Tala Ashe
Talayeh Ashrafi, known professionally as Tala Ashe, is an Iranian-American actress. She was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 2024 and known for her roles on the television series Smash, The Girls on the Bus, Adults, American Odyssey, and As the World Turns, as well as her regular role as Zari Tomaz and Zari Tarazi on The CW superhero series Legends of Tomorrow.
Ashe has acted in many musical and play productions, including Broadway's English, for which she received nominations at the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play and at the Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance.
Early life and education
Ashe was born in Tehran, Iran. She immigrated to the United States when she was nine months old. Ashe grew up in Powell, Ohio, just outside of the state capital Columbus. She participated in her high school theatre productions as both an actress and director.Ashe received a BFA from Boston University's School of Theatre. She also trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City.
Career
Ashe has performed in numerous regional and Off-Broadway stage productions. Ashe's first screen credit is for her role as Nadia in the 2008 film Waiting in Beijing. She was credited as Tala Ashrafi, but is credited as Tala Ashe in all subsequent roles. She has made guest appearances on the series Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, 30 Rock, and Covert Affairs. Ashe has also had recurring roles on Smash and American Odyssey. She was also a cast member on As the World Turns.In 2017, Ashe joined the main cast of Legends of Tomorrow as Zari Tomaz. She took the lead for a bottle episode titled "Here I Go Again" and drew praise from critics and fans alike for her performance.
In 2022 Ashe was cast for the lead role of Elham on Off-Broadway debut play English at the Linda Gross Theatre. After playing the role in a number of theatres in the US, the play debuted on Broadway at the Roundabout Theatre Company's Todd Haimes Theatre in January 2025. He performance gave her a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play and a Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance.