Today we’d like to introduce you to Jewell Farshad.
Hi Jewell, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My name is Jewell Negin Farshad, and I’m an Iranian-born model and actress based in Los Angeles. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been passionate about being an artist and performer. From singing and dancing at every family gathering as a little girl, to fighting my way into underground theater in Iran, expressing myself creatively has always been in my blood.
But growing up in the Islamic Republic of Iran, being a woman with dreams like mine felt almost impossible. Women weren’t allowed to model. We still aren’t seen in commercials. Our roles in cinema and television were minimal, and often muted. The schooling system and the regime worked hard to brainwash us into submission—I remember struggling deeply, even questioning if life was worth living. In a world where simply being a woman felt like a crime, my only escape was watching banned American TV, MTV videos, listening to smuggled music, and dreaming about freedom from the little room I called my own.
Everything changed in my late teens when my sister entered our family into the U.S. Green Card lottery. By some miracle, my name was selected. Not anyone else in my family, a bitter sweet moment. That one lucky moment saved my life and gave me a chance—a chance to be free, to become who I am today, and to tell a different story about Iranian women to the world.
Today, I live and work in the U.S., but Iran is forever in my heart. Every step I take in my career is a vow to speak out—for human rights, for women’s rights in Iran, and for the freedom to live and express without fear. I want the world to see that Iranians are not how we’ve been portrayed. We are kind, smart, visionaries. And we deserve to be free. Free from the terrorist regime that has enslaved us.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
From Tehran to Hollywood: My Journey Through Freedom, Identity, and Fighting for Representation
Leaving Iran was the hardest and most necessary thing I’ve ever done. Leaving my mom and dad, my sister and my entire family behind to start a life alone.
Arriving in America brought a different set of challenges. For the first time, I was confronted with racism. In Iran, we had cultural and ethnic diversity, but we didn’t grow up in a society shaped by the legacy of slavery or systemic racial divisions. In the U.S., I quickly realized I didn’t fit into any predefined category. I wasn’t white enough to pass for mainstream roles, and I was often told I wasn’t “ethnic enough” to play Middle Eastern characters. I found myself lost in a new kind of identity crisis — no longer invisible, but still unseen.
In Hollywood, the rejection became painfully familiar. Agents offered advice that felt more like erasure than opportunity. “Change your last name to Rodriguez and go out for Latina roles,” one suggested. Another told me to get a spray tan, throw on a black wig, and audition for terrorist roles. Leading roles were out of the question — I was told girls like me don’t get to be the heroine. Like Persian girls aren’t pretty enough to be the love interest.
But I refused to let that narrative define me. I channeled every no into fuel. I spent years sharpening my craft, working behind the camera as well as in front of it, and began creating my own stories — stories that offered a new perspective, stories that dismantled stereotypes rather than reinforced them.
Through all of this, my purpose has only become clearer: to be a voice for those who can’t speak freely, to reshape the image of Iranian women, and to show the world that we are more than the way we’ve been portrayed. We are artists. We are storytellers. We are human.
Freedom gave me a stage — but it’s the fight for truth, for justice, and for representation that gives my work meaning. Every role I take, every project I create, is a step toward a world where women — no matter where they’re born — can be seen, heard, and fully free.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a model, actress, content creator, and artist. I see myself as a living canvas — using my body, voice, and presence to express emotion, story, and truth. Sometimes the medium is me; other times, it’s the character I become in a film, or the narrative I help bring to life in a fashion editorial. Every runway walk, every photoshoot, every role is an opportunity for artistic expression — a chance to create something meaningful, to connect, and to reflect the world in a new way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jewell.life/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jewellfarshad/
- Twitter: https://jewell.life/
Image Credits
Photo by Serin Matous
