Anna Khaja
| Anna Khaja | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Anna Khaja September 29, 1974 (age 43) Alameda County, California |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1999-present |
| Spouse(s) | Chris Rossi (m. 2006) |
| Website | www.annakhaja.com |
Anna Khaja (born 1974) is an American-born, award-winning actress of Pakistani and Indian heritage. Her father was born in India and spent his early years there before moving to Lahore, Pakistan, with his family.[1][2] Khaja plays the recurring role of Sita Parrish, mother of protagonist Alex Parrish, on ABC's Quantico. She has also played Zaafira on True Blood and Rachel in Silicon Valley. Her other credits include such shows as NCIS: Los Angeles, Criminal Minds, Stitchers on Freeform, For the People, The Newsroom, The Mentalist, The Fosters, Bones, The Good Place, Elementary, The Good Fight, Training Day, Shooter, S.W.A.T., and Madam Secretary.
Career
Khaja wrote, co-produced, and starred in the off-Broadway play Shaheed: The Dream and Death of Benazir Bhutto about the life and assassination of Pakistan's first female Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Khaja plays eight different characters in the production.[3] The role earned her an Ovation Award for Lead Actress in a Play by the LA STAGE Alliance[4] and an LA Weekly Theater Award for Best Solo Performance.[5]
In 2017, Khaja won a GLAAD Award for her portrayal of Hanna, a homosexual Muslim teen who immigrated to the United States.[6]
In 2005, Khaja's role as "The Academic" in David Hare's play Stuff Happens at the Mark Taper Forum in L.A. featured a controversial monologue that elicited both loud applause and boos from the crowd.[7] The monologue was delivered from the perspective of a Palestinian woman who was critical of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and its relation to concurrent conflicts in the Middle East.
She also originated the role of Nerjas in Judith Thompson's 2007 play Palace of the End for which she was awarded the LA Weekly Award for Best Solo Performance as well as being nominated for a Lead Actress Ovation Award.[8] Khaja has said her portrayal of certain roles is driven in part to show American audiences that, contrary to stereotypes, Muslim families in America favor peace, love, and generosity.[1]
She played Luha in the John Legend music video for Surefire from Legend's 2016 album Darkness and Light.[9]
Khaja also appeared in Danielle LoPresti's music video for her single Holy as an anti-LGBTQ pastor who opposes the marriage of a gay couple (played by Arrow and Torchwood actor John Barrowman and husband Scott Gill).[10] The dialogue between Khaja and the families featured in the video was unscripted.[11]
Personal Life
Khaja describes herself as a "math geek".[1]
Prior to acting, she taught high school and created a summer arts program in Compton, California.[1]
She has been married to Meadowland screenwriter Chris Rossi since 2006.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | LA Weekly Theater Award | Best Production | The Cosmonaut’s last message to the woman he once loved in the former soviet union | Won |
| 2005 | Ovation Award | Best Ensemble | Stuff Happens | Nominated |
| 2008 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Palace of the End | Won |
| LA Weekly Theater Award | Outstanding Solo Performance | Nominated | ||
| 2010 | Ovation Award | Lead Actress in a Play | Shaheed: The Dream and Death of Benazir Bhutto | Won |
| LA Weekly Theater Award | Outstanding Solo Performance | Shaheed: The Dream and Death of Benazir Bhutto | Nominated | |
| 2011 | GLAAD Media Award | Best Production | No Word in Guyanese For Me | Won |
| 2014 | Ovation Award | Lead Actress in a Play | My Name Is Asher Lev | Nominated |
| Stage Raw Award | Supporting Female Performance | My Name Is Asher Lev | Nominated | |
Filmography
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | The Cosmonaut's Last Message to the Woman He Once Loved in the Former Soviet Union | Natasja | Open Fist Theatre Company |
| 2005 | Stuff Happens | Cherie Blair | Mark Taper Forum |
| 2007 | Palace of the End | Nehrjas | Lyceum Theatre |
