Tala Ashe
Tala Ashe | |
---|---|
Born | Tala Ashrafi July 24, 1984 |
Education | Boston University London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2008–present |
Tala Ashrafi (born July 24, 1984),[1] known professionally as Tala Ashe, is an Iranian-American actress. She is known for her roles on the television series Smash, American Odyssey, and As the World Turns, as well as her regular role as Zari Tomaz on The CW superhero series Legends of Tomorrow.
Early life and education
Ashe was born Tala Ashrafi on July 24, 1984[2] to Shoreh Elhami and Javad Ashrafi in Tehran, Iran.[3] She immigrated to the United States when she was nine months old.[4] Ashe grew up in Powell, Ohio, just outside of the state capital Columbus.[5][6] She participated in her high school theatre productions as both an actress and director.[5]
Ashe received a BFA from Boston University's School of Theatre.[7] She also trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City.[8][9]
Career
Ashe has performed in numerous regional and Off-Broadway stage productions.[5] Ashe's first screen credit is for her role as Nadia in the 2008 film Waiting in Beijing.[2] She was credited as Tala Ashrafi, but is credited as Tala Ashe in all subsequent roles.
She has made guest appearances on the series Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, 30 Rock, and Covert Affairs.[3][5][10] Ashe has also had recurring roles on Smash and American Odyssey.[11] She was also a cast member on As the World Turns.[2]
In 2017, Ashe joined the main cast of DC's Legends of Tomorrow as Zari Adrianna Tomaz.[12][11] She took the lead for a bottle episode titled "Here I Go Again" and drew praise from critics and fans alike for her performance.[13][14][15][16]
Personal life
Ashe is Iranian-American and holds dual citizenship.[3][10] In addition to English, she speaks fluent Persian and, just like her Legends of Tomorrow character, Ashe identifies as Muslim.[2][17] Along with her fellow Arrowverse actresses, Ashe is a founding member of Shethority, a project aimed at inspiring and uplifting women and the feminine.[18]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | Waiting in Beijing | Nadia | Film; credited as Tala Ashrafi |
2008 | Law & Order | Madison | Episode: "Angelgrove" |
2008 | As the World Turns | Ameera Ali Aziz | Recurring role, 26 episodes |
2011 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Rebecca Landon | Episode: "Boots on the Ground" |
2012 | Smash | R.J. Quigley | Recurring role (season 1), 6 episodes |
2015 | American Odyssey | Anna Stone | Recurring role, 7 episodes |
2017–present | Legends of Tomorrow | Zari Adrianna Tomaz | Main role (season 3–present) |
Stage
In addition to the following, Ashe has also performed in productions of Love's Labour's Lost (as Tala Ashrafi; Huntington Theatre Company), Age of Innocence (New York Arena), Autophagy (Drama League Director's Project), Twelfth Night (Actors' Shakespeare Project), and Pearls from Salt (Olney Theatre), among others.[8][7][19][9][20]
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | Aftermath | Naimah | Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City |
[7][21] |
2010 | Welcome to Arroyo's | Lelly Santiago | Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, California |
[22][7] |
2011 | Again and Against | Dahlia | LAByrinth Summer Intensive, New York |
[7][8][23] |
Urge for Going | Jamila | The Public Theater, New York City |
[24][25] | |
2012 | Troilus and Cressida | Cressida, Cassandra | Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland, Oregon |
[26][27] |
The Very Merry Wives of Windsor, Iowa | Anne Page | Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland, Oregon |
[28][29] | |
2014 | The Who & the What | Mahwish | Claire Tow Theater, New York City |
[30][31] |
2015 | Head over Heels | Philoclea | Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland, Oregon |
[32][10] |
The Happiest Song Plays Last | Shar | Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland, Oregon |
[33][34] | |
2016 | Troilus and Cressida | Helen, Andromache | Delacorte Theater, New York City |
[35][36][37] |
2017 | The Profane | Emina | Playwrights Horizons, New York City |
[38][39] |
References
- ^ Legends of Tomorrow [@TheCW_Legends] (July 24, 2018). "Being a Legend is written in her code. Happy Birthday, @talaashe!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b c d Berman, Nat (November 23, 2017). "Five Things You Didn't Know about Tala Ashe". TVOvermind.
- ^ a b c Malek, Parastoo (June 8, 2017). "Iranian-American Tala Ashe Will Be Starring In 'DC's Legends of Tomorrow'". The Iranian.
- ^ Video on YouTube
- ^ a b c d Grossberg, Michael (April 23, 2012). "Ohio actress a reporter on 'Smash'". The Columbus Dispatch.
