While having good looks is a top priority for many Hollywood stars, the same cannot be said for
Life actress
Sarah Shahi, whose model-esque beauty made it hard for the actress to land roles in several productions.
"It's something I always wanted, and it would always come down to something… They would always say, 'She's too pretty. Nobody would buy her as a small-town waitress,'” Shahi told the
New York Daily News.
Your Take
simoman said:
Didn't see her work previous to Life but one things for sure- on Life she rocks.
Classy chick who isn't af...
isagrim said:
I've really fallen in love with her portrayal of Dani Reese and just continually blown away by her performa...
Then came NBC's
Life, a drama series about a man who returns to the outside world after being wrongfully imprisoned for 12 years. Shahi, who plays Detective Dani Reese on the show, said that her current television gig is “nice” because her character's physical appearance is “secondary or tertiary.” She is also happy to be portraying a character that has substance.
"I hunger for things like this, for meaty roles that have complexity, and layer upon layer," Sarah Shahi said.
Before starring in
Life, Shahi, who also has a background in cheerleading, was best known as Carmen de la Pica Morales on Showtime's
The L Word. The role helped to further her career, but also hurt in some ways.
“[
The L Word] gave me the luxury of being a bit pickier with my roles," she said. "At the same time, it was my first big serious role, it definitely put impressions in people's minds."
Nevertheless, she is grateful for the experience, which allowed her to show off her versatility as an actress. Now, thanks to
Life, she is getting another chance to show viewers a different side of her. Even Shahi's costar
Damian Lewis, who plays series lead Detective Charlie Crews, is impressed by what he has seen.
"Sarah is doing fantastic work," Lewis said. "The endless questions about cheerleading is really not applicable to what she's doing now. She's definitely proved herself as a serious actress."
-Lisa Claustro, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: New York Daily News
(Image Courtesy of NBC)