
Age: 44
female
Leila Effat Farzad (Arabic: ليلى عفت Persian: لیلا عفت فرزاد; born December 30, 1981) is a British actress. She is known for her role as Naomi Jones in the Sky Atlantic series I Hate Suzie (2020–2022), which earned her a British Academy Television Award nomination. Farzad was born in London to Iranian parents. She was inspired to pursue acting by National Theatre productions her aunt took her to see, however, her parents requested she get a degree from Oxbridge first. She first studied Modern Languages at Worcester College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in French and Italian Literature. She then went on to train at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, which she said "felt like home". Farzad began her career with a voice role in the third and fourth series of the Channel 5 animated children's series Peppa Pig. She made her live action television debut in an episode of the ITV police procedural Law & Order: UK and her professional stage debut as the titular role in Miriam. Gonzalez. Durantez. at Theatre503. This was followed by roles in Blue Remembered Hills at Chichester Festival Theatre, the all female Julius Caesar at the Bridge Theatre in London, Richard II at Shakespeare's Globe. She also appeared in the ITV anthology Innocent. Farzad landed her first main role was I Hate Suzie as Naomi Jones, Suzie's (Billie Piper) manager and friend. The series was released in 2020 on Sky Atlantic and HBO Max to critical acclaim, and Farzad was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress. Farzad reprised her role in I Hate Suzie's second installment titled I Hate Suzie Too in 2022. Also that year, Farzad joined the cast of Avenue 5 for its second season and appeared alongside Josh Hartnett in The Fear Index, also on Sky. In 2023, she starred in the BBC crime drama Better. She also appeared in the TV series Kaos.

The story follows Circe, the daughter of the sun god Helios and the nymph Perse, who is born with a powerful gift of witchcraft. However, she is not as beautiful or captivating as her siblings, and she soon discovers her ability to transform others into monsters. When she uses her powers on a mortal, it leads to her banishment to the island of Aiaia by Zeus. Isolated on the island, Circe hones her magical skills and interacts with various mythological figures, including the Minotaur, Daedalus, and Odysseus. Throughout her exile, Circe grapples with her identity, her relationships with gods and mortals, and her desire for companionship. The narrative explores themes of power, love, and self-discovery.






