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For AANHPI Heritage Month, Here are 50 West Asians in Pop Culture You Should Know

May 25, 2023May 25, 2023 Swara Salih

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, a cause for celebration of these many diverse communities. But far too often, many who champion this month have belied and ignored specific groups within this collective, often presenting a limited scope of who counts as “Asian” or “Asian American” in this collective consciousness.

Movies, News, Podcasts1 Comment

The Middle Geeks Episode 31: ‘Dune’ Review

October 25, 2021October 25, 2021 Swara Salih

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptation, based on a book that was explicitly and heavily influenced by Middle East and North African (MENA) and Islamic cultures, is out, and we are joined by our friends and fellow MENA critics Hanna Flint and Roxana Hadadi to review it.

DC Comics, Podcasts, Television

The Middle Geeks: Shayan Sobhian of ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’

July 9, 2021July 9, 2021 Swara Salih

Shayan Sobhian, aka Behrad Tarazi of Legends of Tomorrow, joins Swara to discuss his upcoming episode, “This is Gus!” They talk about how Shayan relates to his character, the importance and impact of representation, and how Behrad may be developing this season. Enjoy listening!

This is a podcast form of the interview published here for The Nerds of Color.

Continue reading “The Middle Geeks: Shayan Sobhian of ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’”

DC Comics, Interview, Television1 Comment

NOC Interview: Shayan Sobhian of ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’

July 9, 2021July 9, 2021 Swara Salih

Since coming onto the Legends team in a revamped timeline in the Season 4 finale, Behrad Tarazi, younger brother of Zari Tarazi, has been a fixture on Legends of Tomorrow. But it was only this season that his actor, the mult-talented Shayan Sobhian, was promoted to a series regular. He’s the chillest member of the Waverider crew, always looking to defuse tension and make sure that he and his friends have a good time.

DC Comics, Podcasts, Television

The Middle Geeks: Tala Ashe of ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’

May 14, 2021May 14, 2021 Swara Salih

Tala Ashe, who plays our favorite TV superhero Zari Tarazi, joins Swara for a discussion of the next Legends of Tomorrow episode, “The Ex-Factor!” They talk about the importance of Iranian, MENA, and Muslim representation, where Zari’s journey goes this season, and the experience of working on a show as exciting as Legends. Enjoy!

This is a podcast form of the interview published here for The Nerds of Color.

Continue reading “The Middle Geeks: Tala Ashe of ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’”

DC Comics, Interview, Television1 Comment

NOC Interview: Tala Ashe of ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’

May 14, 2021June 11, 2021 Swara Salih

Since debuting in Season 3 of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Zari Tarazi (Tala Ashe) has become a beloved fixture in the CW’s zaniest (but still very heartfelt) Arrowverse show. Besides the importance of her being the first major Muslim and Iranian-American superhero on network tv, she’s one of the most dynamic and compelling members of the Legends. Things have changed tremendously for Zari over the past few years, as her relationships with her teammates develops and changes and her brother Behrad (Shayan Sobhian) has become a member of the Legends. Now, in Episode 3 of Season 6, she’s faced with more personal challenges as it’s up to her to save the day in a reality tv show competition. We at the Nerds of Color had the opportunity to interview Tala Ashe about Zari’s story this episode, and where her journey in Season 6 will be going.

Reviews, Television

NOC Review: ‘Chad’ is Good, but Revels in Cringe

April 7, 2021 Swara Salih

Being a Middle Eastern kid in an American high school can be an awkward experience. You may struggle to fit in and have an unclear sense of your identity, making friends and relationships as a result. With the new show Chad on TBS, in which she plays the titular 14-year old character, Nasim Pedrad seeks to encompass that experience through reveling in the awkwardness that being an insecure MENA teenager can often entail. And it works for the most part, though the humor sometimes falls flat, especially when it leans too much into the awkwardness.

Comics, Fantasy

‘Sera & The Royal Stars’ Sets a New Bar for Fantasy Comics

June 17, 2019June 17, 2019 Keith Chow

Next month, Vault Comics will publish the first issue of Sera & The Royal Stars, a new high fantasy comic written by Jon Tsuei (RUNLOVEKILL) and featuring the goregeous artwork of Audrey Mok (Josie & The Pussycats). It tells the story of a warrior princess named Sera, who is tasked by a vision of the Indo-Iranian deity Mitra with locating the Royal Stars who have all fallen to Earth, while her country is embroiled in a civil war.

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Guest Post, Movies5 Comments

Hollywood’s Dream of a Faceless Rumi

June 20, 2016July 8, 2016 Guest N.O.C.

Earlier this month we learned that David Franzoni, the Oscar-nominated writer and Oscar-winning producer of Gladiator, is working on a new screenplay based on the life of Persian poet and scholar Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī.

We also learned, in an interview with The Guardian, that the writer would like Rumi to be played in this film by a white man.

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