Sarah Shahi
Born	Aahoo Jahansouz Shahi January 10, 1980 (1980-01-10) (age 30) Euless, Texas  United States
Other name(s)	Sara Shahi
Occupation	Actress Model
Years active	2000-present
Spouse(s)	Steve Howey (2009-present)
Official website

Princess Aahoo Jahansouz Shahi (Persian: ??? ??????? ????), also known as Sarah Shahi (born January 10, 1980) is an American actress of Iranian and Spanish descent. A former NFL Cheerleader, Shahi was named #90 on the Maxim magazine "Hot 100 of 2005" list;^[1] she moved up to #66 in 2006.^[2] She also ranked Rank No. 5 on the AfterEllen.com hot list in 2007.^[3] She has starred in The L Word and Life.

[edit] Early life and career

Sarah Shahi was born in Euless, Texas, to an Iranian father, Abbas Shahi and a Spanish mother, Muslim name Mahmonir.^[4][5] She is a great-great-granddaughter of the 19th century Iranian king Fath Ali Shah Qajar.^[6] Her real given name, Aahoo, is Persian for deer.^[7] She attended Trinity High School and Dallas' Southern Methodist University, majoring in English and Theater. Shahi started her career as a beauty queen during her teen years. She won the Miss Fort Worth USA pageant in 1997. She joined the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders 1999–2000 squad and appeared on the cover of their 2000 calendar. She is fluent in English and Persian.

[edit] Acting career

While working as an extra on the set of Dr. T and the Women, she met director Robert Altman, who encouraged her to move to Hollywood. Once in L.A., she got various recurrent roles in several famous series, such as Alias, where she played Jenny, and Dawson's Creek, where she was Sadia Shaw. Shahi was also the first ghost in Supernatural, the CW paranormal drama series.

She is best known for her role as the Mexican-American DJ Carmen de la Pica Morales in the Showtime drama television series The L Word, which she joined in its second season. Shahi did not renew her contract with the series for the fourth season, and consequently her character was written out. She makes a guest appearance on the last episode of the series.

She also played the role of Farah in the second season of Sleeper Cell. She also appeared in HBO's The Sopranos, in the Season 6b episode "Kennedy and Heidi", as Sonya Aragon, a stripper and college student who spends a weekend with Tony after a death in his family.

She costarred in the NBC series Life along with Welsh actor Damien Lewis as detective Charlie Crews. Shahi played homicide detective Dani Reese.

In October 2009, Shahi landed the lead role in an upcoming pilot entitled Facing Kate. Shahi began filming in November 2009.^[8] On March 15, 2010 it was announced that USA network had ordered 11 episodes of the series. The 90 minute show will follow the life of Kate Reed, a top litigator who is frustrated with the bureaucracy and injustice she witnesses in legal system. She decides to become the ultimate anti-lawyer: a mediator. Facing Kate is the second female-centered drama to get the greenlight from USA this year.^[9]

On February 3, 2010 Shahi appeared on an episode of Psych called "Thrill Seekers And Hell Raisers"^[10] playing Burton Guster's new girlfriend. Her husband Steve Howey also guest-starred in the same episode.^{[citation needed]}

Shahi is currently working on a drama entitled Untitled Beatle Boyin Project, where she plays Carla. The movie is currently in production and should be released sometime in Fall 2010. ^[11]

It was announced in April 2010 that Shahi had landed a lead in an upcoming film entitled East Fifth Bliss. Shahi will play Hattie Skunk/ Hattie Rockworth, the movie is currently being filmed in New York City. Also co-starring Michael C. Hall, Peter Fonda, Chris Messina and Brad Henke. ^{[12] [13]}

[edit] Personal life

Shahi speaks English, Persian, and some Spanish. She lived with her mother after her parents divorced and has a brown belt in karate.

Shahi is married to actor Steve Howey, whom she met when she guest starred on Reba. They were engaged in June 2007 while vacationing in Hawaii, and married on February 6, 2009 in Las Vegas. On July 9, 2009 their first child, William Wolf Howey, was born, weighing 8 lbs, 6oz and measuring at 21 inches in length.^[14] Shahi gave birth during an at-home water birth.^[15] According to Shahi's official myspace, she is single and she and Howey are no longer together, ^[16]

Shahi has an older brother and a younger sister, Samantha Jahansouzshahi.^[17]

She currently lives in Los Angeles, California.

[edit] Filmography

• Dr. T and the Women (2000) as an uncredited cheerleader
• City Guys: "Shock Treatment" (2000-11-04) as Cheerleader
• Spin City: "Blind Faith" (2000-11-15) as Bachelorette
• Boston Public: "Chapter Eleven" (2001-01-22) as Laura
• Off Centre: "A Cute Triangle" (2001-11-18) as Angelica
• Maybe It's Me: "The Exchange-Student" (2001-12-07) as Rosa
• Alias (2001–2002, seven episodes) as Jenny, a budding journalist.
• Class of '06 (2002, undeveloped pilot) as Meg
• Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003) as Becky, a Delta-Nu sister
• Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central): "Chinese Baby" (2002-06-05) as TV Diva
• Frasier: "Door Jam" (2003-01-07) as Reservationist
• Old School (2003) as Erica
• Dawson's Creek (2003, four episodes) as Sadia Shaw, a journalist.
• ER: "The Greater Good" (2003-11-06) as Tara King
• Reba: "To Tell the Truth" (2004-01-23) as Kate
• Century City: "Sweet Child of Mine" (2004-04-06) as Ms. Morris
• A Lot Like Love (2005) as Starlet
• Plan B (2005, undeveloped pilot) as Bronwyn
• Supernatural: "Pilot" (2005-09-13) as The Woman in White/Constance Welsh
• The L Word (2005–2007) as Carmen de la Pica Morales
• Teachers (2006, six episodes) as Tina
• Damages (2006, undeveloped pilot) as Jennifer Carillo
• The Dog Problem (2006) as Candy
• For Your Consideration (2006) as Wake Up Host
• Sleeper Cell (2006) as Farah
• Reba: "Cheyenne's Rival" (2007-01-28) as Bridget
• The Sopranos: "Kennedy and Heidi" (2007-05-13) as Sonya Aragon
• Life (2007—2009) as Dani Reese
• AmericanEast (2007) as Salwah Marzoke
• Shades of Ray (2007) as Sana Khaliq
• Rush Hour 3 (2007) as Zoe (uncredited)
• "The L Word" (2009) as Carmen de la Pica Morales
• Crossing Over (2009) as Pooneh Baraheri
• Psych (2010) as Ruby, Gus' girlfriend
• Facing Kate (2010, Filming) as Kate
• Untitled Beatle Boyin Project (2010, Filming) as Carla
• East Fifth Bliss (2010, Filming) as Hattie Skunk/ Hattie Rockworth

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• on Facebook
• on Twitter
• YouTube Channel
• Sarah Shahi at the Internet Movie Database
• Don't Quote Me: Kate Moennig and Sarah Shahi on The L Word
• Iran News: Artistic Moments of Iranian-American Actress Sarah Shahi