Sarah Shahi - wikipedia Sarah Shahi Sarah Shahi Shahi in 2011 Aahoo Jahansouz Shahi ( 1980 - 01 - 10 ) January 10, 1980 ( age 38 ) Euless, Texas, U.S. Citizenship American Education Trinity High School Alma mater Southern Methodist University Occupation Actress, model Years active 1997 -- present Spouse ( s ) Steve Howey ( m. 2009 ) Children Website www.sarahshahi.com Aahoo Jahansouz `` Sarah '' Shahi ( Persian : آهو جهانسوز سارا شاهی ‎ ; born January 10, 1980 ) is an American television actress and former NFL Cheerleader of Iranian and Spanish ancestry. She played Kate Reed in the USA Network legal drama Fairly Legal in 2011 -- 12, Carmen on The L Word in 2008, and also starred as Sameen Shaw on the CBS crime drama Person of Interest. She has also appeared as the main female role Det. Dani Reese in Life, and in a supporting role in Alias. In 2018 she stars in the series Reverie. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Filmography 5 References 6 External links Early Life Sarah Shahi was born on January 10, 1980, in Euless, Texas, and raised there. She is the daughter of Mah Monir Soroush Azar, an interior designer, and Abbas Jahansouz Shahi, who divorced when she was ten. Her father is from Iran. Her mother was born in Spain, to an Iranian Bahai father and a Spanish mother. She has an older brother, Cyrus, and a younger sister, Samantha, who is a production assistant. Her father 's family left Iran two years before the Iranian Revolution. Her father is a Bahai, who was working at the American Embassy in Iran, was slated for execution when the last Shah 's regime collapsed in 1979, but was able to flee the country. Her birth name, Aahoo ( Persian : آهو ‎ ), means `` gazelle '' in Persian.. She belongs to one of the major Bahai families. Shahi adopted Sarah as her name in second grade after hearing a song called `` Sarah '' because she was `` tormented '' by other children about her unusual birth name. At her father 's behest, she grew up speaking Persian, in addition to English. Shahi 's parents began entering her in beauty pageants at the age of eight. Shahi attended Trinity High School, where she was captain of the volleyball and basketball teams, and Southern Methodist University, majoring in English and Theater. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega during her time at SMU. Shahi won the Miss Fort Worth pageant in 1997. Hoping to become an actress, she joined the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders ( 1999 -- 2000 ) squad despite not having cheered before, and appeared on the cover of the squad 's 2000 calendar. Later, she moved to Los Angeles. Career Shahi at the 2012 Monte - Carlo Television Festival While working as an extra on the set of Dr. T and the Women in Texas, Shahi met director Robert Altman, who encouraged her to move to Hollywood, where she received roles in several series, including Alias, Dawson 's Creek, Reba, and Supernatural. In 2005 she appeared in the supporting character role of DJ Carmen de la Pica Morales on The L Word, which she joined in its second season. Shahi 's two - year contract was not renewed after the end of the fourth season, and her character was written out. She also played Farah in the second season of Sleeper Cell, and also appeared in HBO 's The Sopranos in 2007, in the Season 6b episode `` Kennedy and Heidi '' as Sonya Aragon, a stripper and college student who spends a weekend with Tony after a death in his family. In 2007, she secured a small role in Rush Hour 3 as Zoe, a scantily clad rich girl who is pursued by Chris Tucker 's character, Detective Carter. In 2007, she took on her first permanent leading role on a TV series, co-starring with Damian Lewis in the NBC series Life as homicide detective Dani Reese. The series ran for two seasons. In October 2009, Shahi landed the