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Azita Ghanizada is a political refugee and asylum seeker who has broken many cultural barriers in Hollywood. She has worked consistently on film and TV, holding her own opposite Academy Award-winners and nominees such as Rachel Weisz, Mahershala Ali, David Strathairn, Sam Shepard, Michael Shannon, and Casey Affleck. In 2016, she was named one of the "Seven Sundance Breakout Actresses You Must Know" for her work in the 2016 film "Complete Unknown." On television, she has appeared on several hit TV shows, including CBS's "United States of Al," HBO's "Ballers," Freeform's "Good Trouble," and Syfy's "Alphas." In 2022, she became the first woman from Afghanistan on Broadway in her Broadway debut in "The Kite Runner" at The Helen Hayes Theater.

Azita is also the Founder and President of the MENA Arts Advocacy Coalition (MAAC). She launched MAAC after lobbying and succeeding in adding the first new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion hiring category into a labor contract in 37 years. Middle Eastern North African, known as MENA or SWANA, was drafted into the SAG-AFTRA theatrical agreements in 2017. Azita has served as the SAG-AFTRA National MENA Committee Chair and a Global Ambassador to Women for Women International.

Annet Mahendru is an Afghan-American actress of Indian-Russian origin. She was born in Kabul to an Indian father (a journalist and professor) and a Russian mother (a businesswoman and artist). Annet spent her early years learning six languages while living in Afghanistan, Russia, and Europe. She put her curious mind to use playing competitive chess and earning a brown belt in Karate, sweeping a free sparring championship. At age 11, Annet choreographed a performance that gained her an appearance on German TV as a graceful Russian snow maiden that turns into a playful Indian dancer. Sad that her parents never signed her up for ballet classes as a little girl, she joined a local Rock 'n' Roll dance group, and later, began to study classical Indian dance, Bharatanatyam.

Annet finished high school in New York and received a Bachelor of Arts in English at St. John's University. After school, drawn by her passion for acting, she took classes at the HB studio, performed in plays, and Indie films. But it was in the course of pursuing a Master's degree in Global Affairs at NYU that Annet reached a crossroad in her life. She decided to drop out of NYU and escaped to the West Coast in search for yet another degree that would enable her to effect the kind of change she really wished for. This one was in Storytelling. Always being a big fan of Improvisation, she began studies at the Groundlings School and took on several comedy projects thereafter. Annet has also studied at the Imagined Life in Hollywood because she finds trans-formative experience and expression of the empathetic imagination to be the foundation of her work.

Everything, from growing up among a big Indian family on a healthy diet of Bollywood films to experiencing St. Petersburg's famous ballet, art and theatre scene, prepared Annet for her life as an ambassador of change through storytelling. Becoming an actress synthesized her many curiosities with her passion and mission.

Annet is best known for her starring role in the 2013 TV series The Americans, where she plays the role "Nina," the beautiful and mysterious spy opposite FBI Agent Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich). "Annet Mahendru has been a revelation as Nina, bringing the character to life with a rich and subtle depth that keeps you guessing as to what's really percolating under the surface," said Executive Producers Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields. Other credits include 2 Broke Girls, Mike & Molly, Big Time Rush, The Blacklist, The X Files and feature films Escape From Tomorrow and Love Gloria.

From a daughter watching her father being deported to his country of origin for an execution, to an Indian doctor who is a closeted lesbian being forced into an arranged marriage, and an eccentric school nurse who is giving a student awkward sex ed advice, award-winning actress Layla Alizada has brought to life compelling, diverse characters in drama and comedy positioning her as "one to watch" this year.

In 2015 Layla can be seen starring in the Academy Award Nominated short film Day One (2015). Layla shines as Feda, an Afghan-American woman who is going through a divorce and lands her first job ever as an interpreter in the US Army. Set in Afghanistan, "Day One" explores Feda's experiences and chronicles her assignment on her first day, accompanying an army unit to a potential bomb-makers home.

Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, Layla spent several years of her childhood living with her family in Montreal, Canada before moving to Vancouver where she grew up and attended the renowned Theatre School, Studio 58. English is Layla's fourth language, learning Farsi [Dari], Turkish, and French through her travels as a child. Layla always had a love for entertaining, in high school she joined the drama club and participated in school plays. She was scouted by a talent agent at the age of 13, and shortly thereafter, on her first audition, booked a series regular role in the high school drama "KidZone." She quickly discovered that acting was her passion, and has dedicated herself to the craft ever since.

Layla's first big break was co-starring opposite Juliette Lewis in "Chasing Freedom," where she played an immigrant woman seeking asylum in the United States. Her role garnered her a 2005 Gemini Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series, and she won a Gracie Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Special. Additional television credits for Layla include recurring and guest star roles on: "The Mentalist," "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior," "Godiva's," "Da Vinci's Inquest," "The Unit," "Eureka," "Rizzoli & Isles," "Legit," "Melissa & Joey," "Holiday in Handcuffs," "Days of our Lives," "The Kroll Show," "Stitchers," "Castle," and "Scandal." Layla recently recurred on The CW's "Jane the Virgin" as Regina, a young mom who works with Jane [Gina Rodriguez] and "The Muppets" for ABC.

In her spare time, you can find Layla doing yoga, swimming, and playing video games with her husband, actor Noel Fisher. She also loves photography, animal rescue, and has two kitties named Sushi and Spartacus.

Kader Khan was an Indian actor, comedian, and screenwriter who worked in Hindi cinema. Khan's family migrated from Afghanistan to Mumbai, India, in 1942, and was raised in the neighbourhood of Kamathipura, Mumbai.

He completed his education at Ismail Yusuf College in Mumbai, earning a Master's degree in Civil Engineering (M.Tech). However, his passion for writing and acting led him to pursue a career in the film industry.

Kader Khan debuted in the film industry as a writer with the film Jawani Diwani (1972) in 1972. However, his first film as an actor was Daag: A Poem of Love (1973), starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead role.

He went on to write dialogues for numerous successful films in the 1970s and 1980s, including Sholay (1975), Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Naseeb (1981), and Coolie (1983).

Khan has acted in over 300 films and appeared in supporting roles in some of Bollywood's biggest hits, such as Sharaabi (1984), Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri (1990), Agneepath (1990), Hum (1991), and Khuda Gawah (1992).

Some of his notable performances as an actor include Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994), Coolie No. 1 (1995), Taqdeerwala (1995), and Judwaa (1997). He also worked in television serials such as Hasna Mat (2001) and Khuda Gawah (1992).

Kader Khan was also a prolific screenwriter and wrote scripts for films like Dharam Veer (1977), Mr. Natwarlal (1979), Laawaris (1981), and Geraftaar (1985). He also wrote and produced the film Shama (1981), which was released in 1981.

Some of Kader Khan's most memorable performances were in comedies, where he was known for his impeccable comic timing. He worked with some of the biggest stars in the industry, including Amitabh Bachchan, Govinda, Salman Khan, and Akshay Kumar.

Kader Khan's last appearance was in the 2019 Rangeela Raja film Rangeela Raja (2019). He passed away on December 31, 2018, at 81.

Kader Khan was awarded numerous awards for his contributions to the Indian film industry. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue twice for Meri Aawaz Suno (1981) and Angaar (1992). He also received the Filmfare Award for Best Comedian for Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri (1990).

In addition, he was honoured with the Padma Shri award, one of India's highest civilian honours, in 2019, which was posthumously awarded to him.

Warina Hussain was born on 23 February 1996 in Kabul, Afghanistan. She is an actress, known for Love Will Take Over (2018), Dabangg 3 (2019) and Yaariyan 2 (2023).

