Examine individual changes

'{{short description|Iranian actress}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox person | name = Nazanin Boniadi | image = Nazanin Boniadi, Next Three Days, 2010 01.jpg | caption = Boniadi in 2010 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1979|5|22}} | birth_place = [[Tehran]], Iran | home_town = [[London]], England | alma_mater = [[University of California, Irvine]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br/>[[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]] | citizenship = United Kingdom | occupation = Actress, activist | years_active = 2006–present | website = https://nazaninboniadi.com/ }} '''Nazanin Boniadi''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|ɑː|z|ə|n|iː|n|_|ˈ|b|oʊ|n|j|ɑː|d|i}}; {{lang-fa|نازنین بنیادی}}, {{IPA-fa|nɑːzæˈniːn bonjɑːˈdiː|}}; born 22 May 1979)<ref name=birthyear>{{cite web|last= Terrero|first= Nina|title= This Iranian-Born Actress Is Changing the Acting World|url= https://time.com/collection/american-voices-2017/4437117/nazanin-boniadi/|publisher= [[Time (magazine)|Time]]|accessdate= January 4, 2020}}</ref> is a British actress and [[human rights defender]]. Born in Iran and raised in London, she went to university in the United States, where she landed her first major acting role as [[Leyla Mir]] in the medical drama ''[[General Hospital]]'' (2007–2009) and its spin-off ''[[General Hospital: Night Shift]]'' (2007). Since then, she is best known for playing Fara Sherazi in the [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] spy thriller series ''[[Homeland (TV series)|Homeland]]'' (2013–2014), [[Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ#Characters|Esther]] in the historical drama film ''[[Ben-Hur (2016 film)|Ben-Hur]]'' (2016), Clare Quayle in the [[Starz]] sci-fi thriller series ''[[Counterpart (TV series)|Counterpart]]'' (2017–2018), and Zahra Kashani in the action thriller film ''[[Hotel Mumbai]]'' (2018). Boniadi was an [[Amnesty International]] spokesperson from 2009 to 2015 and has been a board member of the [[Center for Human Rights in Iran]] since 2015. ==Early life== Boniadi was born in [[Tehran]], [[Iran]], at the height of the [[Iranian Revolution]]; less than a month after her birthdate, she and her parents relocated to [[London]], where she was raised.<ref name=birthyear/><ref name="Blake 2019-01-03">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-ca-st-nazanin-boniadi-sunday-conversation-20190103-story.html |title=The Conversation: ''Counterpart''{{'}}s Nazanin Boniadi on the complexities of playing Middle Eastern roles |first=Meredith |last=Blake |date=January 3, 2019 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |accessdate=January 14, 2019}}</ref> She performed [[violin]] and [[ballet]] as a young girl.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/arts/story/2006/05/060519_7thday_bs_nazanin.shtml |script-title=fa:نازنين بنيادی، چهره ای جديد در صنعت سينمای هاليوود |title=Nazanin Boniadi, a New Face in the Hollywood Cinema Industry |date=19 May 2006 |publisher=[[BBC Persian Television|BBC Persian]] |accessdate=5 September 2012 |language=Persian }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/article/2008/10/20081022150716ajesrom0.86224.html|title=Human Rights Education a Priority for Iranian Actress |publisher=[[United States Department of State]] |date=22 October 2008 |accessdate=31 December 2014 }}</ref> She attended an independent school in [[Hampstead]]<ref name="telegraph-interview">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/homelands-nazanin-boniadi-isnt-safe-go-back-iran/|title=Homeland's Nazanin Boniadi: 'It isn't safe for me to go back to Iran'|website=The Telegraph|last=Sanghani|first=Radhika|date=31 May 2017|accessdate=11 June 2020|url-status=live|url-access=limited|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326091929/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/homelands-nazanin-boniadi-isnt-safe-go-back-iran/|archive-date=26 March 2019}}</ref> and earned a bachelor's degree, with honours, in biological sciences from the [[University of California, Irvine]]. At UCI, she won the Chang Pin-Chun Undergraduate Research Award for molecular research involving cancer treatment and heart [[transplant rejection]]. She was also Assistant Editor-in-Chief of ''MedTimes'', UCI's undergraduate medical newspaper.