Shohreh Aghdashloo is perhaps best known to American audiences for her Oscar-nominated performance in The House of Sand and Fog. But this versatile actress has appeared in X-Men: The Last Stand and on the TV series 24. Her latest film, The Stoning of Soraya M., which opens Friday, is a powerful drama about a conspiracy in an Iranian village. Aghdashloo met with Aroundphilly.com to discuss her role as Zahra, the truth teller in the film, as well as her other roles and passions.

GK: When/how were you first aware of the barbaric practice of stoning in modern day?
SA: In the late 1980s. A group smuggled a tape outside Iran, and it was filmed inside a sack. The one I saw involved two young men, 18 and 19 years old. They were being stoned for having an inappropriate relationship—in other words, they were homosexual. They were first given 80 lashes and then were stoned to death. This took an hour and a half. And those who tell me the stoning scene in our film is graphic, they make me laugh. I’ve seen a real one, and believe me, the [film] is a mild version of what happens in reality. This was a ritualized, universal version—nothing to do with the real one.

GK: I think some of the customs presented in the film (e.g., that a dead woman can’t be seen by any man, including her husband) will be new to American audiences. What did you know about the customs depicted in the film? What research did you do, and/or what did you learn making The Stoning of Soraya M.?
SA: First and foremost, when I decide to play a role, I have to write a background for this character. After writing a background, I have to think of the physicality. I saw this picture on the cover of The New York Times of an Iraqi woman standing next to a 7 or 8 year old girl, bruises all over her face, white scarves, fire going behind her back, her hands crossed, and she’s looking into the distance. [Aghdashloo poses]. The strength in her eyes said ‘I am determined to win this war!’ This is Zahra. I tore out this picture, took it with me to Jordan, and for a month and a half, she was on my mirror. Every morning, I bowed to her and dedicated the [performance] to her and my nanny, Maryam, also a village woman. Then I had to sit down and think of details, because the way I portray my character is through details. I’m a method actor. When I tell the reporter, “the devil himself [was here]” and I bite my hand, I remember that my nanny used to do this.

GK: You also use your chardor [veil] very expressively.
SA: I started practicing with the chardor in Los Angeles before my departure for Jordan. I remembered that I would go to the mosque with my grandmother, and my grandmother would say, “Oh, so-and-so, doesn’t want to talk to us today,” because she covered her lips with her veil. There were so many ways of doing it. [In the film] when I talked to Ebrahim, who was once Zahra’s suitor, I let half of the chardor go, I bring him in to the chardor, and talk to him intimately. When I’m upset, I bring it over my nose. Also, I played in a film Broken Hearts, where I had to wear a chardor, I learned how to cross it and bring it back, and the different ways of wearing a chardor. I really explored every avenue.

GK: In the film, Zahra tells the reporter “Take my voice with you”—and you have a great voice—what does making films like The Stoning of Soraya M. do to get your voice heard and teach others about injustice? Your interest in social justice obviously attracted you to this role/film. How did you get involved in the production? I thought you would have produced this film.
SA: Stephen McEveety, who produced The Passion of the Christ, produced it with his partners. By no means would I be able to produce a film as this level. When Cyrus Nowrasteh [the director] told me about the subject matter, I said, I was in. I would have played the role of the Mayor if necessary, for the sake of this film to be made, and for the sake of shedding light on this barbaric method of punishment. I would have played a pair of shoes. I asked, “Do you know of any dedicated, responsible producers in Hollywood who would be willing to risk his money on this?” When he said Steve, I knew it would happen.

GK: What appeal do you think this film will have for an audience? It’s a pretty heavy subject, and not a feel good date film.
SA: Curiosity. It’s not an accident that the film is out now. It is not a summer movie, but it out now because of the [Iranian] election. We knew the election would take place, but we didn’t know this would happen. The film is an eye-opener. Our target audience is the ones who care, and are curious and who are into films. This is a powerful and gripping film. It’s very compelling.

GK: How was it to film the stoning scene? It’s the highlight of the film.
SA: I can’t tell you the secret. It took six days, and all I can tell you is that it’s the same team of special effects as The Passion of the Christ.

GK: You defended your role on 24 for being a complex character. Has that helped your career? Hurt it? What about careers for Iranian/Middle Eastern actresses?
SA: With 24, the problem was that those who were offended couldn’t tell the different between cinema/drama and reality. And also, they assumed that I was from the Middle East. I had a pact with the producers that they put in my contract that my character’s nationality was never revealed. And it was never revealed.

GK: Zahra is a very strong character. What is the criteria for you to take a role?
SA: As long as it makes sense and there is a meaning behind it. Pure entertainment does not attract me anymore, unless it’s short and sweet, and doesn’t take my time. I’m dying to do comedy. I love doing comedies…. I was going through the corridors of Universal once, and this gentleman was passing, and he said to me, “Woman, you sure know how to choose your roles,” and I turned to him, and said, “Sir, believe me, I pick them up with a pair of tweezers!”

GK: Where do you look for your material?
SA: Medium doesn’t make a difference when I act—on the stage, for cinema or on television. Of course, the method of acting in each is different, but the core of the idea the acting, doesn’t make a difference. I have to convince myself it is going to be compelling.

GK: Comedy is not going to be like that…
SA: Of course not! But in between, I would love to take that. And they pay more!
[Laughs].

GK: You speak Farsi in this film. In America, most viewers have not seen you do that. Would you go back to Iran, or make films in Iran?
SA: First, my name was banned [in Iran] until the Oscars. Nobody would mention me. No one had the courage to mention me, because when I left Iran and started studying I turned myself into a self-appointed activist. And I never kept quiet. I had a socio-political commentary on channel 18 in Los Angeles for 12 years every Sunday at 1 o’clock, for free. I say “for free” because I wasn’t working for money. I wanted to do this because I wanted to help. That’s why I’m not afraid of working and doing these things, but my name was banned until Oscars. My mother called, and said my name was in the newspapers.

GK: Has that changed your life? Are you more legitimate now? Why are you not getting more roles?
SA: I’m not the girl next door. I can’t play Isadora Duncan, one of my favorite roles. It’s ever so kind of them to have me in House of Sand of Fog. Because of the awards [LA Critic, Independent Spirit], people in the industry realize I can work, they can trust me. I’m in The Nativity Story, X-Men, and TV series, and reading books on tape—I find Americans like to hear audio books with accent. There is no limit.

GK: Isadora….Do you have aspirations to dance?
SA: I am dying to do that! I am a good dancer—not publicly. I dance for friends. I close the doors, and lock them. I’m dying to do Dancing with the Stars, but my publicist says “no, No. NO!” She knows…


For more information on The Stoning of Soraya M., visit www.thestoning.com