Fahim Fazli is a multifaceted talent, renowned for his contributions as an actor, author, and combat interpreter for the U.S. Marines. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, Fazli saw his personal journey span continents as it reflected a life shaped by resilience and artistic passion. His acting credits include appearances in notable films such as Superman,Iron Man, Argo, American Sniper, and 12 Strong, as weathered and distinguished looking man the first Afghan born American actor in Hollywood, showcasing his versatility and depth as a performer. Beyond the silver screen, Fazli is also celebrated for his memoir, FAHIM SPEAKS: A Warrior-Actor's Odyssey from Afghanistan to Hollywood and Back, which offers a poignant narrative of his experiences bridging cultures and navigating the cultural complexities of international conflict. His critically acclaimed biography won a Gold Medal from the Military Writers Society of America. With his compelling blend of artistry, advocacy, and optimism, Fazli continues to inspire audiences worldwide, embodying the power of storytelling to transcend borders and remind people everywhere of our shared humanity. ---------------------------------------------------------------- "Afghanistan is a complicated place,' says Fahim Fazli, and he knows. Born in that enigmatic nation when it was at peace, coming of age as it became a land of terror, and even helping Hollywood recreate the years of war against the USSR, he has a story told in the languages of his origin yet understood by the ears of the Western World. As both history and memoir, when Fahim Fazli speaks we are fascinated." -Tom Hanks, Actor, Writer, Director --------------------------------------------------------------- "Imagine a boy named Fahim Fazli, born in the calm before the storm in Kabul, Afghanistan-a land filled with tradition, color, and complexity. His early childhood was full of joy, kite flying, and family rituals. But soon, the skies darkened with helicopters and the echo of Soviet gunfire. His world shifted from innocence to oppression. Fahim's mother, a strong midwife serving the family of a powerful Afghan president, fled first-escaping threats of assassination. Fahim, his younger brother, and their father stayed behind, watching as their home transformed into a police state under Soviet rule. His mother's absence haunted him. He was branded a traitor's son. His slingshot and fierce will became tools of resistance against foreign tanks. Eventually, his father made a choice: flee or lose everything. Their escape in 1983 was harrowing-through enemy checkpoints, mountains, and shadows of death. A cousin in the secret police almost recognized Fahim on the bus that was supposed to deliver them to freedom. By sheer luck or divine grace, he didn't. Fahim Fazli was just 16. In Pakistan's refugee camps, Fahim battled the trauma of exile, separation from family, and the struggle of starting over. But America opened its doors. There, he became a, flipped burgers, sold shoes, and pumped gas finally-against all odds-a Hollywood actor. Still, fame wasn't enough. Driven by love for both his homelands, Fahim put on a Marine Corps uniform and returned to war-torn Afghanistan-not as a fighter, but as a bridge between worlds, serving as an interpreter in the deadliest regions. In those dusty valleys, he earned trust, carried pain, and helped save lives. The Taliban hated him for his influence. The Marines respected him for his courage. His journey came full circle when he stood where he once fled, now translating for peace in the language of war. In 2024, Fahim reflects: "That little Ukrainian boy crying near the border-I was him." His story is not just about escaping tyranny or chasing dreams. It's about breaking cycles of violence, healing the wounds of separation, and honoring a mother's sacrifice and a father's flawed bravery. "Fahim Speaks" isn't just a memoir. It's a powerful anthem for refugees, warriors, artists, and anyone who's ever lost a home but found a voice. by: This is Chronicles of Spirit. Follow for more stories of those who fled the fire-and still walked back in to carry others out."

Jem Cohen was born in 1962 in Kabul, Afghanistan. He is a director and cinematographer, known for Museum Hours (2012), Chain (2004) and Benjamin Smoke (2000).

Noorin Gulamgaus was raised in Toronto, Canada. He is the brother of actress Sirena Gulamgaus. Noorin started off in the industry after securing a featuring role without an agent, in the 2014 RoboCop remake. After being thrown into a massive studio film, alongside Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Keaton, he quickly realized that anything is possible. He attended a performing arts high school in Toronto, to better learn the craft of acting. Immediately after graduating high school, Noorin acquired two supporting roles in the Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated film, The Breadwinner, produced by Angelina Jolie. He has also been directed by iconic director Paul Feig. In 2021, Noorin returned back to his roots and attended drama school for two years. He can next be seen in a supporting role in the Netflix film, Code 8 Part II. And also, in a leading role in two time Academy Award winner Bill Guttentag's film; Afghan Dreamers.

