{{Short description|Iranian-American actress}} {{Infobox person | name = Pooya Mohseni | image = | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = | birth_place = [[Tehran]], [[Iran]] | occupation = {{Plain list| * Actress * LGBTQ rights activist }} | years_active = 2010—Present }}
'''Pooya Mohseni''' is an Iranian-American actress and [[LGBTQ rights activist]]. She has appeared in various television series including ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]],'' ''[[Madam Secretary (TV series)|Madam Secretary]]'', and ''[[The Walking Dead: Dead City]]''. In film, she appeared in the slasher film ''[[Terrifier]]'' (2016) and starred in ''[[See You Then (film)|See You Then]]'' (2021), the latter of which garnered her critical acclaim.
== Personal life and career == Mohseni was born in [[Tehran]], Iran, and moved to [[New York City]], U.S., at the age of 18.<ref name="iranwire">{{Cite news|title=مسیری پر از تبعیض تا رسیدن به موفقیت؛ گفتگو با «پویا محسنی»|trans-title=A Path Full of Discrimination to Success; A Conversation with Pooya Mohseni|url=https://iranwire.com/fa/blogs/107172-مسیری-پر-از-تبعیض-تا-رسیدن-به-موفقیت-گفتگو-با-پویا-محسنی-زن-ترنس-ایرانی/|date=September 3, 2022|access-date=February 18, 2022|language=fa|publisher=IranWire|first=Shaya|last=Goldoust}}</ref> She studied design in New York and later became an actress.<ref name="bio">{{Cite web |title=Pooya Mohseni |url=https://pooyaland.com/ |access-date=February 18, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Mohseni has spoken about the harassment and discrimination she faced in Iran, including several suicide attempts due to her identity as a [[transgender woman]].<ref name="VOA">{{Cite web|title=روایت پویا محسنی بازیگر ایرانیتبار و فعال حقوق دگرباشان جنسی از آزار و اذیت در ایران|url=https://ir.voanews.com/a/pooya-mohseni-actor-activist-queer-transgender/5200248.html|trans-title=Pooya Mohseni, Iranian-American actress and LGBT rights activist, recounts her story of harassment in Iran|website=Voice of America|date=12 December 2019 |access-date=February 18, 2022|language=fa}}</ref> She also revealed that she faced significant discrimination in the United States as a transgender Iranian immigrant. After the [[Obergefell v. Hodges|legalization of same-sex marriage in the U.S.]] in 2015, she publicly came out as transgender.<ref name="VOA"/> She is fluent in both Persian and English and is an active advocate for LGBTQ rights, as well as a vocal supporter of immigrant and [[women's issues]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Guest Blog: Pooya Mohseni Talks Sex, Gender and Humanity in THE SEX PARTY Coming to the Menier Chocolate Factory|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/Guest-Blog-Pooya-Mohseni-Talks-Sex-Gender-and-Humanity-in-THE-SEX-PARTY-Coming-to-the-Menier-Chocolate-Factory-20221025|website=BroadwayWorld.com|access-date=February 18, 2023|language=en}}</ref> She also contributes to writing and consulting on LGBTQ-centric stories.<ref name="advocate">{{Cite web |title=Living Trans, From Iran to New York City |url=https://www.advocate.com/spotlight/2015/07/30/living-trans-iran-new-york-city |access-date=February 18, 2023 |website=The Advocate |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Gans |first1=Andrew |date=March 21, 2022 |title=Pooya Mohseni Hosts Boundless Theater's Inaugural Gala, Featuring Jenn Colella and More, March 21 |url=https://playbill.com/article/pooya-mohseni-hosts-boundless-theaters-inaugural-gala-featuring-jenn-colella-and-more-march-21 |access-date=September 3, 2025 |website=[[Playbill]]}}</ref>
