She was one of 700 young actresses auditioned for a role in the limited-run “General Hospital” spin off “Night Shift” and one of only three to land a role in the 13-week show the Soapet cable channel. But the 28-year-old actress of Iranian descent made the most of the opportunity and found herself with a regular role on the main soap in the fall.

When we talked this week, it was clear that she was relishing her storyline which has her character of Leyla Mir involved in a love triangle between the characters of Robin Scorio and Patrick Drake.

“I love the fact that she’s the first Iranian character on television that plays a regular person,” she said. “She’s not a terrorist or a beaten wife. She’s just a nurse, she’s a hard worker and she falls in
love just like the rest of them.”

Nazanin said her visibility on the soap is especially important to Iranian-Americans who virtually never see themselves portrayed on television in any kind of meaningful way. Her parents left Iran when Nazanin was less than a month old and raised her in England. But she has always kept her Iranian name.

“I didn't change it, I don't have a stage name," she said. "A lot of people in the industry when I started said fans are not going to pronounce it or remember it. But I felt pretty strong. It's who I am. If people like me for who I am, that's great.”

It would seem that the soap is only the beginning for the actress who is a college graduate and has appeared in several independent films including "Game Face" and "Shades of Ray." She was chosen by director Mike Nichols for a dramatic scene in "Charlie Wilson's War" starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts which comes out next month. She also has a brief role as a reporter in next year's "Iron Man" with Robert Downey Jr.