Ali Olomi, an Afghan American born in Kabul, Afghanistan, lives in Los Angeles, California.

He is an accomplished actor (SAG-AFTRA) known for Feature Films and TV shows such as: Raising Kanan, 12 Strong, Little America, Seal Team, Madam Secretary, Stumptown, 68 Whiskey, Rogue Warfare: Death of a Nation, NCIS:LA, Wildcat, Scandal, Beyond Paradise, INAPP, The Colony, Blue, Other People's Money and more.

Ali Olomi started working as an Actor out of pure love of the arts. He is a talented Actor who is driven by an incredible passion for self-expression. His roles are often noted for their unique blend of passion, grace, and fire.

Ali Olomi is also multilingual and speaks several languages fluently including: English, Pashto (Native Language), Farsi/Dari (Native Language), Hindi and has knowledge of Arabic, German and Urdu.

Khaled Hosseini was born on 4 March 1965 in Kabul, Afghanistan. He is a writer and actor, known for The Kite Runner (2007), A Thousand Splendid Suns and A Thousand Splendid Suns.

Zekeria Ebrahimi was born in 1996 in Kabul, Afghanistan. He is an actor, known for The Kite Runner (2007).

Atiq Rahimi was born on 26 February 1962 in Kabul, Afghanistan. He is a director and writer, known for Earth and Ashes (2004), The Patience Stone (2012) and Our Lady of the Nile (2019).

A lovely young actress who was discovered by director Sadiq Barmak. At the time she was 13, working the Afghani streets of Kabul as a beggar to help feed the family. The director hired her to play the nameless girl turned boy "Osama" in the film Osama (2003). She used her earnings to shelter her parents. Noticable for her beautiful smile, she is generally a shy, modest girl known for her giggles and blushes.

Nelufar Hedayat was born on 1 January 1988 in Kabul, Afghanistan. She is a director and writer, known for Ritually (2023), Generation C (2025) and In Real Life (2021).

Sameer Ali Khan is an Afghan international actor and martial artist known for playing tough, masculine characters in Afghan, American, and Bollywood feature films. His intense stare and fluid martial arts skills give his anti-hero characters an edge of authenticity. Khan's love of Cinema and action movies originated in his youth. Khan was born into a middle-class and well-educated family in Kabul, Afghanistan. As a kid, street fighting was a way of life for him amid the Afghan Civil War chaos. The oppressive environment on Kabul's war-torn streets was a serious motivator for Khan to express his frustrations through his passions. He took his cues from legends such as Bruce Lee and Jean-Claude Van Damme, who taught him a love for cinema and martial arts; his brand of addictive cocktail fueled Khan to pursue his martial arts training starting at 13 years old. He excelled in Taekwondo and Kickboxing, all the while teaching himself how to act. After producing and acting in two Afghan regional films, Khan moved to Mumbai in 2007 to continue growing as an actor in Indian cinema. He was the first Afghan actor honored with a scholarship from the Kishore Namit Kapoor Acting Institute in Mumbai. He got his first break in 2011 for the short film "God is Dead." The film was nominated at the Cannes Film Festival, where Khan was praised for his performance. In 2012, he arranged for a group of Bollywood's well-known celebrities to participate in the first-ever "Afghan Film Festival" held in Kabul, Afghanistan. Khan broke through as a Bollywood star by securing a major role as a mutant named Antman in India's first superhero franchise, Krissh 3, starring Priyanka Chopra and Hrithik Roshan. Not only was this Khan's first mega-budget film, but for Khan, Krissh 3 paved the way in securing substantial roles such as The Prince of Kuwait in the 2016's drama-thriller Airlift; starring Akshay Kumar, and an underground MMA fighter in Happy New Year alongside Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan. The transition to American Cinema came with the breakthrough role of Azam Ghol in Director Barry Levinson's comedy, Rock the Kasbah. Khan joined an all-star American cast, including Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, and Kate Hudson. Khan is now a recognized face in both Hollywood and Bollywood. Khan is fluent in English, Dari, Urdu, and Pashto

Ariana Ayam was born on 3 July 1987 in Kabul, Afghanistan. She is an actress, known for Heartless (2014) and Comedy Nights with Kapil (2013).

