Known for playing Peggy in the drama Hello Au Revoir and as Kat in the thriller Red Secret, Pegah Ghafoori is a multi-talented Persian actress/ singer/songwriter based in Toronto, Canada. Tapping into her musical prowess, she released her first single titled Fall Apart at the age of 14. She later honed her acting skills by studying in the Claude Watson Arts program. In 2011, she professionally began her acting career, transitioning from theater to film. Known for the emotional connection she brings to her stage and on-screen performances, Pegah has landed prominent roles in the film Brave Kids Run and the 2020s drama Home Run Ball. Earlier in her career, Pegah modeled for a variety of brands. She has also walked several runways for local designers. When not acting, Pegah teaches lifeguarding and training with a private gymnastics coach.
In the tense thriller FROM, Ghafoori is Fatima, a resident of a refuge called Colony House and the girlfriend of a not-so-lucky resident. As the unwilling residents fight to keep a sense of normalcy and search for a way out, they must also survive the threats of the surrounding forest – including the terrifying creatures that come out when the sun goes down. In season two, hidden truths about the nature and terrifying origins of the town begin to emerge, even as life for its residents is plunged into chaos by the arrival of mysterious newcomers.
FROM is a tense thriller/horror series about survival. What drew you to the role of Fatima?
Pegah Ghafoori: She’s an Iranian girl and a lot comes with that. She has a lot of things going for her. She’s very happy and hopeful in a place where you’d think feelings like that wouldn’t exist. I was really interested to see what made her such a hopeful person and why she hasn’t been disappointed so far.
Did you audition for the role? If so, what was that like?
Pegah: I didn’t get the audition to begin with. My manager messaged me and asked if I wanted to audition for this character named Fatima and I said no. But when I later checked with my manager, I learned that he had submitted me but we hadn’t heard back. Then he followed up and in thirty minutes, we had the audition. So a few weeks went by and I hadn’t heard anything. But then my manager said that you got the network read and I said I don’t even remember auditioning for this. And the rest is history.
What did you draw on for your role as Fatima?
Pegah: A lot of it is my personality—being supportive and kind—which makes it easier to play Fatima. As far as the character breakdown, there wasn’t much written about who my character is. Fatima was simply described as being more beautiful on the inside than outside. And I said, okay she’s one of those, a ray of sunshine (laughs).
What did you find most challenging about being in this series and playing Fatima?
Pegah: I didn’t want to make her a really complex character. Yes, she’s always happy and hopeful but there’s so much more to her. I wanted to find the right balance and let her complexity seep through. Because it’s easy to become one thing—the happy one. But there’s a lot of conflict within her and she may not necessarily be showing it but it’s definitely there.
Do you have a favorite scene or scenes?
Pegah: I have several favorite scenes. Every scene I do with Julie because she’s my best friend and I love her. Episode six was hard but I really enjoyed it. And episode ten is also a good one.
You’ve played a variety of roles in TV and film. What have you learned about this business that surprised you?
Pegah: Just how much people are willing to care for you. In this world, you start to think maybe no one really cares. But this crew and this team have been so lovely. Anything you need, they’re always there for you. Even the showrunner is very supportive. If you need to talk to someone, they’ll be there, which is so rare. It surprised me to see just how much people can care for each other even when they don’t have the capacity.
Do you like horror or do you sometimes prefer comedy?
Pegah: I like a good comedy but when horror is done well, I’ll choose horror.
What were you like in high school? The girl most likely to….?
Pegah: (laughs) To become an actor.
Were you in drama in high school?
Pegah: I was a drama major, yes. I was in several plays in my drama program and I also did a lot of student films.
Alex A. Kecskes is a published author of "Healer a Novel" and "The Search for Dr. Noble"—both now available on Amazon. He has written hundreds of film reviews and celebrity interviews for a wide variety of online and print outlets. He has covered red carpet premieres and Comic-Con events for major films and independent releases.
