June 2009 | blackfilm.com | THE STONING OF SORAYA M | An Interview with Shohreh Aghdashloo

June 2009

THE STONING OF SORAYA M | An Interview with Shohreh Aghdashloo

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THE STONING OF SORAYA M
An Interview with Shohreh Aghdashloo
By Brad Balfour

June 23, 2009

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Q: How much do you think that Iran has changed over the course of the 30 years when you working with Abbas Kiarostami?

SA: Actually, "The Report" was 34 years ago. The reason I left was the rumor in the area was that the Islamic Republic was going to take over and Iotola was coming to Iran via Air France. Being familiar with Islam from my grandmother--who was a pious woman,
but not a fanatic by any means--and its doctrine I knew there was no place [for me] in that society.

That’s why I jumped in my car in February 28th, 1979, and drove to Europe 31 days later. But yes, it has changed a lot, to the degree that nowadays we’re hearing words on the streets of Iran that you have not heard before. Not for the last 30 years.
We’re hearing words such as transparency, law, accountability which is very healthy, very promising and very exciting.

Q: Did you see the animated film,"Persepolis"--another story about a woman dealing with the impact of the Islamic revolution on her life as an I ranian and an exile.

SA: I hosted the movie twice and have seen it as well. And loved it. Strange enough, I kept telling friends ‘Why does somebody makes the film about the Iranians and our background and the dynasties before." I kept saying this is such a long and complicated
story, it can only happen in cartoons and animation, and then it came out. And I was absolutely right! It’s the only way of showing it honestly. If you wanted to do it like a film, it would have been impossible with all those productions and scenes and storytelling. It was a great work, I loved it.

Q: Having had the opportunity to play this woman now, with this voice in this film that says this has to heard, was it liberating for you as a woman to be the one to herald this voice right now?

SA: Absolutely. It was definitely liberating to me as an actor, as a feminist, as an activist, as someone who really cares about what’s going on in that country, but I have to clear the air here, nothing like that happened when I was a child. Never, ever…

Q: Moving here in the 80’s to work in the US, how was that challenge as a middle-eastern actress to land a role here; it’s changing a bit but back then it must have been tough--how did you manage?

SA: In fact, when I got to US, a friend of mine said "You’ve got to work. I have to introduce to an agent." I
went to meet with the agent, a very nice guy. He said "Shorheh, you’re sort of overqualified."

Yeah I can understand what he was trying to say. "You can get work, but it's going to be limited." With this
accent and jet black hair, what are you talking about... Of course! I know that!

Then he sent me to different auditions and I realized that this was all extra work, like daily work and I called him and said "David, et’s not ruin our relationship over these petty audtions."

At that time I was doing theater with my current husband, Houshang Touzie, he's a playwright. He writes, directs, and produces
contemporary Iranian plays. If I want to compare him to anybody in US, I would definitely say Neil Simon. Yeah, comedy.

We were doing so well with our first play, we brought our first house through it, so I thought, "Why am I wasting
my time?" I called David and said "Let’s forget about it."

It was 15 years later that Deborah Aquila, our casting director, called and I was sitting in my office and said
‘Can I talk to Shoria Adhdashi? ’ and i said Wow! That’s sounds a lot like my name but it’s not my name. Where on earth did you get this name? She said ‘Whatever your name is, would you like to come down and sort it out.’ And I said, where to? And she said ‘Dreamworks.’ I said, regarding what? She said ‘House of Sand and Fog’ and I went speechless.

I had read the book and I told my husband, then, two years prior to this call that if one day they make a film out of this book and they do not give me this roll, it would be really unfair of them. Then there’s no democracy in this country! He said ‘What does it have
to do with democracy? You’re such a political animal’ (Everyone laughs)

Q: They didn’t make you change yourname?

SA: Well, actually there were suggestions, such as Sherry Lou. (laughs). I said forget it, there is no way. I’d rather my name being butchered than be called Sherry Lou. ‘I’m going to go to the loo, Sherry Lou.’ Forget it, forget it, I’m not going to change it.

Q: When "House of Sand and Fog" basically catapulted on to the American cinema scene, you've been know for doing serious films, do you want to do a comedy?

SA: I’m dying to do a comedy, like the one I did with "Will and Grace" have you seen that? I loved doing that one. It’s one of my favorite episodes, and favorite roles I’ve ever gotten. In it Debra, that is, her character, needs an assistant and wants to prove to
Meghan that she is not a racist, therefore she hires me. But I’m the worst assistant one can have, because all I do, I’m into nail polishing all the time, and when the phone rings I don’t know what to do with the phone. With a long name that needs a lorry or a truck to bring it (laughs). I still remember, when she asks me ‘What’s your name?’ I say "My name is acieromshtockiequamstochie [laughs].

Q: If you refer to the situation in Iran, how does this film play a part in the debate and in the broader Middle Eastern discussion?

SA: It’s amazing how timely this film is. It’s not only timeless but also timely. Of course, shedding light on injustices such as this one would help a lot for the people hearing about what’s happening in Iran and it’s not only happening in Iran, it’s
happening in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and more. So, being it at the same time as this election and all these demonstration in Iran, its just amazing, and again, it’s like a miracle.

I have to admit that from the moment Cyrus called to the moment we went to Jordan to shoot didn’t take more than a month and a half, then a month and a half of shooting, a couple of months in post, and in less than a year we were in Toronto Film Festival--where we managed to become a runner up to "Slumdog Millionaire."

In fact last year at this same time we were filming in Jordan, so it’s just amazing how timely it is and the effect it's going to have in opening people's eyes to what’s going on behind the curtain, especially in rural societies in the Islamic world. It also gives a portrait of these voiceless woman who do not have even their own basic nights.

Q: Do you have a Twitter and Facebook account?

SA: No, I haven’t managed to get one yet, but I’m dying to...

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