Shpend Xani is a New York City-based Albanian American actor and dialect coach whose work spans classical theatre and contemporary screen performance. Born and raised in Kosovo during the war, he later resettled in the United States as a refugee, bringing an international perspective and classical rigor to his craft.

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His stage work includes Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, King John at Folger Theatre, Coriolanus and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Academy's Shakespeare Theatre, and Arthur Miller’s The Crucible at Olney Theatre. He has also originated roles in world premieres with Society Theatre Company, Mosaic Theater Company, NYU Skirball, Longacre Lea, and Forum Theatre.

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His television credits include The Blacklist, FBI: Most Wanted, FBI, and New Amsterdam. His film work includes the upcoming feature East of the River, the Albanian language feature Hana, produced in Kosovo, as well as independent and international feature and short films.

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Alongside his acting career, Xani works as a dialect coach and translator, specializing in foreign language coaching. He speaks four languages and is a founding member of the New York ensemble theatre company SOCIETY.

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He earned an MFA in Classical Acting from Shakespeare Theatre’s Academy at The George Washington University, and BFA degrees in Acting from Millikin University and the University of Prishtina.