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.uci.edu/features/past-uci-grads-where-are-they-now/ |title=UCI grads make good |publisher=[[University of California, Irvine]] |date=6 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130814202858/http://news.uci.edu/features/past-uci-grads-where-are-they-now/ |archivedate=14 August 2013 }}</ref> In 2009, she studied contemporary drama at the [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]] in London.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iranwire.com/en/features/1609|title=Nazanin Boniadi on Life, Acting & Human Rights|website=IranWire|date=22 January 2016|last=Bowler|first=Natasha|accessdate=11 June 2020|quote=I took the Contemporary Drama course at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London in 2009}}</ref> ==Career== Boniadi changed her career path from science and started pursuing acting in 2006. Her first major acting role was as [[Leyla Mir]] on the daytime drama ''[[General Hospital]]'' and its SOAPnet spin-off series ''[[General Hospital: Night Shift]]'', making her the first contract actor to play a Middle Eastern character in American daytime television history.{{Citation needed |date=December 2014}} She is also the first actress born in Iran to ever be on contract on an American soap opera.<ref>{{cite web |last=Morse |first=Jane |url=http://www.payvand.com/news/08/oct/1234.html|title=Human Rights Education a Priority for Iranian Actress |date=23 October 2008 |publisher=[[Payvand|Payvand Iran News]] |accessdate=5 September 2012 }}</ref> She was nominated for an [[NAACP Image Award]] for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series in 2008 for her role in ''General Hospital''.<ref>{{cite web |last=De Leon |first=Kris |url=http://www.buddytv.com/articles/general-hospital/general-hospital-star-nominate-15669.aspx |title=''General Hospital'' Star Nominated for NAACP Image Award |publisher=buddytv.com |accessdate=28 February 2012 }}</ref> Boniadi has also played supporting roles in several major [[Hollywood]] film productions, such as ''[[Charlie Wilson's War (film)|Charlie Wilson's War]]'' (directed by [[Mike Nichols]]), ''[[Iron Man (2008 film)|Iron Man]]'' (directed by [[Jon Favreau]]), and ''[[The Next Three Days]]'' (directed by [[Paul Haggis]]). She played Nora, a love interest for [[Neil Patrick Harris]]' character [[Barney Stinson]], on the sixth season of the hit [[CBS]] show ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gelman |first=Vlad |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2011/01/how-i-met-your-mother-nazanin-boniadi-to-guest-as-a-love-interest.html |title=''How I Met Your Mother'': Nazanin Boniadi to guest as a love interest |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=25 January 2011 |accessdate=28 February 2012 }}</ref> She reprised this role during the show's seventh and ninth seasons. In May 2013, Boniadi joined the cast of ''[[Homeland (TV series)|Homeland]]'' season 3 as [[CIA]] analyst Fara Sherazi.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/homeland-adds-boardwalk-empire-actor-535580 |title=''Homeland'' Adds ''Boardwalk Empire'' Actor to Growing List of Guest Stars (Exclusive) |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=22 May 2013 }}</ref> She was promoted to a series regular for the show's fourth season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/homeland-ups-nazanin-boniadi-series-688726 |title=''Homeland'' Ups Nazanin Boniadi to Series Regular |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=14 March 2014 }}</ref> Boniadi also appeared in an eight episode arc on season 3 of ''[[Scandal (TV series)|Scandal]]'' as antagonist Adnan Salif.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/scandal-enlists-homeland-actress-major-679160 |title=''Scandal'' Enlists ''Homeland'' Actress for Major Season Three Arc (Exclusive) |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=11 February 2014 }}</ref> She portrayed [[Esther]], the title character's love interest, in the [[Ben-Hur (2016 film)|2016 remake]] of ''[[Ben-Hur (1959 film)|Ben-Hur]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2014/12/homeland-nazanin-boniadi-ben-hur-female-lead-1201306900 |title=Nazanin Boniadi to play Esther in remake of ''Ben Hur'' |first=Mike, Jr |last=Fleming |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=2 December 2014 |accessdate=28 February 2015 }}</ref> She narrated the soundtrack to the 2014 Iranian documentary film, ''[[To Light a Candle (film)|To Light a Candle]]'', made by [[Maziar Bahari]] and focusing on the state sanctioned [[persecution of Baháʼís]] in [[Baháʼí Faith in Iran|Iran]].