Leila Farzad

Leila Effat Farzad (Persian: لیلا عفت فرزاد; born 1983) 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]

Leila Farzad
Born
Leila Effat Farzad

1983 (age 39–40)
Westminster, London, England
Alma materWorcester College, Oxford
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
OccupationActress
Years active2006–present
Children1

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 Law & Order: UK 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 Suzie's 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]


Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
2006–2011 Peppa Pig Mrs. Cat / Mrs. Pony Voice role; 10 episodes (series 3–4)
2009 Law & Order: UK Leyla Bilgin Episode: "Paradise"
2010 Married Single Other Student Doctor 1 episode
2011 Twenty Twelve Journalist Episode: "Countdown"
2013 Man Down Eyebrow Lady Episode: "Desperate Dan"
2015 Cuffs Amika Khan 1 episode
2017 Count Arthur Strong Reporter Episode: "Untrue Detective"
2018 Innocent Janice Parker 2 episodes
2020–present I Hate Suzie Naomi Jones Main role
2021 Landscapers Barrister 1 episode
2021 This Time with Alan Partridge Clarissa Hoskin 1 episode
2022 The Fear Index Gabrielle Hoffman 4 episodes[15][16]
2022 Avenue 5 Elena Season 2
2023 Better DI Lou Slack Main role[17]

Stage
Year Title Role Notes
2010 Miriam. Gonzalez. Durantez. Miriam Gonzalez Theatre503, London
2012 Blue Remembered Hills Angela Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester
2018 Julius Caesar Decius Brutus Bridge Theatre, London
2019 Richard II Queen Globe Theatre, London

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2021 British Academy Television Awards Best Supporting Actress I Hate Suzie Nominated [18]

References
  1. Green, Alex (7 June 2021). "Rakie Ayola on 'overwhelming' Bafta TV award win". www.standard.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  2. Marius, Marley (1 December 2020). "I Hate Suzie's Leila Farzad on Iranian Representation and Depicting a "Barbed" Female Friendship". Vogue. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  3. "Leila Farzad". Spotlight. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  4. Alexandrou, Chloe (23 August 2020). "Newcomer Leila Farzad talks acting alongside Billie Piper in Sky's new drama I Hate Suzie". Daily Express. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  5. "WFTV Q&A: Panel discussion with the talent behind I Hate Suzie, Sky Atlantic". The Dots. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  6. "The ones to watch: meet the next generation of megastars". You. 14 February 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  7. McEvoy, Sophie (26 August 2020). "Who Plays Suzie's Manager In I Hate Suzie?". Bustle. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  8. Salisbury, Corinne. "Coalition (Blue Group)". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  9. "Cast List, Blue Remembered Hills (2012)". Chichester Festival Theatre. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  10. "Julius Caesar". Bridge Theatre. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  11. "What's On: Richard II 2019". Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  12. Griffiths, George (27 August 2020). "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. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  13. Gordon, Naomi (21 February 2021). "Billie Piper's hit series I Hate Suzie returning for a second season, Sky confirms". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  14. Palmer, Katie (20 February 2023). "Leila Farzad husband: Is the Better star married?". Daily Express. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  15. Kanter, Jake (26 April 2021). "'The Fear Index': Josh Hartnett Stars in Sky's Robert Harris' Financial Thriller". Deadline. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  16. Dan Einav (11 February 2022). "The Fear Index — Sky's new financial thriller is a dizzying rush". Financial Times. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  17. "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. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  18. "Television - 2020". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Retrieved 26 February 2021.
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