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From portraying a daughter witnessing her father's deportation for execution to playing a closeted lesbian Indian doctor coerced into an arranged marriage, and an unconventional school nurse offering awkward sex education advice, award-winning actress Layla Alizada has embodied a range of compelling, diverse roles in both drama and comedy, establishing herself as a standout talent this year.
In 2015, Layla starred in the Academy Award-nominated short film Day One, portraying Feda, an Afghan-American woman navigating a divorce while starting her first job as an interpreter for the US Army. Set in Afghanistan, Day One follows Feda’s first day on assignment, accompanying a military unit to a suspected bomb-maker's home.
Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, Layla spent part of her childhood in Montreal, Canada before relocating to Vancouver, where she grew up and trained at the prestigious Studio 58 Theatre School. English is her fourth language, after Farsi (Dari), Turkish, and French, which she learned during her childhood travels. Her passion for performing began in high school drama club, and after being discovered by a talent agent at 13, she quickly landed a series regular role on the high school drama KidZone. Acting became her calling, and she has devoted herself to the craft ever since.
Layla’s breakthrough came with her co-starring role opposite Juliette Lewis in Chasing Freedom, where she played an immigrant woman seeking asylum in the US. This performance earned her a 2005 Gemini Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series and a Gracie Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Special. Her extensive television credits include recurring and guest roles on The Mentalist, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, Godiva’s, Da Vinci’s Inquest, The Unit, Eureka, Rizzoli & Isles, Legit, Melissa & Joey, Holiday in Handcuffs, Days of our Lives, The Kroll Show, Stitchers, Castle, and Scandal. More recently, she recurred as Regina, a young mother working alongside Jane (Gina Rodriguez) on The CW’s Jane the Virgin and appeared on ABC’s The Muppets.
Outside of acting, Layla enjoys yoga, swimming, and playing video games with her husband, actor Noel Fisher. She is also passionate about photography and animal rescue, sharing her home with two cats named Sushi and Spartacus.