lead role in the USA Network pilot, Facing Kate. Shahi began filming in November 2009. The show followed the life of Kate Reed, a legal mediator who is frustrated with the bureaucracy and injustice she witnesses in the legal system. The series title was later changed to Fairly Legal. The show was cancelled after two seasons in November 2012. Shahi was cast as a recurring love interest for Taylor Kinney 's character Lt. Kelly Severide on NBC 's show Chicago Fire in October 2012. She was cast as the possibly recurring character of Sameen Shaw on Person of Interest. She was featured in the sixteenth episode of the second season, `` Relevance '', which aired in February 2013. In May 2013 CBS President Nina Tassler announced that Shahi would be added as a series regular for its third season. She played the daughter of Sylvester Stallone 's character in the action film Bullet to the Head. Following the January 7, 2015 episode of Person of Interest, Shahi and the show 's producers announced she would be leaving the show for an indefinite period of time because of her pregnancy. In February 2016, she was cast as iconic detective Nancy Drew in a planned TV series based on the books. In May 2016, CBS passed on the series, and its producers announced they would continue looking for a network to air the show. Also in May, Shahi resumed her appearances as Shaw on Person of Interest, until June 21, 2016, when the show ended. Personal Life Shahi married actor Steve Howey on February 7, 2009, in Las Vegas. On July 8, 2009, she gave birth to their first child, son William Wolf Howey, during an at - home water birth. In January 2015, she announced that she was pregnant with twins. On March 1, 2015, daughter Violet Moon and son Knox Blue were born during another home birth. Shahi was named number 90 on the Maxim magazine `` Hot 100 of 2005 '' list, moving up to number 66 in 2006 and 36 in 2012. She appeared on the cover of Maxim 's 2012 ' TV 's Hottest Girls ' Issue in October 2012. She ranked number 5 on the AfterEllen.com hot list in 2007. Filmography Film Year Title Role Other notes 2000 Dr. T and the Women Cheerleader Uncredited 2003 Old School Erica 2003 Legally Blonde 2 : Red, White & Blonde Becky, Delta Nu sister Uncredited 2005 A Lot Like Love Starlet 2006 For Your Consideration Sanchez 2006 The Dog Problem Candy 2007 Rush Hour 3 Zoe 2008 Shades of Ray Sana Khaliq 2008 AmericanEast Salwah 2009 Crossing Over Pooneh Baraheri 2011 East Fifth Bliss Hattie Skunk / Hattie Rockworth 2011 I Do n't Know How She Does It Janine LoPietro 2012 Static Adele Dade 2012 Bullet to the Head Lisa Bonomo 2013 The Congress Michelle 2014 Road to Paloma Eva 2015 Divine Access Marian 2015 The Adventures of Beatle Carla 2017 Hangman Captain Lisa Watson Television Year Title Role Other notes 2000 City Guys Cheerleader Episode : `` Shock Treatment '' 2000 Spin City Bachelorette Episode : `` Blind Faith '' 2001 Boston Public Laura Episode : `` Chapter Eleven '' 2001 Off Centre Angelica Episode : `` A Cute Triangle '' 2001 Maybe It 's Me Rosa Episode : `` The Exchange - Student Episode '' 2001 -- 2002 Alias Jenny 7 episodes 2002 Class of ' 06 Meg Unsold NBC pilot 2002 My Adventures in Television TV Diva Episode : `` The Chinese Baby '' 2003 Frasier Reservationist Episode : `` Door Jam '' 2003 Dawson 's Creek Sadia Shaw / Mystery Girl Episodes : `` Catch - 22 '', `` Sex and Violence '', and `` All the Right Moves '' 2003 ER Tara King Episode : `` The Greater Good '' Century City Ms. Morris Episode : `` Sweet Child of Mine '' 2004 -- 2007 Reba Bridget / Kate Episodes : `` Cheyenne 's Rival '' and `` To Tell You the Truth '' 2005 Plan B Bronwyn Unsold CMT pilot 2005 Supernatural Constance Welch / The Woman in White Episode : `` Pilot '' 2005 -- 2009 The L Word Carmen de la Pica Morales Supporting role character in 