<ref name=bio/> She starred with [[Dev Patel]] and [[Armie Hammer]] in the 2018 feature film ''[[Hotel Mumbai]]'', a dramatisation of the [[2008 Mumbai attacks]].<ref name="Blake 2019-01-03"/> She played British-Iranian heiress Zahra Kashani.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://brieftake.com/interview-hotel-mumbai-nazanin-boniadi/|title=Interview: Hotel Mumbai’s Nazanin Boniadi|website=Brief Take|last=Heilbronn|first=Leora|date=28 March 2019|access-date=11 June 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200426171226/https://brieftake.com/interview-hotel-mumbai-nazanin-boniadi/|archive-date=26 April 2020}}</ref> From 2018 to 2019, Boniadi played the series regular role of Clare Quayle in the [[Starz]] espionage drama ''[[Counterpart (TV series)|Counterpart]]''.<ref name="Blake 2019-01-03"/> In early 2020, it was revealed that Boniadi had been cast in an undisclosed role in ''[[The_Lord_of_the_Rings_(TV_series)|The Lord Of The Rings]]'' on [[Prime Video|Amazon Prime]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/01/lord-of-the-rings-amazon-studios-sets-series-cast-tca-1202830413/|title=‘The Lord Of The Rings’: Amazon Studios Sets Series Cast – TCA|last=D'Aless|first=Anthony|last2=ro|date=2020-01-14|website=Deadline|access-date=2020-03-10}}</ref> ==Activism== [[File:Jason Isaacs, Anupam Kher, Nazanin Boniadi (Hotel Mumbai Movie) Museum of Modern Art in March 2019.jpg|thumb|Boniadi with [[Jason Isaacs]] and [[Anupam Kher]] at [[Museum of Modern Art]], March 2019]] Boniadi was a spokesperson for [[Amnesty International USA]] (AIUSA), with a focus on the unjust conviction and treatment of Iranian youth, women and [[prisoner of conscience|prisoners of conscience]], from 2009 until 2015,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.amnestyusa.org/tag/nazanin-boniadi |title=Tag Archives: Nazanin Boniadi |publisher=[[Amnesty International USA]] |accessdate=5 September 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.human-writes.org/?p=990 |title=An Interview with Nazanin Boniadi |first=John |last=Bezai |publisher=Human Writes |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426150636/http://www.human-writes.org/?p=990 |archivedate=26 April 2014 |accessdate=28 February 2015 }}</ref> She has her own official blog page on the AIUSA website<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.amnestyusa.org/author/nazanin-boniadi |title=Nazanin Boniadi profile |publisher=[[Amnesty International USA]] |accessdate=28 February 2015 }}</ref> and continues to partner with them {{as of|lc=yes|April 2019}}.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=https://www.iranhumanrights.org/bio-nazanin-boniadi/|title=Bio: Nazanin Boniadi|accessdate=14 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414094632/https://www.iranhumanrights.org/bio-nazanin-boniadi/|url-status=live|archive-date=14 April 2019}}</ref></div> Boniadi provided a voiceover to AIUSA's "Power of Words" public service announcement with [[Morgan Freeman]], which won a [[Webby Award]];<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_tCtvmAm4M |title=Morgan Freeman: The Power of Words |publisher=[[YouTube]] |date=23 December 2009 |accessdate=28 February 2015 }}</ref> campaigned with the organization for the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA);<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/violence-against-women/international-violence-against-women-act/i-vawa-supporters/page.do?id=1381015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219134644/http://www.amnestyusa.org/violence-against-women/international-violence-against-women-act/i-vawa-supporters/page.do?id=1381015 |archivedate=19 February 2011 |title=I-VAWA Supporters |publisher=[[Amnesty International USA]] |accessdate=28 February 2012 }}</ref> has served as a panellist and emcee for events related to Iranian rights, and spearheaded The Neda Project with AIUSA in May/June 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.amnestyusa.org/middle-east/i-am-neda/|title=I Am Neda |date=8 June 2010 |publisher=[[Amnesty International USA]] |accessdate=5 September 2012}}</ref> In December 2010, she initiated an Amnesty International petition for Iranian film directors [[Jafar Panahi]] and [[Mohammad Rasoulof]], who had been convicted of "propaganda against the state". The petition generated more than 21,000 signatures, including prominent Hollywood directors and actors.