Bahar Soomekh
| Bahar Soomekh بهار سومخ | |
|---|---|
| Born |
30 March 1975 Tehran, Iran |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Spouse(s) | Clayton Frech (2001–present) |
Bahar Soomekh (Persian: بهار سومخ, born March 30, 1975) is an Iranian American actress and environmental activist. She is best known for her roles in the films Crash and Saw III.
Early life
Bahar was born in Tehran, Iran, to a devout Persian Jewish family. She is the daughter of Manijeh and Hamid Soomekh, who owned a women's high fashion company.[1] She moved with her parents and sister, Saba Soomekh, to Los Angeles, California, United States in 1979, to escape the Iranian Revolution.[2] Bahar speaks fluent English, Persian, Spanish, and some Hebrew[citation needed]. She attended Sinai Akiba Academy and Beverly Hills High School,[3] where she played the violin in the school orchestra. Bahar earned a B.A. in environmental studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1997. Bahar began working at a corporate job in sales while taking acting classes at night before quitting her job to pursue acting as a career.[2]
Career
In the beginning of her acting career, Bahar guest starred on several television programs, including JAG and 24. Bahar later appeared in a few films, including the Academy Award-winning movies Crash and Syriana. In 2006, Bahar was noted for portraying Davian's Translator in Mission: Impossible III and for a leading role, as Dr. Lynn Denlon, in the horror film Saw III. That same year, People's magazine listed Soomekh as one of 100 Most beautiful people in the world[citation needed]. In the next five years, she mostly worked in television, most notably as Margo on the television series Day Break from 2006-2007. Bahar also appeared in the pilots of two television shows, The Oaks (2008) and Lost & Found (2009), which were not picked up, and had guest roles in Ghost Whisperer, Miami Medical, and Castle.
Personal life
Family
Bahar married Clayton Frech, a business manager[citation needed], who converted to Judaism[4] in order to marry her, in 2001. The couple now have three children[citation needed].
Activism
The teaching of tikkun olam, to heal the world, guides Bahar's life. She works on environmental and children's causes. Bahar also uses her name to be involved with organizations such as the Green Cross and Rainforest Action Network.[5] With her husband, she launced the T.O. Productions to make movies about environmental and social issues.[6]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Without a Trace | Lemese Salman | |
| JAG | Jasmine (2002) and Amira Sattar (2004) | (2002–2004) | |
| 2003 | Naked Hotel | Bhurka Woman | |
| 2004 | Intermission | Hair Wearer | |
| Crash | Dorri | ||
| A Lousy Ten Grand | Najah | ||
| 2005 | 24 | Habib Marwan's Wife | (deleted scenes) |
| Bones | Sahar Masruk | ||
| Syriana | Yassi | (Director's Uncut Version) | |
| 2006 | In Justice | Neena Oponi | |
| Mission: Impossible III | Davian's Translator | ||
| The Unit | Firefly | ||
| Day Break | Margo | (2006–2007) | |
| Saw III | Lynn Denlon | ||
| 2007 | Saw IV | Lynn Denlon | (flashbacks from Saw III) |
| 2008 | Saw V | Lynn Denlon | (flashbacks from Saw III) |
| The Oaks | Hollis | ||
| Ghost Whisperer | Tricia | Episode 4.06 "Imaginary Friends and Enemies" | |
| 2009 | Saw VI | Lynn Denlon | (flashbacks from Saw III) |
| Lost & Found | Abigail | ||
| 2010 | Saw 3D | Lynn Denlon | (flashbacks from Saw III) |
| Miami Medical | Vanessa | Episode 1.08 "An Arm and a Leg" (2010) | |
| 2011 | Castle | Nazihah Alhabi | Episode 3.16 "Setup" (2011) |
| 2012 | Just like a Woman | Soha | |
References
- ↑ http://www.timesofisrael.com/iranian-jewish-scholar-breaks-stereotypes-while-studying-them/
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Melamed, Karmel (2006-04-28). "Tom Cruise’s Persian Princess". Forward. Retrieved 2006-05-10.
- ↑ Wilson, Kathryn (2006-03-17). "So, Did You Hear The One About The Iranian Deadhead In Hollywood?". MTV.com. Retrieved 2008-04-23. "With ceaseless support from her family, Bahar graduated from Beverly Hills High School to pursue a degree in environmental studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara."
- ↑ http://www.zimbio.com/Bahar+Soomekh/articles/hFX0Ng5pyVT/Bahar+Soomekh
- ↑ Kantor, Robert (2006-06-16). "From Tehran to Tinseltown". World Jewish Digest. Retrieved 2007-03-01.
- ↑ "Bahar Soomekh Is Radiant In Red". Celebrity Baby Scoop. 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
External links
- Bahar Soomekh at the Internet Movie Database
- Sanchez, Robert (2006-10-24). "Exclusive Interview: Bahar Soomekh Plays Doctor with Jigsaw". IESB. Retrieved 2007-03-01.
- Stax (2006-10-27). "Bahar Soomekh and Angus Macfadyen: IGN chats with two of the stars of Saw III". IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on 17 January 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-01.
- Melamed, Karmel (2006-04-28). "Tom Cruise’s Persian Princess". Forward. Retrieved 2006-05-10.
- Melamed, Karmel. "Bahar Soomekh: Our Very Own Hollywood Superstar Actress". Iranian Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-03-01.
- "Bahar Soomekh". The Star Scoop.
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