- Sarah Shahi
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Sarah Shahi Born Aahoo Jahansouz Shahi
January 10, 1980
Euless, Texas, USACitizenship American Occupation Actress, model Years active 2000–present Spouse Steve Howey (2009–present) Children 1 son Website http://www.sarahshahi.com Aahoo Jahansouz "Sarah" Shahi[1] (born January 10, 1980) is an American actress and a former NFL Cheerleader. She is probably best known for starring in The L Word as Carmen de la Pica Morales and in Life as Detective Dani Reese. In 2011 she began playing the role of Kate Reed in the legal drama Fairly Legal on the USA Network.
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Early life
Sarah Shahi was born and grew up in Euless, Texas.[1] She has an Iranian father, Abbas Shahi, and a Spanish mother, known as Mahmonir, who was an interior designer.[2] Sarah's family was forced to leave their homeland two years before the political and social unrest caused by the Islamic Revolution.[3][4] Her birthname, Aahoo, means "deer" in Persian.[5]
Shahi adopted Sarah as her name in second grade after hearing the song "Sarah" because she was "tormented" by other children,[1] but grew up speaking Farsi as well as English at her father's insistence. Shahi's parents began entering her in beauty pageants at the age of eight.[4] Her parents divorced when she was 10.[5] Shahi attended Trinity High School, where she was captain of the volleyball and basketball teams, and Dallas' Southern Methodist University, majoring in English and Theater.[6] Shahi won the Miss Fort Worth USA pageant in 1997;[citation needed] hoping to become an actress, she joined the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders 1999–2000 squad despite not having cheered before, and appeared on the cover of the squad's 2000 calendar before moving to Los Angeles.[1]
Acting career
While working as an extra on the set of Dr. T and the Women in Texas, Shahi met director Robert Altman, who encouraged her to move to Hollywood,[1] where she received roles in several series, including Alias, Dawson's Creek, Reba, and Supernatural. She may be best known for her role as DJ Carmen de la Pica Morales on The L Word, which she joined in its second season.[citation needed] Shahi did not renew her contract with the series for the fourth season, and consequently her character was written out.[7] She also played Farah in the second season of Sleeper Cell, and also appeared in HBO's The Sopranos, in the Season 6b episode "Kennedy and Heidi".
She co-starred in the short-lived NBC series Life as homicide detective Dani Reese.[1][8]
In October 2009, Shahi landed the lead role in the USA Network pilot, Facing Kate. Shahi began filming in November 2009.[9] The show follows the life of Kate Reed, a legal mediator who is frustrated with the bureaucracy and injustice she witnesses in the legal system. The series title was later changed to Fairly Legal.[10]
Personal life
Shahi married actor Steve Howey on February 7, 2009, in Las Vegas. On July 8, 2009, Shahi gave birth to their first child, son William Wolf Howey.[11] Shahi gave birth during an at-home water birth.[12]
Shahi was named no. 90 on the Maxim magazine "Hot 100 of 2005" list; she moved up to no. 66 in 2006.[13] She ranked no. 5 on the AfterEllen.com hot list in 2007.[14]Filmography
Film Year Title Role Other notes 2000 Dr. T and the Women Cheerleader Uncredited 2003 Old School Erica 2003 Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde Becky, Delta Nu sister Uncredited 2005 A Lot Like Love Starlet 2006 For Your Consideration Sanchez 2006 The Dog Problem Candy 2007 Rush Hour 3 Zoe Uncredited 2008 Shades of Ray Sana Khaliq 2008 AmericanEast Salwah 2009 Crossing Over Pooneh Baraheri 2011 East Fifth Bliss Hattie Skunk / Hattie Rockworth Post-production 2011 I Don't Know How She Does It Janine LoPietro Post-production 2012 Static Adele Dade Post-production 2012 Bullet to the Head Sheyla Filming Television Year Title Role Other notes 2000 City Guys Cheerleader Episode: "Shock Treatment" 2000 Spin City Bachelorette Episode: "Blind Faith" 2001 Boston Public Laura Episode: "Chapter Eleven" 2001 Off Centre Angelica Episode: "A Cute Triangle" 2001 Maybe It's Me Rosa Episode: "The Exchange-Student Episode" 2001–2002 Alias Jenny Episodes: "So It Begins", "A Broken Heart", "Reckoning", "Color Blind", "Spirit", "The Box: Part 1", and "Page 47" 2002 Class of ‘06 Meg Television film 2002 My Adventures in Television TV Diva Episode: "The Chinese Baby" 2003 Frasier Reservationist Episode: "Door Jam" 2003 Dawson's Creek Sadie Shaw / Mystery Girl Episodes: "Catch-22", "Sex and Violence", and "All the Right Moves" 2003 ER Tara King Episode: "The Greater Good" 2004 Century City Ms. Morris Episode: "Sweet Child of Mine" 2004–2007 Reba Bridget / Kate Episodes: "Cheyenne‘s Rival" and "To Tell You the Truth" 2005 Plan B Bronwyn Television film 2005 Supernatural Constance Welch / The Woman in White Episode: "Pilot" 2005–2009 The L Word Carmen de la Pica Morales Main character 2005 The Drop Herself Episode: "2.49" 2006 Teachers Tina Torres 2006 Sleeper Cell Farrah Episodes: "Faith" and "Torture" 2007 The Sopranos Sonya Aragon Episode: "Kennedy and Heidi" 2007–2009 Life Dani Reese Main character 2010 Psych Ruby Episode: "Thrill Seekers and Hell Raisers" 2011-present Fairly Legal Kate Reed Main character 2011 Young Justice Killer Frost Episode: "Terrors" References
- ^ a b c d e f Mills, Nancy (2011-01-24). "Sarah Shahi turns cheerleading into 'Legal' experience". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2011-01-22-sarah-shahi_N.htm. Retrieved 2011-01-24.
- ^ Interview with Sarah Shahi
- ^ Askmen.com - Sarah Shahi Biography
- ^ a b Baron, Jeff (January 4, 2011). "With New Show, Sarah Shahi Is Ready for Her Close-Up". America.gov. U.S. Department of State. http://www.america.gov/st/peopleplace-english/2011/January/20110104163817ffej0.6563532.html. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
- ^ a b Rudolph, Ileane (6 October 2008). "For Sarah Shahi, Life Is Beautiful". TV Guide. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Sarah-Shahi-Life-19450.aspx. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
- ^ "Rah of Iran". People.com. November 22, 1999. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20129846,00.html. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
- ^ Don't Quote Me: Kate Moennig and Sarah Shahi on The L Word
- ^ Wilonsky, Robert (August 12, 2008). "At SMU, Apparently, Sarah Shahi Was "Walking Blue Balls"". Unfair Park (Dallas Observer). http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2008/08/at_smu_apparently_sarah_shahi.php. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
- ^ Shahi Lands Lead in USA's 'Facing Kate'
- ^ Article at Reuters online about Shahi
- ^ "Sarah Shahi, Steve Howey Welcome Son William Wolf". People.com. October 2, 2009. http://celebritybabies.people.com/2009/10/02/sarah-shahi-steve-howey-welcome-son-william-wolf/. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
- ^ http://celebritybabies.people.com/2010/03/10/sarah-shahi-how-i-handled-my-home-birth/
- ^ Sarah Shahi profile on Maxim.com
- ^ AfterEllen.com ranking
External links
Categories:- 1980 births
- Living people
- People from Euless, Texas
- American people of Iranian descent
- American people of Spanish descent
- Actors from Texas
- American cheerleaders
- American film actors
- American television actors
- American female models
- National Football League cheerleaders
- Southern Methodist University alumni
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