Photo by David Ross Lawn

I am a first-generation Iranian-American. My parents met in Manhattan in the 70’s. Consequently, I speak English, Farsi, and Spanish.

I discovered Sanford Meisner’s acting technique at HB Studio. My teacher was iconic actress Louise Lasser. After four years of private instruction, I enrolled at Terry Knickerbocker Studio. It was one of the best decisions of my life - learning to listen, work organically moment to moment, and act on the first, raw, honest impulse.

I love going to the movies. Among my favorite films are anything by Kiarostami, Jaws, All of Us Strangers, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Boogie Nights, Get Out, Beach Rats, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, No Country for Old Men, The Big Lebowski, Tangerine, Unforgiven, Do The Right Thing, Get on the Bus, Boys Don't Cry, Kids, Wendy & Lucy, Fight Club, Blow Out, Saturday Night Fever, Happiness, American Psycho, A Separation, City of God, La Haine, Respire (Breathe), Children of Men, Winter's Bone, Frozen River, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, The Savages...Coppola, Scorsese, Lumet, De Palma, The Coen Brothers, Darren Aronofsky, John Cassavetes, Kathryn Bigelow, Eliza Hittman, Tamara Jenkins, Kelly Reichardt, Courtney Hunt, Tarantino, Kieslowski, A24, Killer Films, and Christine Vachon…there’s so much more.

I’m also a musician. My brother and I formed Ex Models, earning critical international acclaim in Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Spin, The New York Times, Village Voice, NME, and countless other outlets. We headlined tours in the US, Europe, and Asia and supported many amazing friends & bands: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Deerhunter, Liars, Arab on Radar, Hella, The Faint, The Locust, xbxrx, Tortoise, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Les Savy Fav, Deerhoof, Erase Errata. It was a blast.

Before acting I was a journalist. I covered finance during the day and hustled as a freelance feature writer at night. I’ve been published in The Village Voice, TimeOut, Guitar World, and UnChin. Uta Hagen, Mia Farrow, Maureen Tucker, Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Lamar Odom, Clifton Collins, Jr., Freddie Rodriguez, and Ladybug Mecca are among the people I’ve interviewed.