Nasim Pedrad facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nasim Pedrad
نسیم پدراد
Pedrad in 2014
Born	(1981-11-18) 18 November 1981 (age 43) Tehran, Iran
Education	University of California, Los Angeles (BFA)
Occupation	Actress comedian
Years active	2002–present

Nasim Pedrad (born November 18, 1981) is an American actress and comedian known for her funny characters and voice roles. She was a main cast member on the famous TV show Saturday Night Live from 2009 to 2014, where she performed in many comedy skits.

After SNL, she starred in several TV comedies. These include Mulaney, New Girl, and the horror-comedy series Scream Queens. She also created and starred in her own show called Chad.

You might also recognize her voice from animated movies. She voiced characters in The Lorax and Despicable Me 2. She also played the role of Dalia, Princess Jasmine's best friend, in the live-action Disney movie Aladdin.

Early Life and Education

Nasim Pedrad was born in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. Shortly after she was born, her family decided to move to the United States. Her father moved first, but Nasim and her mother had to live in Germany for a while. They were finally able to join her father in the U.S. when she was three years old.

She grew up with her younger sister, Nina, who also works in comedy as a writer. Nasim was interested in acting and comedy from a young age. She attended the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television and graduated in 2003.

Career Journey

Starting in Comedy

Before she was famous on TV, Pedrad performed comedy on stage. She was part of a comedy group called The Groundlings. She also created her own one-woman show called Me, Myself & Iran, which she performed at famous comedy theaters in Los Angeles. Her show was so good that it was chosen for the HBO Comedy Festival in 2007.

Her first TV role was a small part in an episode of Gilmore Girls in 2006. She also had a recurring role as Nurse Suri on the medical drama ER.

Saturday Night Live

In 2009, Pedrad achieved a major goal for any comedian: she joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (SNL). SNL is a famous show where actors perform live comedy sketches. For her first two years, she was a "featured player," and then she was promoted to a main cast member.

On SNL, she was known for her funny impressions of celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Arianna Huffington. She stayed on the show for five years before leaving in 2014 to star in a new show.

Life After SNL

After leaving SNL, Pedrad starred in the sitcom Mulaney. A sitcom is a "situation comedy," a type of funny TV show. She also had a memorable recurring role as a police officer named Aly Nelson on the popular show New Girl from 2015 to 2018.

In 2015, she was part of the main cast for the first season of Scream Queens, a show that mixed horror and comedy. She has also appeared in many other TV shows, including Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

In 2021, Pedrad created, wrote, and starred in her own sitcom called Chad. In the show, she played the main character, a 14-year-old boy trying to become popular in high school.

Roles in Movies

Besides her work on television, Nasim Pedrad has appeared in many movies. She often lends her voice to animated characters.

• In 2012, she voiced the Once-ler's mother in the animated movie The Lorax.
• In 2013, she was the voice of Jillian in Despicable Me 2.
• In 2019, she played Dalia, the handmaiden and best friend to Princess Jasmine, in Disney's live-action version of Aladdin.
• In 2020, she starred in the Netflix comedy movie Desperados.

Selected Filmography

Here are some of the movies and TV shows Nasim Pedrad has been in.

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Nasim Pedrad para niños