Roxy Shahidi
Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi (born 12 March 1983)[1][2] is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Leyla Harding in ITV soap Emmerdale.
Roxy Shahidi | |
---|---|
Born | Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi 12 March 1983 |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2005–present |
Known for | Emmerdale (2008–2011, 2013–) |
Spouse(s) | |
Children | 1 |
Career
Theatre
Shahidi began her career as part of Contact Young Actors Company in 2004 and went on to work for Peskar Productions as a drama workshop leader in Oldham and Bolton. Her theatre credits include East is East, Janus (for West Yorkshire Playhouse), Christie Malry's Own Double Entry at the Palace Theatre, Manchester, Freshly Scratched (for the Battersea Arts Centre) and Rafta, Rafta... at the National Theatre.
She has also acted in radio plays, e.g. Nadeem Aslam's Maps for Lost Lovers. From November 2012 through to January 2013 she played the role of Shahrazad in the Manchester Library Theatre Company performances of Arabian Nights at the Lowry Theatre in Salford, near Manchester.[3]
Television
Shahidi has appeared on British television in shows such as Sinchronicity and Emmerdale, playing the part of Leyla Harding from 2008 to 2011. Shahidi returned to Emmerdale on 25 December 2013.
Personal life
Ghawam-Shahidi was born to an Iranian father and an English mother, and grew up in Whalley Range in Manchester. She became a vegetarian at the age of 8, and a vegan since the age of 21.[4] She is married to Arsher Ali. They have 1 child together born in 2018.[5][6][7]
Shahidi has set up a Yoga Lunch Club in the Creative Quarter in Hockley, Greater Nottingham where she also is based.[8] She also has a YouTube channel to share yoga videos.[9]
References
- Shahidi, Roxy (2014-03-12). "Birthday gifts galore !!! Thanks Sammy Winward xxxxpic.twitter.com/sZmr5SzjyR". @roxyshahidi. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
- "Rokhsaneh clears up age 'fact'". Metro. 30 Oct 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- "Rokhsaneh talks Arabian Nights - HOME". 21 November 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
- As told to Channel 5 programme "The Wright Stuff" on 17 January 2013.
- Kayleigh Dray (2014-10-23). "Emmerdale's Roxy Shahidi: 'My husband proposed before we'd even kissed' | Celebrity | News - Closer". gb: Closeronline.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
- Atkinson, Tom (2015-08-16). "Emmerdale's Roxy Shahidi on her healthy new lifestyle". Daily Star. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
- "Showbiz, entertainment and media news - Digital Spy". Bestdaily.co.uk. 2017-02-03. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
- By GemmaToulson (2015-03-29). "Emmerdale actress Roxy Shahidi launches yoga lunch club in Nottingham". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
- "YogaRox". YouTube. 2016-01-09. Retrieved 2017-03-29.