Zarif Kabier is an Afghan stage and screen actor. He holds a Master's in acting from Columbia University where he received the Dean's Scholarship Award and the requirement of having a Bachelor's degree was waived in order for him to attend the program.

Zarif is the second son born to Muhammed Kabier Sadiqi, a medical doctor and an Afghan National Army General, and to Jameela Sadiqi (née Monsef), a school-teacher and home-maker. His father passed away in Afghanistan during the civil war. Zarif spent the first 12 years of his life in Kabul, Afghanistan, living through the Afghan civil-war and the Taliban regime until he and his family sought political asylum and resettled in the United States.

As a stage-actor, he has performed in several major regional theatre companies such as Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre off-Broadway, Cleveland Playhouse, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, the Thick House in San Francisco, Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, among others. Recently, he was seen at the Guthrie Theatre in Enemy of the People. He last performed on stage with the LA Philharmonic Orchestra at the Disney Concert Hall in Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Sahraa Karimi was born on 21 May 1983 in Kabul, Afghanistan. She is a director and writer, known for Hava, Maryam, Ayesha (2019), Afghan Women Behind the Wheel (2009) and Flight from Kabul.

Fereshta Kazemi is an Afghan-American film Actress in the United States & Afghanistan. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan at the height of the country's Russian take over, Kazemi fled with her family on one of the last planes out of Kabul. They went to Bankok, Thailand for a few years, then to New York City where she was raised. The family migrated to the California Bay Area in her mid-teens. At eighteen, Kazemi won an acting and academic scholarship to Marymount Manhattan College in NYC, where she studied acting and writing, the first Afghan female to study acting in the United States. Kazemi also earned a degree in Philosophy & Cultural Anthropology from the University of California, Davis. She continued graduate acting and screenwriting studies at Academy of Art University and earned an MBA, emphasizing in Film Production from Chapman University. In 2009, Kazemi starred in Heal, a film about Afghanistan which has won twenty international and domestic film festival awards, including winner of the Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Category at Comic Con International Film Festival in 2011. In 2010, Kazemi starred in Targeting, a U.S. psychological thriller, playing a young Afghan immigrant wife in the U.S., which included a scene of one of the first on screen kisses in cinema for an Afghan Actress. Kazemi has categorically been profiled as an artist creating change in Afghan culture through cinema, with NBC News calling her a "trailblazer". The L.A. Times said Fereshta offers "no apology, no explanation...Raised in the U.S., she is back now for the first time [in Afghanistan], determined to radically alter the way Afghans view women - particularly women who act". In 2013, Fereshta played the leading role in The Icy Sun, one of the first films openly dealing with rape in Afghanistan. NBC News said her role "breaks new ground for Afghanistan, where victims of rape can be forced to marry their attackers to preserve their families' honor". Pulitzer Prize winning photographer, Carolyn Cole, snapped Kazemi in one of the first miniskirts to grace the streets of Kabul since the fall of the Taleban in 2001.

Yalda was born on January 6, in Kabul, Afghanistan, but she was raised in the United States. She finished her high school education in the state of Ohio and completed the rest of her education in California majoring in a Business degree. She moved to Hollywood to pursue her career.

She plans to aim for the stars after completing her education. She loves sports. Her favorite sport is soccer and she also does martial arts on the side. She enjoys listening to Afghan music and Indian music. Her goals in life is to send messages to people around the world whether that's through a song or through a movie, to tell people where is our humanity? Why are we in this world? What's our job as a human?

