Shohreh Agdashloo: Breaking Barriers in Hollywood and Beyond

Iranian-born, Oscar-nominated actress Shohreh Aghdashloo has been breaking down barriers in Hollywood since she first appeared on the big screen, and she hasn’t stopped since. With exciting new roles, including Universal’s feature film Renfield, which is being released this spring, she will be starring alongside Nicolas Cage and Awkwafina. This success combined with the launch of her new haircare line, helps Shohreh keep showcasing her talents on the big screen and beyond.

Currently, Shohreh can be seen starring as a powerful politician of the United Nations Security Council on Amazon’s highly acclaimed futuristic TV series The Expanse.  She is also part of the cast for Season 2 of HBO’s The Flight Attendant in a reoccurring role alongside Kaley Cuoco, which is currently streaming on HBO Max.

JS: How did you get your start in acting? Was this always a passion of yours? 

SA: I always knew that I wanted to be a storyteller, but it was Gone with the Wind and the legendary Scarlett O’Hara, portrayed by Vivien Leigh, that made me make my dream come true. She gave me the courage to audition for the lead role in a play titled “Narrow Road to the Deep North” by Edward Bond when I was twenty years old, and I was offered the role.

JS: Tell us about your move from Iran? What was that journey like for you? 

SA: The journey alone was hectic, since I had to drive to Europe due to the airports being shut down in Iran. So it took me 12 days to get to London and start a new life studying politics. But I’m still dealing with the emotional aspects of it, asking myself how I could be helpful to those I left behind.

JS: Tell us about the women’s rights movements you are involved with at the moment. 

SA: Brave women of Iran are asking for a regime change, chanting “Woman Life Freedom,” bare-handedly fighting for their fundamental human rights in the center-front of the recent revolution in Iran against the barbaric regime of the Islamic Republic.

Their message is loud and clear. They are sick and tired of 44 years of oppression, misogyny, child abuse, and embezzlement. In return, thousands have been arrested, tortured, and forced into false confessions, and hundreds have been killed, some as young as eight years old. My duty here is to amplify their voices and bring their cause to the world’s attention.

JS: How do you think Hollywood has evolved when it comes to featuring actors of Middle Eastern descent? 

SA: It’s not just the Middle Easterners or the Far Easterners getting more jobs in Hollywood. The notion of diversity has brought a colorful variety of all nations to the silver screen in Hollywood. And perhaps we owe that to the integration of the people of the world, the internet, and social media that takes us to distant places.

JS: Are there any particular roles you most enjoy portraying? 

SA: I love roles and stories that are complicated, sophisticated, and meaningful, so that the audience can take something home with them.

JS: What was it like to be nominated for an Oscar? Do you feel it changed how people perceived those of a Middle Eastern background? 

SA: Honestly, it felt like an out-of-body experience when I heard the news at 6:00 a.m., followed by an extreme rush of blood into my head. Now, I do not only feel the change, but I am also witnessing it, and all it takes is for someone to open the door and prove themselves. And let us not forget the impact of my first film, House of Sand and Fog, the story of an Iranian general and his family, on its viewers.

JS: You have some exciting new movie and TV projects in the works – how have you been preparing for those roles, and what can we expect to see? 

SA: I’m genuinely excited for all of them. First and foremost, for the premiere of Renfield. I had not experienced working in this genre before. Horror comedy was not in my resume, and I had never played a character like her. I’m also thrilled to be working on The Penguin, a new HBO Max TV series with a brilliant cast, written by Lauren LeFranc, a visionary writer whom I had the pleasure of working with on Impulse, another TV series. I am also doing a voice-over on a new game, but I cannot reveal its name yet.

JS: Any actors you are most looking forward to working with? 

SA: The list is long and starts with Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro.

JS: When did you get the idea to start your own hair care line? Is this for any type of woman/hair texture? What separates the brand, and what ingredients do you use? 

SA: Almost twenty years ago. I was missing my shampoos in Iran, containing natural and harmless ingredients such as Rosemary, Aloe vera, and Chamomile. So I decided to create my own shampoo, but unfortunately, I was told that I could only choose any ready-made shampoo and put my name on it. This wasn’t what I had in mind. So, I had to wait 18 years for a company willing to do that for me. Finally, I found the right company, “Aniise,” that made my dream come true. All my hair products, shampoo, conditioner, and serum are for all types of hair, for they are all based on natural ingredients.  For more information about my hair care products, please follow @saghdashloobeauty on Instagram.

JS: Do you and your husband still have your production company? How did that begin? 

SA: Thirty years ago, I went to an audition for a role, but I was asked to go home because the casting director was looking for a downtrodden Middle Eastern woman to play the role, and I was too beautiful for the part. I felt offended and angry at the casting director for undermining my acting abilities. I went home and told my husband that the industry was not ready for us, that I was certainly not the girl next door, and asked him to let us stick to theatre. He kept writing plays, and we started a Farsi-speaking theatre company that would serve Iranians in the USA and eventually in Europe. My husband, Houshang Touzie, is an actor/playwright/stage director. We are both stage actors. We still have our production company and will keep working in theatre, TV, and cinema as long as we have the stamina for it.

JS: Any hobbies you enjoy or routines that help with your daily life/career? 

SA: Swimming, walking, reading, watching classic films, the news of the day, and learning from history.

@SAghdashloo

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