| 2009 | Around the World in 80 Days | Aouda | Cleveland Play House |
| 2010 | Shaheed: The Dream and Death of Benazir Bhutto | Benazir Bhutto, miscellaneous | Stephanie Feury Studio Theater |
| 2011 | No Word in Guyanese for Me | Hanna | The Sidewalk Studio Theatre |
| 2013 | Falling | Tami | Rogue Machine Theatre |
| 2014 | My Name Is Asher Lev | Mother, various | The Fountain Theatre |
| 2017 | Free Outgoing | Malini | East West Players |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Man Woman Film | Anastasia X | |
| 2007 | King of California | Officer Contreras | |
| 2008 | Yes Man | Faranoush | |
| 2009 | Reunion | Anna | |
| 2009 | Post Grad | Juanita | |
| 2009 | This Might Hurt | TV Movie | |
| 2010 | Order of Chaos | Meter Maid | |
| 2012 | California Solo | Anna | |
| 2015 | Meadowland | Fatimah | |
| 2015 | The Party Is Over | Rania | |
| 2016 | The Caretaker | Dr. Patel | |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | For the People | Lupe | 1 episode |
| 2005 | Strong Medicine | ER Receptionist | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Numb3rs | Saida Kafaji | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Sleeper Cell | N.O.C. Agent | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Weeds | Female Agent | 1 episode |
| 2008 | Dirt | Nurse | 1 episode |
| 2009 | FlashForward | Older Woman | 1 episode |
| 2009 | Private Practice | Cooper's Lawyer | 1 episode |
| 2009 | House | Dr. D'Razio | 1 episode |
| 2010 | The Real Girl's Guide to Everything Else | Aliyah | 1 episode |
| 2010 | The Closer | Mrs. Mota | 1 episode |
| 2012 | Bent | Dr. Patel | 1 episode |
| 2012 | True Blood | Zaafira | 5 episodes |
| 2013 | Criminal Minds | Dr. Francie Kendall | 1 episode |
| 2013 | The Newsroom | Shannon Hammid | 1 episode |
| 2013 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Talita Pambakian | 1 episode |
| 2014 | The Mentalist | Ellen | 1 episode |
| 2015 | The Fosters | Joan | 1 episode |
| 2015 | Bones | Principal Anne Franklin | 1 episode |
| 2016 | Stitchers | Getti Ahluwalla | 5 episodes |
| 2016 | Conviction | Kadisha Abdullah | 1 episode |
| 2016 | Elementary | Nazria Durrani | 1 episode |
| 2016 | Powerhouse | Maxine Mazari | 3 episodes |
| 2017 | The Good Fight | Zeinah Aboulafia | 1 episode |
| 2017 | Training Day | Kathy Meyers | 1 episode |
| 2017 | Shooter | Gabina | 2 episodes |
| 2016-2018 | The Good Place | Manisha Al-Jamil | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | S.W.A.T. | Agent Abby Dubois | 2 episodes |
| 2017-2018 | Madam Secretary | Amina Salah | 2 episodes |
| 2015-2018 | Silicon Valley | Rachel | 10 episodes |
| 2018 | For the People | Vera Simmons | 3 episodes |
| 2015-2018 | Quantico | Sita Parrish | 5 episodes |
References
- 1 2 3 4 Lardiere, Mia. Celebuzz Exclusive: ‘Quantico’ Star Anna Khaja Wants a Husband Beam and More Diversity on Television, Celebuzz!, 2015-10-04. Retrieved on 2018-07-26.
- ↑ Melville, Lee. "Anna Khaja’s Personal Journey to Shaheed", This Stage Magazine, 2010-05-24. Retrieved on 2018-07-26.
- ↑ Jackson, Vanessa. "Anna Khaja Talks ABC’s ‘Quantico’ And What She’s Learned From Meryl Streep", Galo Magazine, 2015-11-22. Retrieved on 2018-07-26.
- ↑ Wang, Andrea. "Alumna Anna Khaja wins Ovation Award for lead actress in self-written play 'Shadeed: The Dream and Death of Benazir Bhutto'", The Daily Bruin, 2011-03-29. Retrieved on 2018-07-26.
- ↑ Morris, Steven Leigh.The 32nd annual L.A. Weekly Theater Awards Nominees, LA Weekly, 2011-02-17. Retrieved on 2018-07-26.
- ↑ Lyons, Amy. No Word in Guyanese for Me, Backstage, 2011-05-18. Retrieved on 2018-07-26.
- ↑ Shirley, Don. Boos based on Mideast borders, LATimes.com, 2005-06-26. Retrieved on 2018-07-26.
- ↑ Ovation Award Winner Anna Khaja Launches Bold New Role, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Retrieved on 2018-07-26.
- ↑ Reed, Ryan. Watch John Legend Celebrate Borderless Love in New 'Surefire' Video, Rolling Stone, 2017-05-22. Retrieved on 2018-07-26.
- ↑ Wong, Curtis. New Song Tackles The Fraught Relationship Between Religion And Sexuality, HuffPost, 2016-11-23. Retrieved on 2018-07-26.
- ↑ Watch Danielle LoPresti’s New Music Video ‘Holy’, Curve Mag, 2016-11-21. Retrieved on 2018-07-26.