Q&A: Actress, Writer, & Director Sarah Solemani

Odds are, you probably recognize Sarah Solemani for her role as Bridget's bestie Miranda in the Bridget Jones movies, but she is making waves behind the camera as well. Solemani's short film, "Mashhad", which recently premiered at the Holly Shorts Film Festival, follows a young Iranian girl who is naively unaware of the great lengths that her family goes through in order to keep her Jewish identity a secret to ensure her safety. However, one day while playing with a friend, her life and her family’s life are put in jeopardy, unfolding a journey of survival, courage, and bonds that transcend faith and fear.

Solemani epitomizes the well-rounded creative. Her acting background has had a lot of influence in her other works as both a writer and director. Plus, on top of being an actress, writer, and director, Solemani is also an academic, having earned a Masters Degree in Political Science from Cambridge University, which adds a whole other layer to her perspective as a storyteller and her approach to the work she does. Her next project includes the feature film Mango, which she is directing. She is also showrunning the TV drama "The Party", a 5-part series starring Luke Evans, based on a novel by Elizabeth Day. The series follows a journalist (Evans) who is influenced by his lifelong friendship with a wealthy politician (Cullen).

We recently caught up with Solemani to find out more about her bold new short film and also her extraordinary career, which began on the prestiguous boards of the West End, and her thoughts on wearing many different hats in the entertainment industry.

To keep up with Solemani’s work, check out her official website.