Azita Ghanizada
Encyclopedia
Azita Ghanizada is an Afghan American
actress in the United States
who has appeared in a number of television series. Born in Kabul
, Afghanistan
, her family fled her native country when she was still a baby in the wake of the Soviet war in Afghanistan
. They travelled to the United States and were granted asylum as political refugees. Raised by a conservative family, she has two sisters; her parents separated when she was in middle school. Ghanizada is a graduate of James Madison High School
in Vienna, Virginia
and has a degree in English and Communications from Virginia Tech.
Ghanizada learned to speak English from watching television; that combined with the family's regular trips to a local cinema that showed Bollywood
movies inspired her to become an actress. She relocated to Los Angeles and began her on-air camera career by getting work in television commercials due to her non-descript ethnicity which enabled her to play Mediterranean, Indian, and Arabic roles. In the Laura Neri
film A Kiss on the Nose
, Ghanizada played the lead role of Chiara, a performance for which she received a film festival best actress nomination. Her television guest-starring roles include How I Met Your Mother
, Entourage
, Veronica Mars
, The Wedding Bells
, NUMB3RS
, Bones
, Psych
and Castle
. She had a supporting role in the 2009 science fiction action film Blood Shot, and the independent comedies, "You, Only Better" (2009).
In 2008, Ghanizada joined the cast of the General Hospital
prime-time spin-off General Hospital: Night Shift
for season 2 as Dr. Saira Batra, a specialist in holistic medicine
. In 2009, Ghanizada played Kelly, a Prada
sales girl on HBO's Entourage
(season 6, episode 2) and joined the cast of the television pilot Tough Trade from Weeds
creator Jenji Kohan
, and executive producer T Bone Burnett.
She is currently a primary cast member of the American Syfy
Channel series Alphas
where she plays Rachel Pirzad, a woman with enhanced sensory abilities.
Afghan American
An Afghan American refers to an American with heritage or origins in Afghanistan.-History and population:Afghan Americans have a long history of immigrating to the United States, as they may have arrived as early as the 1920s...
actress in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who has appeared in a number of television series. Born in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, her family fled her native country when she was still a baby in the wake of the Soviet war in Afghanistan
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
. They travelled to the United States and were granted asylum as political refugees. Raised by a conservative family, she has two sisters; her parents separated when she was in middle school. Ghanizada is a graduate of James Madison High School
James Madison High School (Fairfax County, Virginia)
James Madison High School is a high school located in an unincorporated area of Fairfax County, Virginia, adjacent to the town limits of Vienna, and is part of Fairfax County Public Schools. Oakton High School is James Madison High School's main rival, although other rivals include Langley High...
in Vienna, Virginia
Vienna, Virginia
Vienna is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 15,687. Significantly more people live in zip codes with the Vienna postal addresses bordered approximately by Interstate 66 on the south, Interstate 495 on the east, Route 7 to...
and has a degree in English and Communications from Virginia Tech.
Ghanizada learned to speak English from watching television; that combined with the family's regular trips to a local cinema that showed Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
movies inspired her to become an actress. She relocated to Los Angeles and began her on-air camera career by getting work in television commercials due to her non-descript ethnicity which enabled her to play Mediterranean, Indian, and Arabic roles. In the Laura Neri
Laura Neri
Laura Neri is a director of Greek and Italian origins. Born in Brussels, Belgium, she graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles with an MFA in Film Production.Laura Neri was born of a Greek mother and an Italian father...
film A Kiss on the Nose
A Kiss on the Nose
A Kiss on the Nose is a short film first released in the USA on August 15, 2004 during the Rhode Island International Film Festival, written and directed by Laura Neri. It stars Azita Ghanizada, Gianfranco Russo, Elena Fabri, Maeva Cifuentes, Monica Cortes, Svilena Kidess, Pat Lach and Warren...
, Ghanizada played the lead role of Chiara, a performance for which she received a film festival best actress nomination. Her television guest-starring roles include How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
, Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
, Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros...
, The Wedding Bells
The Wedding Bells
The Wedding Bells is an American television comedy-drama that debuted on Fox on March 7, 2007. The series was greenlighted after the network became interested in a series centered on wedding planners. The network approached David E...
, NUMB3RS
NUMB3RS
Numb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes...
, Bones
Bones (TV series)
Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
, Psych
Psych
Psych is an American detective comedy-drama television series created by Steve Franks and broadcast on USA Network. It stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened observational skills" and impressive detective instincts...
and Castle
Castle (TV series)
Castle is an American comedy-drama television series, which premiered on ABC on March 9, 2009. The series is produced by Beacon Pictures and ABC Studios. On January 10, 2011, Castle was renewed for a fourth season...
. She had a supporting role in the 2009 science fiction action film Blood Shot, and the independent comedies, "You, Only Better" (2009).
In 2008, Ghanizada joined the cast of the General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
prime-time spin-off General Hospital: Night Shift
General Hospital: Night Shift
General Hospital: Night Shift is an American prime time serial that first aired on SOAPnet for a 13-episode run from July 12, 2007 to October 4, 2007. A spin-off of the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital, the show is SOAPnet's first original scripted drama series and follows the nighttime...
for season 2 as Dr. Saira Batra, a specialist in holistic medicine
Holistic health
Holistic health is a concept in medical practice upholding that all aspects of people's needs, psychological, physical and social should be taken into account and seen as a whole. As defined above, the holistic view on treatment is widely accepted in medicine...
. In 2009, Ghanizada played Kelly, a Prada
Prada
Prada S.p.A. is an Italian fashion label specializing in luxury goods for men and women , founded by Mario Prada.-Foundations:...
sales girl on HBO's Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
(season 6, episode 2) and joined the cast of the television pilot Tough Trade from Weeds
Weeds (TV series)
Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a...
creator Jenji Kohan
Jenji Kohan
Jenji Leslie Kohan is an American television writer, producer and director.-Early life:Kohan was born in Los Angeles, California and is Jewish...
, and executive producer T Bone Burnett.
She is currently a primary cast member of the American Syfy
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
Channel series Alphas
Alphas
Alphas is an American science fiction dramatic television series created by Zak Penn and Michael Karnow. The series follows a group of people with superhuman abilities, known as "Alphas", as they work to prevent crimes committed by other Alphas....
where she plays Rachel Pirzad, a woman with enhanced sensory abilities.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | A Kiss on the Nose A Kiss on the Nose A Kiss on the Nose is a short film first released in the USA on August 15, 2004 during the Rhode Island International Film Festival, written and directed by Laura Neri. It stars Azita Ghanizada, Gianfranco Russo, Elena Fabri, Maeva Cifuentes, Monica Cortes, Svilena Kidess, Pat Lach and Warren... |
Chiara | |
| 2005 | The Closer The Closer The Closer is an American crime drama, starring Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Georgia police detective who often closes her cases using sometimes-questionable methods... |
Neighbour | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Numb3rs NUMB3RS Numb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes... |
Prita | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Bones Bones (TV series) Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent... |
Girlfriend | 1 episode |
| The Wedding Bells The Wedding Bells The Wedding Bells is an American television comedy-drama that debuted on Fox on March 7, 2007. The series was greenlighted after the network became interested in a series centered on wedding planners. The network approached David E... |
Sam | 1 episode | |
| Veronica Mars Veronica Mars Veronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros... |
Amira Krimani | 1 episode | |
| X's & O's | Anita | ||
| 2008 | General Hospital: Night Shift General Hospital: Night Shift General Hospital: Night Shift is an American prime time serial that first aired on SOAPnet for a 13-episode run from July 12, 2007 to October 4, 2007. A spin-off of the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital, the show is SOAPnet's first original scripted drama series and follows the nighttime... |
Dr. Saira Batra | Main cast; 14 episodes |
| 2009 | How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting... |
Sexy Female Cop | 1 episode |
| Entourage Entourage (TV series) Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons... |
Kelly | 1 episode | |
| Psych Psych Psych is an American detective comedy-drama television series created by Steve Franks and broadcast on USA Network. It stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened observational skills" and impressive detective instincts... |
Mina | 1 episode | |
| Ghost Whisperer Ghost Whisperer Ghost Whisperer is an American television supernatural drama, which ran on CBS from September 23, 2005 to May 21, 2010.The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon , who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts... |
Charee | 1 episode | |
| 2010 | You, Only Better... | Kali Parker | |
| Tough Trade | Rochelle Stanton | TV movie | |
| Castle Castle (TV series) Castle is an American comedy-drama television series, which premiered on ABC on March 9, 2009. The series is produced by Beacon Pictures and ABC Studios. On January 10, 2011, Castle was renewed for a fourth season... |
Mistress Sapphire | 1 episode | |
| NCIS: Los Angeles | Rochelle Stanton | 1 episode | |
| 2011 | Friends with Benefits Friends with Benefits (TV series) Friends with Benefits is an American romantic sitcom created by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. It was originally set to air on NBC as a midseason replacement during the 2010–11 television season, but was ultimately delayed until August 5, 2011... |
Tasi | 1 episode |
| 2011–present | Alphas Alphas Alphas is an American science fiction dramatic television series created by Zak Penn and Michael Karnow. The series follows a group of people with superhuman abilities, known as "Alphas", as they work to prevent crimes committed by other Alphas.... |
Rachel Pirzad | Main cast |