26 ( of 70 ) episodes 2005 The Drop Herself Episode : `` 2.49 '' 2006 Teachers Tina Torres Main character 2006 Sleeper Cell Farrah Episodes : `` Faith '' and `` Torture '' 2007 The Sopranos Sonya Aragon Episode : `` Kennedy and Heidi '' 2007 -- 2009 Life Dani Reese Main character, 32 episodes Psych Ruby Episode : `` Thrill Seekers and Hell Raisers '' 2011 -- 2012 Fairly Legal Kate Reed Lead character, 23 episodes 2011 Young Justice Killer Frost Episode : `` Terrors '' 2012 -- 2013 ; 2018 Chicago Fire Renee Royce 9 episodes 2013 -- 2016 Person of Interest Sameen Shaw First appears in the Season 2 episode `` Relevance '', and three more in that season, regular from the third season 2015 Ray Donovan Hasmig Episode : `` One Night in Yerevan '' 2016 Pitch Natalie Luongo Episodes : `` Unstoppable Forces & Immovable Objects '' and `` Scratched '' 2016 Drew Nancy Drew Unsold CBS pilot 2017 Michael Bolton 's Big, Sexy Valentine 's Day Special Carmela Netflix variety special 2018 -- present Reverie Mara Kint Main role 2018 Halfway There Carrie Claussen Television film References ^ Jump up to : Mills, Nancy ( 2011 - 01 - 24 ). `` Sarah Shahi turns cheerleading into ' Legal ' experience ''. USA Today. Retrieved 2011 - 01 - 24. Jump up ^ Ng, Philiana ( May 15, 2013 ). `` ' Person of Interest ' Adds Sarah Shahi as Series Regular ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` The L word cast ''. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 27 September 2012. ^ Jump up to : Robert Rorke ( January 30, 2011 ). `` Court of appeal ''. New York Post. Retrieved 17 December 2014. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2016 - 03 - 10. Retrieved 2015 - 06 - 12. ^ Jump up to : Ileane Rudolph ( October 6, 2008 ). `` For Sarah Shahi, life is beautiful ''. TV Guide. Retrieved February 21, 2013. Jump up ^ Matt Webb Mitovich ( February 20, 2013 ). `` On Person of Interest, Sarah Shahi trades ' wink - wink, flirt - flirt ', for being ' the ultimate bad - ass ' ''. TVLine.com. Retrieved February 21, 2013. Jump up ^ Luaine Lee ( January 19, 2011 ). `` Life has n't been easy for actress Sarah Shahi ''. News Observer. Archived from the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Sarah Shahi ''. Virtual Embassy of the United States Tehran, Iran. Retrieved December 16, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Sarah Shahi Trivia ''. TV.com. Retrieved 17 December 2014. Jump up ^ Cyrus Mir Shahi on Twitter Jump up ^ Samantha Shahi on Twitter Jump up ^ Askmen.com -- Sarah Shahi Biography Archived February 29, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. ^ Jump up to : Baron, Jeff ( January 4, 2011 ). `` With New Show, Sarah Shahi Is Ready for Her Close - Up ''. America.gov. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved January 7, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Rah of Iran ''. People.com. November 22, 1999. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Sarah Shahi : Biography ''. TVguide.com. Jump up ^ `` Sarah Shahi moves on from `` The L Word '' and `` Life '' to `` Fairly Legal '' - AfterEllen ``. AfterEllen. 2011 - 01 - 13. Retrieved 2016 - 05 - 16. Jump up ^ Wilonsky, Robert ( August 12, 2008 ). `` At SMU, Apparently, Sarah Shahi Was ' Walking Blue Balls ' ''. Dallas Observer. Unfair Park ( blog ). Archived from the original on August 14, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2011. Jump up ^ Shahi Lands Lead in USA 's ' Facing Kate ' Archived January 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Megan Masters ( November 1, 2012 ). `` Fairly Legal Cancelled After Two - Season Run ''. TVLine. Retrieved November 4, 2012. Jump up ^ Michael Ausiello ( October 30, 2012 ). `` ' Chicago Fire ' Cast -- Sarah Shahi to Play Taylor Kinney 's Love Interest ''. TVLine. Retrieved December 28, 2012. Jump up ^ Sandra Gonzalez ( January 8, 2013 ). `` Sarah Shahi to recur on ' Person of Interest ' ''. TV Guide. Retrieved February 21, 2013. Jump up ^ Philiana Ng ( May 15, 2013 ). `` ' Person of Interest ' Adds Sarah Shahi as Series Regular ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 9, 2013. Jump up ^ TV Guide Archived January 11, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Hibberd, James. `` Sarah Shahi cast as Nancy Drew in CBS reboot ''. EW.com. Retrieved 2016 - 02 - 29. Jump up ^ Goldberg, Lesley ( May 14, 2016 ). `` CBS Passes on Nancy Drew Reboot ; Drama Being Shopped Elsewhere ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 31, 2016. Jump up ^ Li, Shirley ( May 3, 2016 ). `` Person of Interest : EPs preview a final season set to ' blow things up ' ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 31, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Sarah Shahi, Steve Howey Welcome Son William Wolf ''. People.com. October 2, 2009. Retrieved August 16, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Sarah Shahi : How I handled my water birth ''. People.com. March 10, 2010. Retrieved February 21, 2013. / Jump up ^ Entertainment Weekly Archived January 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Steve Howey and Sarah Shahi Welcome Twins Violet Moon and Knox Blue ''. People.com. March 6, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2015. Jump up ^ Sarah Shahi profile on Maxim.com Archived October 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Beautiful Celebrities and Women of 2012 Maxim Hot 100 ''. Maxim.com. Retrieved 2014 - 01 - 22. Jump up ^ `` Sarah Shahi Covers Maxim 's 2012 ' TV 's Hottest Girls ' Issue ''. Celebrity-gossip.net. 2012 - 09 - 09. Retrieved 2014 - 01 - 22. Jump up ^ AfterEllen.com ranking Archived September 23, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ IMDB. `` L word cast & crew ''. Retrieved 28 September 2012. Jump up ^ `` Listings -- PERSON OF INTEREST on CBS ''. The Futon Criticom. 2013 - 02 - 21. Retrieved 2014 - 01 - 22. Jump up ^ `` ' Person of Interest ' Adds Sarah Shahi as Series Regular ''. The Hollywood Reporter. 2013 - 05 - 15. Retrieved 2014 - 01 - 22. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sarah Shahi. Official website Sarah Shahi on IMDb Sarah Shahi at AllMovie Sarah Shahi at the TCM Movie Database BNF : cb16621683v ( data ) GND : 140987169 ISNI : 0000 0000 7826 8972 LCCN : no2013049603 VIAF : 90687063 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sarah_Shahi&oldid=854179286 '' Categories : 1980 births 20th - century American actresses 21st - century American actresses Actresses from Texas American cheerleaders American female models American film actresses American people of Iranian descent American people of Spanish descent American television actresses American voice actresses Living people National Football League cheerleaders People from Euless, Texas Southern Methodist University alumni Qajar princesses Hidden categories : Twitter username different from Wikidata Webarchive template wayback links Pages using deprecated image syntax Pages using infobox person with unknown parameters Infobox person using ethnicity Infobox person using alma mater Articles with hCards Articles containing Persian - language text Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Asturianu Azərbaycanca تۆرکجه Български Čeština Deutsch Español Esperanto فارسی Français 한국어 Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Magyar მარგალური Nederlands 日本 語 پنجابی Polski Português Русский Simple English Suomi Svenska Türkçe Українська اردو Tiếng Việt 中文 21 more Edit links This page was last edited on 9 August 2018, at 13 : 57 ( UTC ). 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Question: actress who plays shaw in person of interest
Answer: Aahoo Jahansouz "Sarah" Shahi