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGUSA20101228001&lang=e |title=Paul Haggis, Sean Penn, Martin Scorsese and Harvey Weinstein Join Amnesty International to Condemn Harsh Sentence for Acclaimed Iranian Director Jafar Panahi |publisher=[[Amnesty International USA]] |accessdate=28 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110329091356/http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGUSA20101228001&lang=e |archivedate=29 March 2011 }}</ref> On 8 June 2011, she joined a delegation, led by Hollywood director [[Paul Haggis]] and AIUSA Executive Director Larry Cox, to deliver the petition to the Iran Mission to the United Nations in New York.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/press-releases/iran-mission-to-the-united-nations-accepts-21000-plus-petition-signatures-from-amnesty-international |title=Iran Mission to the United Nations Accepts 21,000-Plus Petition Signatures from Amnesty International Delegation of Hollywood Luminaries |publisher=[[Amnesty International USA]] |accessdate=28 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Nazanin |last=Boniadi |url=http://blog.amnestyusa.org/iar/hollywood-unites-for-iranian-filmmakers |title=Hollywood Unites for Iranian Filmmakers |date=9 June 2011 |publisher=[[Amnesty International USA]] |accessdate=28 February 2015}}</ref> On 3 June 2011, Boniadi joined [[Sarah Shourd]] in a rolling [[hunger strike]] and wrote an article in support of the [[2009–11 detention of American hikers by Iran|Free the Hikers]] campaign, pertaining to the imprisonment of [[Shane Bauer]] and [[Josh Fattal]] in Iran.<ref>{{cite news |last=Zavis |first=Alexandra |url=https://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun/04/local/la-me-iran-hikers-20110604 |title=Freed hiker fasts for two men still in Iran |date=4 June 2011 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |accessdate=28 February 2015 }}</ref> Boniadi received the 2011 Social Cinema Award at the Ischia Global Film & Music Festival for her human rights work with Amnesty International.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nazaninboniadi.com/site |title=Giving Back |publisher=Nazanin Boniadi |accessdate=28 February 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.enzo-tex.it/eventi/evento-253599.htm |title=Ischia Global Fest 2011 — Music & Film |publisher=enzo-tex.it |accessdate=28 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109205250/http://www.enzo-tex.it/eventi/evento-253599.htm |archivedate=9 November 2013 }}</ref> On 9 April 2012, Boniadi returned to her alma mater, UC-Irvine, in support of the ''Education Under Fire'' campaign, calling for an end to state sanctioned discrimination and [[persecution of Baháʼís]] in Iran.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asuci.uci.edu/rainnwilsoneuf |title=Rainn Wilson – Education Under Fire |publisher=[[University of California, Irvine]] |accessdate=28 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120409171234/http://www.asuci.uci.edu/rainnwilsoneuf/ |archivedate=9 April 2012 }}</ref> Boniadi delivered the keynote closing remarks at the 2012 XX Factor, Amnesty International USA's annual [[town hall meeting]] on [[women's rights]], in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>{{Cite video |publisher=[[YouTube]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnweXOPSzB4 |title=Nazanin Boniadi on Women's Rights at Amnesty's XX Factor Event |accessdate=28 February 2015}}</ref> In December 2012, Boniadi worked with [[Roxana Saberi]] to launch an Amnesty International petition and campaign to free wrongfully imprisoned filmmaker Behrouz Ghobadi, brother of acclaimed filmmaker [[Bahman Ghobadi]], in Iran.<ref name=":1" /> The petition included signatures from prominent Hollywood directors and actors, as well as major film industry organizations and festivals.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |url=http://blog.amnestyusa.org/music-and-the-arts/join-hollywood-and-amnesty-international-in-calling-for-the-release-of-behrouz-ghobadi |title=Join Hollywood and Amnesty International in Calling for the Release of Behrouz Ghobadi |first=Nazanin |last=Boniadi |publisher=[[Amnesty International USA]] |date=21 December 2012 |accessdate=28 February 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/press-releases/hollywood-film-directors-and-actors-demand-freedom-for-brother-of-acclaimed-iranian-filmmaker-bahman |title=Hollywood Film Directors and Actors Demand Freedom for Brother of Acclaimed Iranian Filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi |publisher=[[Amnesty International USA]] |accessdate=28 February 