For me personally, I'm an activist, so I see a lot of turmoil and heartache in the world and tragedy.

It's nice to see different dimensions of a character. A love interest and family life are always, I think, important in creating layers and textures.

I do think faith is important when it introduces positivity into your life and you see it with love in your heart because there's so many people who unfortunately use faith for detrimental things or to justify detrimental actions.

I see myself as a climber and an activist.

For me, the struggle for women's human rights began the moment I was born in Tehran at the height of the Iranian Revolution, a time when the status of women was quickly deteriorating.

I think a culture can really be elevated through the arts, and it's always a dream come true when I come across roles that enable me to fuse my love of storytelling with my passion for activism and raising social awareness.