Biographie
Sitara Attaie is an Afghan-born actress, activist, and advocate for women’s rights holding American and Dutch citizenship. Passionate about the rights of Afghan women and women worldwide, she dedicates her life to giving voice to the voiceless and visibility to the unseen through her art. Sitara consistently portrays underrepresented women on screen, leveraging storytelling to foster awareness, empathy, and social change.
She appeared on the Emmy Award-winning series Homeland alongside Claire Danes, playing the brave Samira Noori. Sitara also starred in Chuck Lorre’s sitcom United States of Al, representing Afghan female advocates for education and leadership. Furthermore, she portrayed Afghan mothers’ struggles on ABC’s Stumptown with Cobie Smulders.
Beyond acting, Sitara is a devoted humanitarian and activist. She serves on the Board of Directors of Eagle Online Academy, which promotes education for girls and women in Afghanistan via online platforms. She leads live seminars aimed at inspiring and empowering Afghan women during challenging times. Sitara openly opposes gender apartheid in Afghanistan and actively participates in the nonprofit Womanspost.org, continuing the fight against gender-based oppression.
Sitara has also narrated audiobooks, amplifying Afghan voices and sharing their stories through literature. She has narrated multiple works centered on Afghan perspectives and experiences.
Born in Afghanistan, Sitara spent her early years in Afghanistan, India, and The Netherlands before moving to the United States. Exposed to diverse cultures from an early age, she is fluent in Dari, Farsi, Dutch, German, Hindi, Urdu, and Pashto, and conversational in French.
She holds a BFA in English Literature from the University of Groningen, an Associate Degree in Teacher Training from Hanze Hogeschool, and a Journalism Certificate from Hogeschool van Utrecht. Early in her career, she won several national competitions and choreographed commercials, music videos, and stage shows. Sitara appeared in Dutch television productions such as VARA’s 12×12 and Missen and worked as a freelance journalist for publications including Spunk and Cultuur Scouts Magazine.
In addition to film and television, Sitara has modeled for various fashion brands after winning beauty pageants in The Netherlands and Turkey, using these platforms to challenge stereotypes and expand representation.