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/behrouz_ghobadi_petition_120312_0.pdf |title=Petition: Free Filmmaker Behrouz Ghobadi |publisher=[[Amnesty International USA]] |accessdate=28 February 2015 |format=PDF }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?c=6oJCLQPAJiJUG&b=6645049&aid=519067 |title=Brother of Prominent Iranian Film Director Detained |publisher=[[Amnesty International USA]] |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121141833/http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?c=6oJCLQPAJiJUG&b=6645049&aid=519067 |archivedate=21 January 2013 |accessdate=14 January 2019 }}</ref> On 22 January 2013, Amnesty International announced that Behrouz Ghobadi had been released on bail from prison in Iran.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/press-releases/iranian-filmmaker-behrouz-ghobadi-released-from-prison-following-amnesty-campaign-with-hollywood-art |title=Iranian Filmmaker Behrouz Ghobadi Released from Prison Following Amnesty Campaign with Hollywood Artists |publisher=[[Amnesty International USA]] |date=22 January 2013 |accessdate=28 February 2015}}</ref> <div>She was a keynote speaker at Congresswoman [[Eddie Bernice Johnson]]'s 13th annual "A World of Women for World Peace" conference in Dallas, Texas in May 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ebjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-eddie-bernice-johnson-hosts-her-13th-annual-a-world-of |title=Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Hosts Her 13th Annual "A World of Women for World Peace" Conference |publisher=[[Eddie Bernice Johnson]] |date=6 May 2013 |accessdate=28 February 2015 }}</ref> She has written op-eds for media outlets such as [[CNN]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/02/opinion/boniadi-activists-kail-iran |title=Opinion: In Iran, an actress faces prison |first=Nazanin |last=Boniadi |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=2 May 2014 |accessdate=28 February 2015 }}</ref> and ''[[The Huffington Post]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/nazanin-boniadi/challenge-to-irans-new-pr_b_3977500.html |title=Rouhani: Meaningful Reforms or Political Games? |first=Nazanin |last=Boniadi |work=[[Huffington Post]] |accessdate=28 February 2015 |date=25 September 2013 }}</ref> </div> In 2014, Boniadi was selected as a term member by the [[nonprofit organization]] [[Council on Foreign Relations]].<ref name=bio/> In October 2015, she became a member of the Board of Directors of the [[Center for Human Rights in Iran]].<ref name=bio/> In April 2019, she was interviewed by [[CBC News Network]] anchor [[Natasha Fatah]] about the fate of [[international human rights law|human rights lawyer]], [[Nasrin Sotoudeh]], recently sentenced for up to 38 years in [[Tehran]], [[Iran]].<ref>{{cite web|website=Twitter|url=https://twitter.com/NatashaFatah/status/1116883264596140032/video/1|title=Natasha Fateh: We speak with actor & activist @NazaninBoniadi about female activists detained in Iran, the lack of support for ordinary people, and how the world has turned away|medium=video}}</ref> ==Personal life== Boniadi is fluent in English and [[Persian language|Persian]].<ref>[http://nazaninboniadi.com/biography/ Official website of Nazanin Boniadi - Biography]</ref> She lives in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]].<ref name="telegraph-interview"/> Since she and her parents fled in her infancy, Boniadi has only once visited Iran, as a teenager,<ref name="Blake 2019-01-03"/> but has since been declared {{lang|la|[[persona non grata]]}}, forbidding her from returning.<ref name="Blake 2019-01-03"/> ===Scientology=== In the mid 2000s, she was a dedicated [[Scientologist]]. Her mother had also been a Scientologist.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2012/09/tom-cruise-scientology-nazanin-boniadi |title=Scientology, Katie Holmes, and Tom Cruise: Who is Nazanin Boniadi? |first=Sarah |last=Ball |work=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |date=September 1, 2012 |accessdate=February 28, 2015 }}</ref> In late 2004 to early 2005, she had a brief relationship with actor [[Tom Cruise]]. According to claims of the documentary ''[[Going Clear (film)|Going Clear]]'', her acquaintance with Cruise was not accidental and the [[Church of Scientology]] prepared and planted her for this role.<ref>{{cite AV media |people=[[Alex Gibney]] |date=2015 |title=[[Going Clear (film)|Going Clear]] |trans-title= |medium= |language= |url= |access-date= |format= |time=1:27:50 |location= |publisher= |id= |isbn= |oclc= |quote= |ref= }}</ref> The Church also [[vetting|vetted]] her along with dozens of other women as a potential wife for Cruise, but she was not selected.