Sheila Vand

Sheila Vand (born April 27, 1985) is an Iranian-American actress and performance artist. She is known for her role in Ben Affleck's 2012 Oscar-winning film Argo. Vand made her Broadway debut alongside Robin Williams in 2011 in the Pulitzer-nominated Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. She has worked with filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour on several projects, including Pashmaloo which premiered at the Berlinale in 2011 and A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. She also has an ongoing collaboration with 2013 TED speaker Alexa Meade. Their photo series MILK: What Will You Make of Me? is on exhibit at the Gallery for Contemporary Photography Ingo Seufert, Munich, Germany and was also exhibited in the Grand Palais at Art Paris Art Fair. Vand is also the creator of experimental performance piece Sneaky Nietzsche.

Sheila Vand
Born (1985-04-27) April 27, 1985
Los Angeles, California, United States
Alma materUCLA
OccupationActress, performance artist
Years active2007–present

Early life

Vand was born in a suburb of Los Angeles, but grew up in Palo Alto, California. She is a second-generation Iranian-American. She graduated from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television where she studied acting and directing.[1]

Career

In 2009, Vand originated the role of Hadia in Rajiv Joseph's Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, which moved to Broadway in 2011.[2] In 2010, she debuted Sneaky Nietzsche, which she called "a live theatrical music experience for the fictionally-inclined."[1] It was described by the Los Angeles Times as "stepping into a living, changing art piece" and by LA Weekly as an "all-encompassing, sensory overload. In a good way."[3][4] Vand was commissioned by LACMA in 2011 to remount Sneaky Nietzsche.[4]

Vand played the role of Sahar the Iranian housekeeper in Argo and she also narrates the beginning of the film.[1] Her performance was highlighted in the LA Times' annual piece "Small Roles, Powerful Performances" and she was a recipient of a SAG Outstanding Ensemble Award in 2013.[5][6]

In 2012, Vand began collaborating with painter/photographer Alexa Meade. Their first joint series MILK: What Will You Make of Me? has been featured in The Huffington Post, Wired, Juxtapoz magazine, and at the 2013 TED Global Conference.[7][8][9][10]

She played the female lead in the 2013 CBS pilot for Beverly Hills Cop, but the show was not picked up to series.[11][12]

Vand made her Walt Disney Concert Hall debut in 2013, performing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the world premiere of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels under the baton of Maestro Esa-Pekka Salonen.[13] She played the role of Lucy opposite Diva Zappa.

Vand plays the title role in A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.[14]

Vand also had a regular role in NBC's short-lived State of Affairs (2014) – cast as Maureen James, she is CIA Secretary of Defense briefer and best friend to the show's lead, Charleston "Charlie" Tucker (Katherine Heigl).

Vand played Fredi Kincaid in the Minority Report (2015) episode "Fredi", who is thought to be a potential murder victim in Dash's vision.

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
2008In the DarkNahidShort film
2009Peter and the Mischievous HankyWhite Witch
2010Bold NativeSonja
2010Passing OnDianaShort film
2010KetabSaeed's SisterShort film
2010GirlfriendKenny's WifeVoice role; uncredited
2011PashmalooFarahShort film
2012This Is CarolineDebVoice role; short film
2012ArgoSahar
2014A Girl Walks Home Alone at NightThe Girl
2015CaminoMarianna
2016Whiskey Tango FoxtrotShakira El-Khourey
2016HolidaysLilySegment: "Mother's Day"
2016Women Who KillSimone
2016Jimmy Vestvood: Amerikan HeroLeila
2017XXCarlaSegment: "The Birthday Party"
201768 KillMonica
2017AardvarkHannah
2018We the AnimalsMa
2018Viper ClubSheila
2018ProspectInumon
2019Triple FrontierLauren Yates
2019She's MissingCherry
2020The WaveTheresa
2020The RentalMina
2021The Fall of the House of UsherSpecial appearanceBoston Lyric Opera production

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2007LifeShahnaz DarvashiEpisode: "A Civil War"
2007–2012Prom QueenCourtneyWeb series; 27 episodes
2012NYC 22JasmeenEpisode: "Ransom"
2013CultAllegra ConstantineEpisodes: "1987", "Flip the Script"
2013Beverly Hills CopLeilaUnsold television pilot
2014The Red TentMerytEpisode: "Part 2"
2014–2015State of AffairsMaureen JamesMain role; 13 episodes
2015BoJack HorsemanTodd's Phone (voice)Episode: "After the Party"
2015Minority ReportFredi KincaidEpisode: "Fredi"
201724: LegacyNilaa MizraniMain role; 8 episodes
2018The OAYassiEpisode: "SYZYGY"
2019 Undone Farnaz Voice
2020-presentSnowpiercerZarahMain role

References
  1. LaBrie, Sarah (October 16, 2013). "Iranian Actress Sheila Vand's Path to Argo Ran Through UCLA and Experimental Steampunk". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on January 17, 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  2. Orlando, Nick (March 25, 2011). "Debut of the Month: Bengal Tiger's Sheila Vand". Broadway World. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  3. Ward, Alie (October 14, 2010). "Sneaky Nietzsche a downtown happening". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  4. Sallabedra, Megan (October 25, 2011). "Sneaky Nietzsche's Secret Pre-Party Shows, a Tryout for LACMA's Dead Man's Ball". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on January 17, 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  5. Rosen, Lisa (February 2, 2013). "Small roles, powerful performances". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  6. "Screen Actors Guild Awards 2013: 'Argo,' 'Lincoln,' 'Les Mis' and 'Silver Linings' Win Big". ABC News. January 27, 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  7. Frank, Priscilla (November 27, 2012). "Alexa Meade and Sheila Vand's 'MILK: What Will You Make of Me?' Is Not for the Lactose Intolerant (PHOTOS)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  8. Clark, Liat (January 2, 2013). "Watch Alexa Meade's full Wired 2012 talk about art, humans and milk". Wired. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  9. "Alexa Meade and Sheila Vand's 'Milk: What Will You Make of Me?'". Juxtapoz. November 27, 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  10. Meade, Alexa (September 2013). "Your Body Is My Canvas". TED. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  11. Andreeva, Nellie (February 21, 2013). "'Argo's Sheila Vand to Play Female Lead in CBS' 'Beverly Hills Cop' Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  12. Jeffrey, Morgan (May 11, 2013). "Eddie Murphy's 'Beverly Hills Cop' TV pilot rejected by CBS". Digital Spy. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  13. Odio, Jesy (October 15, 2013). "200 Motels: Bruins Help Bring Quirky Frank Zappa Show to Life". UCLA Magazine. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  14. Chang, Justin (December 4, 2013). "Sundance Unveils 2014 Competition, Next Lineups". Variety. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
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