Iranian-born British actor Nazanin Boniadi got her big break in America, playing Lela Mir in General Hospital, the country’s longest-running soap opera. In the years since, she has had high-profile roles in the likes of How I Met Your Mother, Homeland, and Counterpart. In 2021, she was cast in a starring role in Amazon’s production of Lord of the Rings, set to become the most expensive TV series ever made. On the big screen, she has won acclaim for her roles in the likes of Hotel Mumbai (for which she nominated for an AACTA Award). She is also a prominent activist, most notably for Amnesty International, campaigning on issues related to Iran.
Boniadi was born in 1980 in Tehran, then in the midst of a revolution. When she was just a few weeks old, her family emigrated to London, where she was raised. Originally training as a scientist, she studied in California, winning awards for her research into cancer treatment and heart transplants. Despite this success, however, she discovered a passion for acting. Within a year of changing career path, she became the first Iranian-born actress to be given a soap opera contract and spent two years playing Lela Mir in ABC’s General Hospital. The role saw her nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series.
In 2013, Boniadi joined the cast of How I Met Your Mother and had a recurring role in Homeland. She was quickly promoted to a regular cast member in the latter. Her role in Lord of the Rings, an ambitious take on one of the most famous stories ever shows that her career is about to go to yet another level.