- ^ de Souza, Alison (October 13, 2017). "Legends Of Tomorrow's new hero is female and Muslim". The Straits Times.
- ^ a b c d e "Ensemble Member, Tala Ashe at The Public..." Barefoot Theatre.
- ^ a b c "Tala Ashe". Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
- ^ a b "TALA ASHE". Lincoln Center Theater.
- ^ a b c Wagmeister, Elizabeth (June 6, 2016). "'DC's Legends of Tomorrow' Adds Muslim-American Superhero for Season 3". Variety.
- ^ a b Pedersen, Erik (June 6, 2017). "Tala Ashe Joins 'DC's Legends of Tomorrow' As Muslim-American Hacktivist-Superhero". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ Abrams, Natalie (October 23, 2017). "Legends of Tomorrow's Tala Ashe previews new addition to team". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ Agard, Chancellor (February 23, 2018). "Superhero Insider: Tala Ashe shines in Legends of Tomorrow time loop episode". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ Sava, Oliver (February 19, 2018). "Legends Of Tomorrow channels "Hedgehog Day" for an excellent time loop story". The A.V. Club.
- ^ Hicks, Aimee (March 11, 2018). "Performers of the Month - February Voting *RESULTS*". SpoilerTV.
- ^ Hicks, Aimee (March 31, 2018). "Performers Of The Month - Reader's Choice Performer of February - Tala Ashe". SpoilerTV.
- ^ Blumberg, Antonia (August 4, 2017). "'Legends Of Tomorrow' Is Introducing A Muslim Superhero In The Age Of Trump". The Huffington Post.
- ^ Drum, Nicole (November 18, 2017). "Arrowverse Actresses Launch "Shethority" Charity Campaign". ComicBook.com.
- ^ Millward, Tom (March 27, 2014). "Full Casting for Ayad Akhtar's 'The Who and The What'". New York Theatre Guide.
- ^ Broadway.com Staff (March 26, 2014). "Pulitzer Prize Winner Ayad Akhtar's The Who & The What to Have New York Premiere at LCT". Broadway.com.
- ^ "New York Theatre Workshop, Aftermath, a sneak preview : Works & process at the Guggenheim". WorldCat.
- ^ "Old Globe Theatre – Welcome to Arroyo's: Press Highlights / Reviews" (PDF). Press Archive. Old Globe Theatre. October 2010.
- ^ Shamieh, Betty (2011). "PLAYS: AGAIN AND AGAINST". BettyShamieh.com.
- ^ Propst, Andy (April 10, 2011). "Urge for Going". TheaterMania.
- ^ Hetrick, Adam (April 10, 2011). "Mona Mansour's Urge for Going Opens Off-Broadway April 10". Playbill.
- ^ Kent, Roberta (April 4, 2012). "'Troilus and Cressida'". Ashland Daily Tidings.
- ^ Crowder, Marcus (July 15, 2012). "Theater reviews: OSF's 'Troilus and Cressida,' 'Henry V', 'Very Merry Wives,' 'Party People,' 'As You Like It'". The Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Varble, Bill (June 22, 2012). "Falstaff in trouble". Mail Tribune.
- ^ Decker, Angels (August 30, 2012). "Cheers to you". Ashland Daily Tidings.
- ^ Stewart, Zachary (June 16, 2014). "The Who & the What". TheaterMania.
- ^ Isherwood, Charles (June 16, 2014). "The Shadow of the Patriarch". The New York Times. The New York Times Company.
- ^ Kent, Roberta (June 15, 2015). "Party atmosphere sets a Go-Go's pace for 'Head Over Heels'". Ashland Daily Tidings.
- ^ Varble, Bill (July 11, 2015). "Review: OSF's 'The Happiest Song Plays Last' wraps Iraq vet's story". Mail Tribune.
- ^ "The Happiest Song Plays Last". OSFAshland. Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
- ^ Stewart, Zachary (August 9, 2016). "Troilus and Cressida". TheaterMania.
- ^ BWW News Desk (July 21, 2016). "Photo Flash: First Look at TROILUS AND CRESSIDA at Shakespeare in the Park". BroadwayWorld.
- ^ "TROILUS AND CRESSIDA". PublicTheatre.org.
- ^ Zednick, Jason (February 15, 2017). "Zayd Dohrn, Kip Fagan, Tala Ashe, and Cast of The Profane Meet the Press". TheaterMania.
- ^ Collins-Hughes, Laura (April 10, 2017). "Review: Zayd Dohrn Plumbs Muslim-American Rifts in 'The Profane'". The New York Times. The New York Times Company.