Azita Ghanizada

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Azita Ghanizada
Born1978 or 1979 (age 44–45)
OccupationActress
Years active2004–present
OrganizationMENA Arts Advocacy Coalition

Azita Ghanizada (born 1978 or 1979 (age 44–45))[1] is an American actress, known for her work on the television series Alphas,[2] and the Broadway musical The Kite Runner. In addition to her acting work, Ghanizada is also the founder and President of the MENA Arts Advocacy Coalition.[3]

Life and career

Azita Ghanizada is a television, film and stage actress.

Ghanizada's life in America began as a political asylum seeker. The relationships her father made working at the

Entourage, Veronica Mars, The Mentalist , Psych, Ghost Whisperer, Castle, and Up All Night. In 2016, she was named "One of The 7 Sundance Break-out Actresses You Need to Know,"[5] for her work in "Complete Unknown
."

Her first main role on television was in 2008, when Ghanizada joined the cast of the

holistic medicine.[6] The following year, she joined the all-star cast of the television pilot Tough Trade starring opposite Sam Shepard and Cary Elwes, from Weeds creator Jenji Kohan, and executive producer T Bone Burnett. In 2010, she joined David Strathairn as a primary cast member of the American Syfy Channel series Alphas where she played Rachel Pirzad, a woman with enhanced sensory abilities.[7] Alphas was picked up to series in 2011 but only lasted two seasons. She went on to film the comedy pilot Ellen More or Less in 2014 as a primary cast member for NBC directed by Peyton Reed, the television pilot was not picked up to series. In 2016, Azita appeared in the feature Complete Unknown opposite Rachel Weisz and Michael Shannon, in 2017 she began production on Kevin Smith's feature film KillRoy Was Here.[8] In 2019, she began recurring roles on both Ballers and Good Trouble.[9]

In 2022, she made her Broadway Debut in the stage adaptation of The Kite Runner on Broadway, cast as Soraya (original).[10]

Ghanizada is also a notable

South West Asian North African (SWANA) performers in Hollywood, and activist for women in Afghanistan. In 2016, she founded the MENA Arts Advocacy Coalition, MAAC; and in 2017 she succeeded in lobbying the Screen Actors Guild and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (SAG-AFTRA) with other performers to include MENA as its own diverse category in theatrical contracts. This success marked the first new hiring category in a labor contract in 37 years.[11] She also works as a global Ambassador for "Women for Women International", focusing on getting women in Afghanistan back to work and educated.[12]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2004 A Kiss on the Nose Chiara Short film
2007 X's & O's Anita
2010 You, Only Better... Kali Parker
2011 Blood Shot Zahra
2016 Complete Unknown Ramina film
2020 Our Friend Elizabeth biography
2022 KillRoy Was Here[8] Sarah film
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2005 The Closer Neighbor Episode: "Batter Up"
2006
Numbers
 		Prita Episode: "Harvest"
2007 Bones Girlfriend Episode: "The Man in the Mansion"
2007 The Wedding Bells Jody Episode: "Wedding from Hell"
2007 Veronica Mars Amira Krimani Episode: "Un-American Graffiti"
2008 General Hospital: Night Shift Dr. Saira Batra 14 episodes
2009 How I Met Your Mother Sexy Female Cop Episode: "As Fast as She Can"
2009
Entourage
 		Kelly Episode: "Amongst Friends"
2009 Psych Mina Episode: "Bollywood Homicide"
2009 Ghost Whisperer Charee Episode: "Devil's Bargain"
2010 Tough Trade Sabina TV movie
2010 Castle Mistress Sapphire Episode: "The Mistress Always Spanks Twice"
2010 NCIS: Los Angeles Rochelle Stanton Episode: "Disorder"
2011 Friends with Benefits Tasi Episode: "The Benefit of Full Disclosure"
2011–2012 Alphas Rachel Pirzad Main role
2012 Body of Proof Annabelle Kip Episode: "Cold Blooded"
2012 Up All Night Natasha Episode: "The Game of Life"
2013 The Mentalist Defiance Episode: "Green Thumb"
2014 Major Crimes Angela Soames Episode: "Frozen Assets"
2014 Ellen More or Less Lucy Pilot
2016 I Love Dick Sahar Episode: "Cowboys and Nomads"
2017 Wisdom of the Crowd Tanya Episode: "User Bias"
2018 9-1-1 Kelly Wesson Episode: "Let Go"
2018 Elementary Dr. Sepi Chamanara Episode: "The Worms Crawl In, The Worms Crawl Out"
2019
Baller
 		Saphia Mena 2 Episodes
2019–2020 Good Trouble Kendra Zahir 5 episodes
2020 Magnum P.I Maxine Gilbert Episode: "May The Best One Win"
2021–2022 United States of Al Ariana 8 Episodes

References

  1. ^ "UVa, Tech Grads Land Jobs on Soap Opera Spinoffs". The Daily Progress. Washington Post News Service. October 5, 2008. p. C11. Ghanizada, 29, emigrated from Afghanistan as a baby when her family was granted asylum in the United States.
  2. ^ "Azita Ghanizada".
  3. ^ "Azita Ghanizada | Women for Women International". www.womenforwomen.org. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Grundey, Adam (May 1, 2011). "Azita Ghanizada's Rise to Alpha Female". Rolling Stone Middle East. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  5. ^ "The 7 Sundance Break-Out Actresses You Need to Know".
  6. ISSN 0190-8286
    . Retrieved July 26, 2011. Ghanizada, 29
  7. ^ Radish, Christina (July 8, 2011). "Azita Ghanizada Interview ALPHAS". Collider. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  8. ^ a b McNary, Dave (June 15, 2017). "Kevin Smith Filming Horror Movie 'Killroy Was Here' at Florida College". Variety. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  9. ^ https://tvline.com/2019/07/31/good-trouble-season-2-episode-8-azita-ghanizada-specuklate/
  10. ^ https://playbill.com/article/the-kite-runners-azita-ghanizada-makes-emotional-curtain-call-speech-on-1-year-anniversary-of-taliban-takeover
  11. ^ "How Azita Ghanizada has fought for recognition for Mena actors in Hollywood". The National. October 31, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  12. ^ https://www.womenforwomen.org/about/our-team/azita-ghanizada

External links

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