Scientology, Katie Holmes, and Tom Cruise: Who Is Nazanin Boniadi?

[frequentsoapfan]

In Maureen Orth’s October cover story, “What Katie Didn’t Know,” the special correspondent traces Scientology’s mysterious process of wife-auditioning a new mate for Tom Cruise after his 2001 divorce from Nicole Kidman. The process—never before detailed—reportedly comprised several arduous steps, including the creation of dozens of audition tapes of young actresses, filmed by Scientology officials under the shrouded pretense of a “special project.” After months of searching, the organization in the fall of 2004 settled on a stunning brunette named Nazanin Boniadi to be Cruise’s next girlfriend. The job came with extensive training, a makeover (darker hair, better teeth), and confidentiality agreements—all before she ever set sights on her would-be paramour. (Scientology representatives deny that any such search took place and have dismissed several of the story’s sources as disgruntled apostates.)

Because it is Katie Holmes’s name—and not Boniadi’s—that you read about this summer in the tabloids, you know the relationship between Tom and his Scientology-approved partner ended. But who exactly is Nazanin Boniadi, and what about her caught the eye of the organization? Born in Tehran but raised in London—her mother was a Scientologist; her father was not—“Naz,” as she is known familiarly, was a captivatingly beautiful aspiring doctor and medical student when she first auditioned for Scientology’s secret role. Beyond her looks, she was considered intelligent (she graduated with honors from U.C.-Irvine), sufficiently chaste (no former threesome participants, the organization stipulated), and Hollywood-aware. After a short, ultimately unsuccessfully relationship with Cruise, Boniadi has appeared as a regular on soap General Hospital, earning an N.A.A.C.P. Image Award nomination for her work on the show. She also appeared in 2008’s Iron Man, nine episodes of How I Met Your Mother, and other movie projects, according to her IMBD page.

Outside of Hollywood, Boniadi is a known activist and face of human-rights concerns. For years, she has served as an official spokesperson for Amnesty International U.S.A., appearing in promotional videos and on international news broadcasts—in English and in Farsi—to discuss human-rights issues and activism. She is particularly drawn to women’s rights, and per her personal Web site, “has met with political leaders, collaborated with other prominent human rights defenders, and endorsed human rights petitions to the United Nations” on the freedoms of Iranian women.

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2012/09/tom-cruise-scientology-nazanin-boniadi

[dragonflies]

I'm wondering if this should be in the off topic section.

[frequentsoapfan]

I wasn't sure or not I mean she was on a soap before and I see gossip about people who were on soaps posted in this section all the time.

[Bright Eyes]

I believe it. I remember her from both GH and How I Met Your Mother.

[ER Tosh]

She was Leyla on GH. Till the toxix balls got poor Leyla.

[Mr. Vixen]

I remember when she got shot at Wyndemere.

[Vee]

Holy [!@#$%^&*].

[Bright Eyes]

Strange coincidence, but Katie Holmes guested on How I Met Your Mother as well as the very memorable and anticipated "slutty pumpkin" character.

[Ryan Chamberlain]

Welp. Just lost some respect for another soap star. Scientology is a cult. A sick revolting money grubbing cult.

This is some very odd news though.

[Ann_SS]

Nazanin Boniadi is in one of the Wigs dramas on YouTube.