Humayoon Shams Khan (born February 22, 1991 in Kabul, Afghanistan) is an Afghan born Canadian actor, model, presenter, and producer best known for Torbaaz and Shiddat. When he was two years old, his family was forced to leave their country Afghanistan because of the civil war. As he was growing up, he started showing passion for acting by taking part in family videos and short films. Khan's older brother "Haroon Shams Khan" recognized his passion for acting early on and started encouraging him. He was also inspired through Bollywood and Hollywood movies. In 2001 Khan & his family came back to his country Afghanistan but the security measures were still weak so they again migrated to Canada in search of a better life. In Canada, he graduated from Woodroffe High School Ottawa. He then decided to move to Toronto to start his acting career. Khan got his bachelors degree in acting for, theater, film, TV & media from Toronto Film Academy, Canada.

After graduating from film Academy, he started acting in Canadian film industry for several years. When he got a good amount of experience in Canadian Film Industry, he then moved back to Afghanistan to start building the Afghan entertainment industry. Therefore, he started directing and producing TV shows such as "Who want to be a millionaire in Afghanistan", Afghan Shayer" and many more.

In 2016, After an extremely successful film "FACELESS" which was the first ever Afghan superhero film, Khan made his way towards in Bollywood. He is now debuting in a Bollywood Super star Sunjay Dutt film "Torbaaz" where he will be playing army major role, Salamat Khan and Sameer Hussain film "Ishq Ke Rang" directed by Pradeep R. Sharma, Atul Garg film "The legend of peacock" and Also, Sunil Shetty next military film ''Code Al'' directed by Shekar Sirrinn.

The future is looking bright as HS Khan is looking forward to conquering Bollywood and going down in the history books for becoming the first Canadian/Afghan actor who has made it this far in the film industry. Humayoon is fluent in Pashto, Dari, Hindi and English. Khan is now in Mumbai and working hard on his upcoming Bollywood projects.

Fazila Amiri is an Afghan Canadian director and screenwriter based in Toronto. She holds an MFA in Film Production from York University. Her first documentary feature, AND STILL I SING (2022) premiered at the 2022 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and won Best Music Documentary, Grand Jury Prize at the Nashville Film Festival, Fearless Award at Doc Edge Festival, Best Music Documentary Award at See The Sound Film Festival, and Grand Jury Prize at The Musical Écran Film Festival.

Born in Kabul, Afghanistan Wida and her family fled to Pakistan when the Soviet Army invaded in the mid 1970's and immigrated to America in 1981. Having been raised in a conservative household, Wida kept her dreams of acting to herself, but quietly took several drama classes in high school and college.

After graduating from college with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Political Science, she pursued a career in broadcast news, but later decided to work in the field of public relations. For many years, because of her conservative nurturing, she was not able to pursue her dreams of being an actress, to really achieve the "American Dream," until 2018.

Since then, Wida has fully dived into acting by taking classes with Robert D'Avanzo, Leslie Kahn, Amy Lyndon, Mark Daugherty and improv at The Groundlings.

She has started adding to her credits, including a guest star role on CBS's NCIS; a recurring role in the pilot episode of ABC's "LA Law" reboot; a guest star role on Fox's Game of Talents; and the lead role in the film "Before Dawn, Kabul Time," which qualified for the 95th Academy Awards for best live action short film. The film was executive produced by Lena Waithe and premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival and select theaters nationwide.

Najeem Khan was born on 4 February 1992 in Kabul, Afghanistan. He is an actor, known for Pathaan (2023), Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) and Nakabandi (2019).

Malik Akhlaqi was born in 1994 in Afghanistan and completed his education in Afghanistan. He started his artistic activity in 2003. In 2003, he acted in one film and in 2004 in another film. At first he played harmonica, tambourine and oud. He performed music in the traditional Afghan style. He played music in circles and celebrations. Until he joined a group of musicians in 2016 and in 2017 he released his first pop music and released the album (Mahi Alam Soz) in 2018. His artistic activity begins in 2018. Of course, music is his second profession. He is actually a film actor and plays music in his spare time.