Leila Farzad Explained

Leila Farzad
Birth Name:Leila Effat Farzad
Birth Date:30 December 1981
Birth Place:Westminster, London, England
Occupation:Actress
Alma Mater:Worcester College, Oxford
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Years Active:2006–present
Children:1

Leila Effat Farzad (born 30 December 1981) is a British actress. She is known for her role as Naomi Jones in the Sky Atlantic series I Hate Suzie (2020–2022), which earned her a British Academy Television Award nomination.[1]

Early life and education

Farzad was born in London to Iranian parents. She was inspired to pursue acting by National Theatre productions her aunt took her to see, however, her parents requested she get a degree from Oxbridge first.[2] She first studied Modern Languages at Worcester College, Oxford,[3] graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in French and Italian Literature.[4] She then went on to train at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama,[5] which she said "felt like home".[6] [7]

Career

Farzad began her career with a voice role in the third and fourth series of the Channel 5 animated children's series Peppa Pig. She made her live action television debut in an episode of the ITV police procedural and her professional stage debut as the titular role in Miriam. Gonzalez. Durantez. at Theatre503.[8] This was followed by roles in Blue Remembered Hills at Chichester Festival Theatre,[9] the all female Julius Caesar at the Bridge Theatre in London,[10] Richard II at Shakespeare's Globe.[11] She also appeared in the ITV anthology Innocent.

Farzad landed her first main role was I Hate Suzie as Naomi Jones, Suzie's (Billie Piper) manager and friend.[12] The series was released in 2020 on Sky Atlantic and HBO Max to critical acclaim, and Farzad was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress. Farzad reprised her role in I Hate Suzies second installment titled I Hate Suzie Too in 2022.[13] Also that year, Farzad joined the cast of Avenue 5 for its second season and appeared alongside Josh Hartnett in The Fear Index, also on Sky. In 2023, she starred in the BBC crime drama Better.

Personal life

Farzad has a daughter (b. 2014) with James Maizels.[14] In early 2023 it was reported that she was in a relationship with actor Andrew Buchan.[15] [16]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2006–2011Peppa PigMrs. Cat / Mrs. PonyVoice role; 10 episodes (series 3–4)
2009Leyla BilginEpisode: "Paradise"
2010Married Single OtherStudent DoctorEpisode: "Chink"
2011Twenty TwelveJournalistEpisode: "Countdown"
2013Man DownEyebrow LadyEpisode: "Desperate Dan"
2015CuffsAmika KhanEpisode: "Drastic Action"
2017Count Arthur StrongReporterEpisode: "Untrue Detective"
2018InnocentJanice Parker2 episodes
2020–2022I Hate SuzieNaomi JonesMain role
2021LandscapersBarristerEpisode #1.4
This Time with Alan PartridgeClarissa HoskinEpisode #2.1
2022The Fear IndexGabrielle Hoffman4 episodes[17] [18]
Avenue 5ElenaSeason 2
2023BetterDI Lou SlackMain role[19]
Black MirrorMona JavadiEpisode: "Joan Is Awful"
The MarvelsTaliaFilm
2024The DecameronStratilia8 episodes
2025Film; Post-production
Turn Up The Sun!DollyPost-production
KaosAriPost-production

Stage

YearTitleRoleNotes
2010Miriam. Gonzalez. Durantez.Miriam GonzalezTheatre503, London
2012Blue Remembered HillsAngelaChichester Festival Theatre, Chichester
2018 Julius CaesarDecius BrutusBridge Theatre, London
2019Richard IIQueenGlobe Theatre, London

