Sarah Shahi
Sarah Shahi | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 10, 1980 |
| Occupation(s) | Model, Actress |
Aahoo Jahansouz Shahi, also known as Sarah Shahi (born January 10, 1980, in Euless, Texas, U.S.), is an American actress, model of Iranian and Spanish descent.[1] former NFL Cheerleader and a great-great-granddaughter of the 19th century Persian Shah Fat′h Ali Shah Qajar by Begom Khanom (daughter of Hossein Qoli Khan Afshar, niece of Begom Khanom, daughter of Emam Qoli Khan Afshar), through their son Jahansouz Shah.[2] Shahi was named #90 on the Maxim magazine "Hot 100 of 2005" list[3]; she moved up to #66 in 2006.[4]
Early Life and Career
Sarah Shahi was born in Grapevine, Texas, to a Iranian father and Spanish mother,[5] Abbas and Mahmonir Jahansouz Shahi[6]. She attended Trinity High School and Dallas' Southern Methodist University, majoring in English and Opera [7]. Shahi started her career as a beauty queen during her teen years. She won the Miss Fort Worth USA pageant in 1997. She joined the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders 1999-2000 squad and appeared on the cover of their 2000 calendar.
Acting career
While working as an extra on the set of Dr. T and the Women, she met director Robert Altman, who encouraged her to move to Hollywood. Sarah then moved to Los Angeles. Once in L.A., she got various recurrent roles in several famous series, such as Alias, where she played Jenny, and Dawson's Creek, where she was Sadia Shaw. Shahi was also the first ghost in Supernatural, the CW paranormal drama series.
She is best known for her role as the Mexican-American DJ Carmen de la Pica Morales in the Showtime drama television series The L Word, which she joined in its second season. Sarah did not renew her contract with the L Word for a fourth season, and consequently her character was written out.
She also appeared in HBO's The Sopranos, in the Season 6b episode "Kennedy and Heidi," as Sonya Aragon, a stripper and college student who spends a weekend with Tony after a death in his family.
Sarah speaks English, Persian, and some Spanish, and has a Brown belt in Karate.
Sarah's currently starring as one of the leads alongside Damian Lewis in the new hit show Life which started airing in the U.S. in late September.
Although uncredited by most sources, Sarah also appeared in Jackie Chan movie Rush Hour 3 as one of the girls being handcuffed for motoring offence by Chris Tucker.
Filmography
- Dr. T and the Women (2000) as an uncredited cheerleader
- City Guys: "Shock Treatment" (2000-11-04) as Cheerleader
- Spin City: "Blind Faith" (2000-11-15) as Bachelorette
- Boston Public: "Chapter Eleven" (2001-01-22) as Laura
- Off Centre: "A Cute Triangle" (2001-11-18) as Angelica
- Maybe It's Me: "The Exchange-Student" (2001-12-07) as Rosa
- Alias (2001–2002, seven episodes) as Jenny, a budding journalist.
- Class of '06 (2002, undeveloped pilot) as Meg
- Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003) as Becky, a Delta-Nu sister
- Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central): "Chinese Baby" (2002-06-05) as TV Diva
- Frasier: "Door Jam" (2003-01-07) as Reservationist
- Old School (2003) as Erica
- Dawson's Creek (2003, four episodes) as Sadia Shaw, a journalist.
- ER: "The Greater Good" (2003-11-06) as Tara King
- Reba: "To Tell You the Truth" (2004-01-23) as Kate
- Century City: "Sweet Child of Mine" (2004-04-06) as Ms. Morris
- A Lot Like Love (2005) as Starlet
- Plan B (2005, undeveloped pilot) as Bronwyn
- Supernatural: "Pilot" (2005-09-13) as The Woman in White/Constance Welsh
- The L Word (2005–2007) as Carmen de la Pica Morales
- Teachers (2006, six episodes) as Tina
- Damages (2006, undeveloped pilot) as Jennifer Carillo
- The Dog Problem (2006) as Candy
- For Your Consideration (2006) as Wake Up Host
- Sleeper Cell (2006) as Farah
- Reba: "Cheyenne's Rival" (2007-01-28) as Bridget
- The Sopranos: "Kennedy and Heidi" (2007-05-13) as Sonya Aragon
- Life (2007—) as Dani Reese
- AmericanEast (2007) as Salwah Marzoke
- Shades of Ray (2007) as Sana Khaliq
- The Adventures of Beatle Boyin (2007) as Carla
- Rush Hour 3 (2007) as Zoe
Print work
References
- ^ Interview and Bio stats
- ^ http://www.askmen.com/women/actress_300/317c_sarah_shahi.html
- ^ http://www.maximonline.com/girls_of_maxim/pictures_and_bio/1125/SarahShahi.girl
- ^ http://www.maximonline.com/slideshows/index.aspx?slideId=1971&imgCollectId=94
- ^ Interview and Bio stats
- ^ http://www.sarahshahi.org/stats.php
- ^ http://www.sarahshahi.org/stats.php