and disability arts pioneer who co-founded Graeae Theatre Company.
He is best known for portraying the villainous alien Sil in Doctor Who and appearing in feature films like Children of Men and Wittgenstein.
He co-founded Graeae, a professional theatre company showcasing disabled performers, in 1980.