She has appeared as a guest on several TV shows including ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]'', ''[[Falling Water (TV series)|Falling Water]]'', ''[[Madam Secretary (TV series)|Madam Secretary]]'', and ''Big Dogs'' on [[Amazon Prime Video]]. In 2016, she appeared in the independent slasher film ''Terrifier''.<ref name="thesis">{{Cite web|last1=Booker|first1=M. Keith|title=The Slasher Film: An Introduction|url=https://bookerhorror.com/the-slasher-film-a-critical-introduction/|website=bookerhorror.com|access-date=January 13, 2022|date=2021}}</ref><ref name="Felix">{{Cite web|url=http://cinema-crazed.com/blog/2018/10/31/terrifier-2017/|title=Terrifier (2017)|last=Vasquez Jr.|first=Felix|date=October 31, 2018|website=Cinema Crazed|access-date=December 29, 2018}}</ref> In 2021, she starred in the drama ''[[See You Then (film)|See You Then]]''.<ref name="voa2">{{Cite web |title=اکران فیلمی با بازی پویا محسنی هنرمند ایرانیتبار در نقش یک زن تراجنسیتی |trans-title=Screening of a film starring Iranian-born artist Pooya Mohseni as a transgender woman |url=https://ir.voanews.com/a/persiannewsarts_pooya-mohseni-iranian-transgender-actress-see-you-then-movie/6104291.html |access-date=March 4, 2023 |website=Voice of America |date=29 March 2021 |language=fa}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://moveablefest.com/mari-walker-see-you-then-interview/|title=Mari Walker on Having a Clear Vision for ''See You Then''|date=April 1, 2022|first=Stephen|last=Saito|website=The Moveable Fest|access-date=April 17, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Grobar |first1=Matt |title=''See You Then'' Star Pooya Mohseni On Examining Identity, Womanhood & Trans Experience 'With Love And Authenticity' – SXSW Studio |url=https://deadline.com/video/see-you-then-director-mari-walker-sxsw-video-interview/ |access-date=4 September 2025 |work=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]] |date=16 March 2021}}</ref> Critical reviews highlighted her performance.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Nick |date=April 1, 2022 |title=''See You Then'' |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/see-you-then-movie-review-2022 |access-date=April 17, 2022 |website=RogerEbert.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Le |first=Phuong |date=April 4, 2022 |title=''See You Then'' review – bitterness bubbles up as old lovers meet |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/apr/04/see-you-then-review-bitterness-bubbles-up-as-old-lovers-meet |access-date=April 17, 2022 |website=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Black |first=Sarah-Tai |date=March 31, 2022 |title=Review: Two lovers meet up a decade after breaking up in compassionate drama ''See You Then'' |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-03-31/movie-review-see-you-then-lqbtq-drama |url-access=limited |access-date=April 17, 2022 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> In 2022, she wrote and starred in the 18-minute short film ''Transit: A New York City Fairytale''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Atlanta's LGBTQ Film Festival OUT ON FILM Announces the Line-Up|url=https://cinemadailyus.com/festivals/atlantas-lgbtq-film-festival-out-on-film-announces-the-line-up/|website=Cinema Daily US|date=August 23, 2022|access-date=February 18, 2023|language=en-US}}</ref> That year, she appeared in the [[Sanaz Toossi]] play ''[[English (play)|English]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cote |first1=David |title=Review: 'English' Speaks Eloquently of Language and Loss |url=https://observer.com/2025/01/review-english-speaks-eloquently-of-language-and-loss/ |access-date=September 3, 2025 |work=[[New York Observer|Observer]] |date=January 24, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Greg |title=Broadway Production Of Sanaz Toossi's 'English' To Feature Acclaimed Original Off Broadway Cast |url=https://deadline.com/2024/11/english-broadway-cast-1236187817/ |work=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]] |date=26 November 2024}}</ref> In 2025, she appeared in three episodes of ''[[The Walking Dead: Dead City]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mason |first=Charlie |date=2025-05-19 |title=TWD: Dead City Introduces a New Group That's Even Weirder Than the OG Series' Scavengers |url=https://tvline.com/recaps/walking-dead-city-season-2-episode-3-recap-central-park-1235422658/ |access-date=2025-09-05 |website=TVLine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rice |first=Lynette |date=2024-07-26 |title='The Walking Dead: Dead City' Boosts Season 2 Cast For 2025 Return |url=https://deadline.com/2024/07/the-walking-dead-dead-city-new-characters-season-2-2025-1236024072/ |access-date=2025-09-05 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> She has contributed her voice to multiple video games including ''[[Destiny 2: The Final Shape]]'' and ''[[Hellboy Web of Wyrd|Hellboy: Web of Wyrd]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-15 |title=Destiny 2 voice actor for every character |url=https://www.dexerto.com/destiny/destiny-2-voice-actor-for-every-character-2066994/ |access-date=2025-09-05 |website=Dexerto |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Poskitt |first=Matt |title=Hellboy Web of Wyrd voice actors - Lance Reddick tops the cast list {{!}} Radio Times |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/technology/gaming/hellboy-web-of-wyrd-voice-actors/ |access-date=2025-09-05 |website=www.radiotimes.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Filmography ==
=== Television === {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Title ! scope="col" |Role ! class="unsortable" scope="col" |Notes |- |2011 |''So Damn Funny Show'' |Trainee; Bitchy Boss |1 episode |- |2013 |''[[Celebrity Ghost Stories]]'' |Nadine's Mom |1 episode |- |2013 |''Below the Line'' |Mina |1 episode |- |2014 |''Jus' Sayin' Productions'' |Mom |1 episode |- |2015 |[[Madam Secretary (TV series)|''Madam Secretary'']] |Samilia Mahdavi |1 episode |- |2016 |''[[Falling Water (TV series)|Falling Water]]'' |Dr. Duria |3 episodes |- |2017 |''The Four Letter Word'' |Ghazal |2 episodes |- |2018 |''Grosse Misconduct'' |Alicia Castile |6 episodes |- |2020 |''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]'' |Judge Namazi |1 episode |- |2020 |''[[Big Dogs]]'' |Baijanti Divya |5 episodes |- |2020–2021 |''[[Rival Peak]]'' |Winter |12 episodes |- |2021 |''High Herstory'' |The Storyteller |1 episode |- |2021 |''Tawkin' with the Roses'' |''Herself'' |1 episode |- |2025 | scope="row"" |''[[The Walking Dead: Dead City]]'' |Roksana |3 episodes |}
=== Film === {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Title ! scope="col" |Role ! class="unsortable" scope="col" |Notes |- |2012 |''When Death Calls'' |Lorraine Castro | |- |2014 |''Bloody Subway Party'' |Daisy | |- |2014 |''Subways'' |Stephanie | |- |2015 |''Brutal Colors'' |Mysterious | |- |2015 |''Giorgio Bush and the B-people'' |Bank representative | |- |2015 |''Before the Snow'' |Nitya | |- |2016 |''Lucky'' |Prisca | |- |2016 |''[[Terrifier]]'' |Cat Lady | |- |2017 |''Ghost Source Zero'' |Newscaster | |- |2017 |''My Brother's Keeper'' |Madeline | |- |2019 |''Theresa & Allison'' |The Mysterious Woman | |- |2020 |''[[Lapsis]]'' |Noori Capahardi | |- |2020 |''Thorp'' |Frannie | |- |2021 |''[[See You Then (film)|See You Then]]'' |Kris Ahadi | |- |2021 |''I See You and You See Me'' |Sarah | |- |2021 |''Less Than or Equal To'' |Bailey | |- |2022 |''Remote'' |Ramesh | |- |2022 |''Entanglement'' |Allie | |- |2023 |''Nightmare Radio: The Night Stalker'' |Eartha | |- |2023 |''The Arrival'' |Jayce Fisher | |- |2023 |''[[Bound (2023 film)|Bound]]'' |Yeva | |- |2024 |''Heather'' |Heather | |}
=== Video games === {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Title ! scope="col" |Role ! class="unsortable" scope="col" |Notes |- |2022 |''[[Horizon Forbidden West]]'' |Ivinna; Sentekka | |- |2023 |''[[Hellboy Web of Wyrd|Hellboy: Web of Word]]'' |Scheherezade | |- |2023 |''[[Thirsty Suitors]]'' |Sound | |- |2024 |''[[Destiny 2: The Final Shape]]'' |Micah-10 | |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mohseni, Pooya}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American television actresses]] [[Category:LGBTQ actresses]] [[Category:Transgender actresses]] [[Category:21st-century American actresses]] [[Category:American film actresses]] [[Category:Iranian film actresses]] [[Category:Iranian LGBTQ actors]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]