Talai began working as an actor in San Francisco after graduating from UC Berkeley. He later moved to Los Angeles, where he enrolled in The Groundlings, eventually joining the Groundlings Sunday Company. His two big breaks were The Comeback and Campus Ladies, both cult shows with poor ratings but a substantial number of fans in Hollywood. Talai has more than 125 film, TV, and voice-over credits, making him arguably the most prolific Iranian-American actor of his generation. Notable credits include What To Expect When You’re Expecting, Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay, LA to Vegas, How I Met Your Mother, Bones, American Horror Story, and The Shrink Next Door.