<ref name="Orth 2012-10"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/new-homeland-star-nazanin-boniadi-vetted-by-scientologists-to-become-tom-cruises-wife-8869144.html |title=New ''Homeland'' star Nazanin Boniadi 'vetted by Scientologists to become Tom Cruise's wife' |work=[[The Independent]] |accessdate=28 February 2015 |first=Daisy |last=Wyatt |date=9 October 2013 }}</ref> On 10 May 2017, American journalist [[Tony Ortega]] reported on [[FBI]] testimony that Boniadi had given in January 2010 regarding her relationship with Cruise through the [[Church of Scientology]].<ref name="Ortega 2017-05-10">{{Cite news |url=https://tonyortega.org/2017/05/10/nazanin-boniadi-fbi-testimony-cast-as-tom-cruises-girlfriend-by-scientology |title=Nazanin Boniadi's FBI testimony: Cast as Tom Cruise's girlfriend by Scientology |last=Ortega |first=Tony |authorlink=Tony Ortega |date=May 10, 2017 |work=The Underground Bunker |access-date=December 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510010101/https://tonyortega.org/2017/05/10/nazanin%2Dboniadi%2Dfbi%2Dtestimony%2Dcast%2Das%2Dtom%2Dcruises%2Dgirlfriend%2Dby%2Dscientology |url-status=dead |archivedate=May 10, 2017 }}</ref> Boniadi's testimony describes how the Church's [[Office of Special Affairs]] selected her to be Cruise's girlfriend.<ref name="Orth 2012-10">{{Cite magazine|first=Maureen|last=Orth|authorlink=Maureen Orth|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2012/10/katie-holmes-divorce-scientology |title=What Katie Didn't Know |magazine=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]|publisher=[[Condé Nast]]|location=New York City|date=October 2012|accessdate=December 14, 2017}}</ref> In October 2004, Boniadi was volunteering for the Office of Special Affairs in [[Los Angeles]] when she was told by Church official Greg Wilhere that she had been selected for a special project. Boniadi was told that her [[dental braces]] had to be removed and that her red hair highlights had to be corrected; she was also encouraged to end her relationship with her longtime boyfriend. She had to sign a confidentiality agreement, stating she could not abandon this special project without the Church's approval.<ref name="Ortega 2017-05-10"/> About a month later, after being flown to [[New York City|New York]] by the church, Boniadi learned that her project was to become a suitable girlfriend for Cruise.<ref>{{cite book |last=Wright |first=Lawrence |title=Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief |url=https://archive.org/details/goingclearscient00lawr |url-access=registration |year=2013 |publisher=Alfred A. Knopf |isbn=978-0-3077-0066-7 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/goingclearscient00lawr/page/356 356–362] }}<!--Retrieved 5 January 2018--></ref> She stated in her testimony "at the beginning of the relationship [he] was very romantic but as the relationship progressed he began to have temper tantrums. He began to show violent tendencies". After their relationship ended in January 2005, Boniadi confessed her devastation to a friend and fellow church member. She was punished for this according to Church policies: she "had to dig ditches at midnight and scrub floor tiles... She was placed on a curfew... escorted everywhere she went". She also testified that she felt as if "she was a victim of [[White-Slave Traffic Act|white slavery]], because she traveled across state lines under false pretenses".<ref name="Ortega 2017-05-10"/> ===Afterward=== Boniadi left the Church of Scientology soon afterwards<ref>[https://www.businessinsider.com.au/tom-cruises-secret-scientology-girlfriend-nazanin-boniadi-2015-3?r=US&IR=T Business Insider, 2015]</ref> and as of October 2014 called herself a "non-practising [[Muslim]]".<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/oct/14/homeland-nazanin-boniada-hijabs-islam-prejudice-on-tv |title=''Homeland''{{'}}s Nazanin Boniadi on hijabs and tackling prejudice on primetime |last=Elan |first=Priya |date=14 October 2014 |accessdate=31 December 2014 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] }}</ref> In 2017, she tweeted congratulations to [[Leah Remini]] and [[Mike Rinder]] on their series ''[[Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath|Scientology and the Aftermath]]'' winning an Emmy Award.