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Green. Alex. 7 June 2021. Rakie Ayola on 'overwhelming' Bafta TV award win. 23 November 2021. www.standard.co.uk. en. 23 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211123052118/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/rakie-ayola-bafta-michaela-coel-bbc-helena-bonham-carter-b939241.html. live.
  2. I Hate Suzie's Leila Farzad on Iranian Representation and Depicting a "Barbed" Female Friendship. Vogue. Marley. Marius. 1 December 2020. 15 March 2021. 25 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210125094954/https://www.vogue.com/article/i-hate-suzie-leila-farzad-interview. live.
  3. Web site: Leila Farzad. Spotlight. 15 March 2021. 21 July 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230721025704/https://www.spotlight.com/2254-6757-3144. live.
  4. Newcomer Leila Farzad talks acting alongside Billie Piper in Sky's new drama I Hate Suzie. Daily Express. Chloe. Alexandrou. 23 August 2020. 15 March 2021. 16 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210316201943/https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1325647/billie-piper-i-hate-suzie-leila-farzad. live.
  5. Web site: WFTV Q&A: Panel discussion with the talent behind I Hate Suzie, Sky Atlantic. The Dots. 18 August 2020. 15 March 2021. 21 July 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230721025709/https://the-dots.com/events/wftv-q-a-panel-discussion-with-the-talent-behind-i-hate-suzie-sky-atlantic-3203. live.
  6. The ones to watch: meet the next generation of megastars. You. 14 February 2021. 14 February 2021. 14 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210214003325/https://www.you.co.uk/the-ones-to-watch-meet-the-next-generation-of-megastars/. live.
  7. Who Plays Suzie's Manager In I Hate Suzie?. Bustle. Sophie. McEvoy. 26 August 2020. 15 March 2021. 22 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210422152329/https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/who-is-leila-farzad-i-hate-suzie. live.
  8. Web site: Coalition (Blue Group). British Theatre Guide. Corinne. Salisbury. 16 March 2021. 25 May 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220525004432/https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/coalitionblue-rev. live.
  9. Web site: Cast List, Blue Remembered Hills (2012). Chichester Festival Theatre. 16 March 2021. 22 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122102102/http://passiton.cft.org.uk/archive/cast-list-blue-remembered-hills-2012/. live.
  10. Web site: Julius Caesar. Bridge Theatre. 16 March 2021. 3 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210303205509/https://bridgetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/julius-caesar/. live.
  11. Web site: What's On: Richard II 2019. 16 March 2021. 28 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210228100625/https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/richard-ii-2019/. live.
  12. I Hate Suzie's Leila Farzad on working with Billie Piper and the importance of female friendship: 'A lot of TV just stops looking at women in their mid-30s'. Metro. George. Griffiths. 27 August 2020. 16 March 2021. 3 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201203205603/https://metro.co.uk/2020/08/27/hate-suzies-leila-farzad-working-billie-piper-power-women-telling-womens-stories-13145367/. live.
  13. Web site: Gordon. Naomi. 21 February 2021. Billie Piper's hit series I Hate Suzie returning for a second season, Sky confirms. 23 November 2021. Harper's BAZAAR. en-GB. 23 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211123052114/https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/entertainment/a35576384/i-hate-suzie-season-two/. live.
  14. Leila Farzad husband: Is the Better star married?. Daily Express. Katie. Palmer. 20 February 2023. 28 February 2023. 1 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230301013151/https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1736825/Leila-Farzad-husband. live.
  15. Web site: Broadchurch star Andrew Buchan 'rips up' marriage to wife Amy Nuttall and 'moves in' with BBC co-star Leila Farzad. Metro. Nozari. Aisha. 28 February 2023. 2 February 2024.
  16. Web site: Amy Nuttall spotted 'tell-tale signs' Andrew Buchan was cheating and found lingerie bought for Leila Farzad. Manchester World. Stagg. Holly. 1 March 2023. 2 February 2024.
  17. 'The Fear Index': Josh Hartnett Stars in Sky's Robert Harris' Financial Thriller. Deadline. Jake. Kanter. 26 April 2021. 28 April 2021. 27 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210427160815/https://deadline.com/2021/04/the-fear-index-josh-hartnett-robert-harris-left-bank-1234744087/. live.
  18. News: Financial Times. The Fear Index — Sky's new financial thriller is a dizzying rush. Dan Einav. 11 February 2022. 11 February 2022. 11 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220211083008/https://www.ft.com/content/f5afc707-c1b3-4845-ac40-ce18b8879b94. live.
  19. Web site: Better cast and creatives tease 'very dark thriller' about a corrupt police officer and a gangster that's 'full of high stakes'. bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. 7 February 2023. 12 February 2023. 9 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230209182417/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/better-meet-the-cast-and-creators. live.
  20. Web site: Television - 2020. British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). 26 February 2021. 22 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200722050738/http://awards.bafta.org/award/2020/television. live.

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