In the mid-1980s, Aghdashloo relocated to the United States, settling in Los Angeles, where many Iranian expatriates had formed a new artistic community. She became active in theater, particularly with her husband, Houshang Touzie, a playwright and actor. Together they established drama troupes that staged Persian-language plays addressing the struggles of exile, identity, and the experience of Iranian immigrants. Their productions, such as Behind the Veil and The House of Bernarda Alba, toured internationally, resonating deeply with audiences from the Iranian diaspora.
These years of stage work laid the foundation for Aghdashloo’s eventual success in Hollywood. They sharpened her bilingual acting skills and allowed her to bring authenticity to the portrayal of immigrant and displaced characters — roles that would later define her career.
Breaking into Hollywood
Aghdashloo’s entry into American cinema was not easy. Like many foreign-born actresses, she faced typecasting, linguistic barriers, and a lack of substantive roles for Middle Eastern women. Her first major American film appearance came in Guests of Hotel Astoria (1989), followed by small television appearances, including a 1990 guest role on Matlock. In the 1990s, she continued to appear sporadically on television and in independent films, working tirelessly to break through Hollywood’s cultural barriers.
Her perseverance paid off dramatically in 2003 with House of Sand and Fog, directed by Vadim Perelman. In the film, Aghdashloo starred alongside Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly, playing Nadi Behrani — a proud Iranian immigrant whose family’s American dream spirals into tragedy. Her portrayal of Nadi was subtle yet powerful, capturing the pain of displacement and the dignity of a woman caught between two worlds. Critics hailed her performance as one of the most emotionally nuanced of the decade, and she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. It was a landmark moment: Aghdashloo became the first Iranian-born actress ever nominated for an Oscar.
