Nazanin Boniadi's extensive film and television credits demonstrate her remarkable versatility, showcasing her range across genres such as drama, comedy, science fiction, fantasy, and action. Her recent role as Bronwyn in the inaugural season of Amazon's global phenomenon, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022),solidifies her position as a talented and sought-after actress. Additionally, she has starred alongside J.K. Simmons in the critically acclaimed Starz series Counterpart (2017),created and produced by Justin Marks, further cementing her reputation as a skilled performer.
Boniadi's notable film credits include her portrayal of the female lead in the Thunder Road / Bleecker Street feature Hotel Mumbai (2018),directed by Anthony Maras, opposite Dev Patel, for which she received a nomination for an Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Award (AACTA). She has also appeared in the major motion picture Ben-Hur (2016) and had a supporting role in the Jay Roach and Charles Randolph's Roger Ailes film BOMBSHELL for Lionsgate and BRON opposite Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie. Furthermore, she has had a supporting role in Jon Favreau's Iron Man (2008).
Among her many television credits, Boniadi earned an outstanding drama ensemble SAG nomination for her work on Showtime's hit series Homeland (2011),where she played CIA analyst Fara Sherazi. She also portrayed Nora, a significant love interest to Neil Patrick Harris's Barney Stinson, in seasons six and seven of How I Met Your Mother (2005). Moreover, she appeared as the notorious Adnan Salif in season three of Shonda Rhimes' hit political drama Scandal (2012).
Born in Tehran in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution, Boniadi's parents relocated to London, England, shortly thereafter, where she was raised with an emphasis on education. Initially involved in theatre at a young age, Boniadi later decided she wanted to become a physician. She moved to the United States at the age of 19 to attend the University of California, Irvine, where she received her Bachelor's Degree, with Honors (Dean's Academic Achievement and Service Award) in Biological Sciences, and won the "Chang Pin Chun" Undergraduate Research Award for her work in heart-transplant rejection and cancer research.
Subsequently, Boniadi switched gears to pursue her first love, acting, which included training in Contemporary Drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London under the supervision of dramaturge Lloyd Trott.
Boniadi is fluent in both English and Persian. She is a renowned human rights activist, with a focus on her homeland Iran. Among her numerous recognitions, she is the 2023 Sydney Peace Prize laureate. She has served as an ambassador for Amnesty International UK since 2020, and has been a member of the board of directors of the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran since 2023. She is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