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2017/09/nazanin-boniadi-leah-remini-scientology-show/ |title=Tom Cruise’s Ex Congratulates His Nemesis Leah Remini For Anti-Scientology Show |date=11 September 2017 |publisher=Radar Online |first=Rosa |last=Sanchez }}</ref> In a later interview with the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', Boniadi described her role in ''Counterpart'' as cathartic and therapeutic, saying "sometimes there are personal traumas that you don't ever talk about publicly but you pour it into your work". She continued: "this idea of shedding indoctrination and finding out who you are for me is a strong one. It has been extremely therapeutic for me to be able to put it out into the world through my art as opposed to openly discussing it."<ref name="Blake 2019-01-03"/> ==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Film ! Role ! Notes |- | 2006 | ''Kal: Yesterday & Tomorrow'' | Simmi | Short film |- | 2007 | ''Gameface'' | Taylor | |- | rowspan="2"|2008 | ''[[Charlie Wilson's War (film)|Charlie Wilson's War]]'' | Afghan Refugee Woman | Uncredited |- | ''[[Iron Man (2008 film)|Iron Man]]'' | Amira Ahmed | Cameo |- | 2009 | ''Diplomacy'' | Persian Interpreter | Short film |- | 2010 | ''[[The Next Three Days]]'' | Elaine | |- | 2012 | ''[[Shirin in Love]]'' | Shirin | |- | 2015 | ''[[Desert Dancer]]'' | Parisa Ghaffarian | |- | 2016 | ''[[Ben-Hur (2016 film)|Ben-Hur]]'' | [[Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ#Characters|Esther]] | |- | 2016 | ''[[Passengers (2016 film)|Passengers]]'' | Wake-Up Hologram | Uncredited |- | 2018 | ''[[Hotel Mumbai]]'' | Zahra Kashani | |- | 2019 | ''[[Bombshell (2019 film)|Bombshell]]'' | [[Rudi Bakhtiar]] | |} ===Television=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | rowspan="2"|2007 | ''[[The Game (U.S. TV series)|The Game]]'' | Josie | 2 episodes |- | ''[[General Hospital: Night Shift]]'' | [[Leyla Mir]] | 13 episodes |- | 2007–2009 | ''[[General Hospital]]'' | [[Leyla Mir]] | 119 episodes |- | rowspan="3"|2010 | ''[[The Deep End (TV series)|The Deep End]]'' | Heather Mosson | Episode: "To Have and to Hold" |- | ''[[24 (TV series)|24]]'' | Blonde Woman | 2 episodes |- | ''[[Hawthorne (TV series)|Hawthorne]]'' | Aneesa Amara | Episode: "Final Curtain" |- | 2011 | ''[[Suits (U.S. TV series)|Suits]]'' | Lauren Pearl | Episode: "Errors and Omissions" |- | 2011, 2014 | ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]'' | Nora | 10 episodes |- | rowspan="2" | 2012 | ''[[CSI (TV series)|CSI]]'' | Nurse Lauren | Episode: "Seeing Red" |- | ''[[Best Friends Forever (TV series)|Best Friends Forever]]'' | Naya | 2 episodes |- | rowspan="2"|2013 | ''[[Go On (TV series)|Go On]]'' | Hannah | Episode: "Gooooaaaallll Doll!" |- | ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]'' | Amrita | Episode: "The Face of Change" |- | 2013–2014 | ''[[Homeland (TV series)|Homeland]]'' | Fara Sherazi | 12 episodes |- | 2014 | ''[[Scandal (TV series)|Scandal]]'' | Adnan Salif | 7 episodes |- | 2017–2018 | ''[[Counterpart (TV series)|Counterpart]]'' | Clare Quayle | 17 episodes |- | 2021 | ''[[The Lord of the Rings (TV series)|The Lord Of The Rings]]'' | | Main role |} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==Further reading == *{{cite web |title=Prolific Persian : Nazanin Boniadi |url=http://www.persianobserver.com/2015/11/107-2/ |website=The Persian Observer}} *{{cite web |last1=Wyatt |first1=Daisy |title=''Homeland'' actress Nazanin Boniadi to star in ''Ben-Hur'' remake |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/homeland-actress-nazanin-boniadi-to-star-in-ben-hur-remake-9901126.html |website=[[The Independent]] |date=3 December 2014 }} ==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{Official website}} * {{IMDb name}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Boniadi, Nazanin}} [[Category:1980 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Actresses from London]] [[Category:Actresses from Tehran]] [[Category:English emigrants to the United States]] [[Category:English film actresses]] [[Category:English television actresses]] [[Category:Former Scientologists]] [[Category:Iranian emigrants to the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Iranian emigrants to the United States]] [[Category:Scientology-related controversies| ]] [[Category:University of California, Irvine alumni]] [[Category:21st-century American actresses]] [[Category:21st-century English actresses]] [[Category:21st-century Iranian actresses]] [[Category:Former Muslims turned agnostics or atheists]] [[Category:Iranian diaspora film people]]'