Veteran character actor Shelly Desai, best known to TV fans for his memorable roles on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Men of a Certain Age, has died at 90.
Desai passed away Tuesday, February 10, in Los Angeles, his family confirmed. A cause of death has not been released.
Born December 3, 1935, in Bombay, British India, Desai didn’t originally plan on becoming an actor. He came to the United States in the 1960s to pursue a master’s degree in engineering — but the stage had other plans. After time in Chicago and New York, he eventually settled in Los Angeles and built a career that would quietly stretch across five decades.
His early theater career included Off Broadway work and a brief Broadway appearance in 1970’s Gandhi, a production so ill-fated it famously opened and closed on the same night. He returned to Broadway in 1981’s A Talent for Murder alongside Claudette Colbert.
By the mid-1970s, Desai had transitioned to screen roles, including a small part in director Brian De Palma’s cult rock musical Phantom of the Paradise. From there, he became one of television’s most reliable character actors.
Over the years, Desai popped up everywhere. He logged appearances on St. Elsewhere, Hill Street Blues, The A-Team, Moonlighting, ER, Friends, NYPD Blue, Ugly Betty, Baskets, and History of the World: Part II, among many others. Sci-fi fans may remember him from a 1991 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation titled “Data’s Day,” where he played a blue-skinned Bolian barber named V’Sal.
He also voiced characters in 10 episodes of the ’90s kids favorite Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? and appeared in multiple episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
But for many viewers, Desai’s most recognizable roles came later in life. From 2009 to 2011, he played Carlos in 14 episodes of Men of a Certain Age, starring Ray Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula. He also became a fan-favorite on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia as Hwang, the no-nonsense landlord constantly demanding rent from Charlie (Charlie Day) and Frank (Danny DeVito).
On the big screen, Desai appeared in films including Thelma & Louise, Toys, Clifford, Midnight Clear and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2.
Remarkably, Desai was still working right up until the end. Just one month before his passing, he was on set filming three AT&T commercials — a testament to his longevity and passion for performing.
Desai is survived by his wife, Phyllis, stepdaughters April and Dawn, and grandchildren Sean, Sofia and Dylan.
From Broadway to sitcoms to cult classics, Shelly Desai built a career defined by steady work, quiet talent, and unforgettable supporting performances — the kind of actor whose face you always recognized, even if you didn’t always know his name.
Rest in peace Shelly Desai pic.twitter.com/tL3YFIGLbv
— No Context in Philadelphia (@alwaysunnyooc) February 13, 2026
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