TV, film, and stage actress Azita Ghanizada chatted about starring in the hit series “Suits: LA” on NBC, and being a part of the digital age.
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt once said: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” This quote applies to Azita Ghanizada.
Background on ‘Suits: LA’
The synopsis is: Ted Black (Stephen Amell), a former federal prosecutor from New York, has reinvented himself to represent the most powerful clients in Los Angeles. His firm is at a crisis point, and in order to survive, he must embrace a role he held in contempt his entire career.
Ted is surrounded by a stellar group of characters who test their loyalties to both Ted and each other while they can’t help but mix their personal and professional lives.
All of this is going on while we slowly unravel the events that years ago led Ted to leave behind everything and everyone he loved.
Experience in ‘Suits: LA’
On being a part of “Suits: LA,” she exclaimed, “It feels immensely joyful there’s so many things to be grateful for with this job! Number one we get to film here in Los Angeles, in our backyard with an LA crew that is beyond delightful, employ hundreds of local cast.”
It feels like a really bright spot after a dark start to 2025 for Los Angeles,” she admitted.
“On top of that, the incredible blessing of being part of a team that consists of this brilliant group of writers and directors, and an ensemble cast that is all rooting for one another.
Playing Rosalyn in ‘Suits: LA’
She is drawn to playing Rosalyn for several reasons. “Rosalyn is one strong woman, and even in the moments where I’ll lean into being silly or something different,” she said.
The tasks they choose are the ones where her strength, integrity, and loyalty shine through,” she noted.
“It feels like it’s such a clear through line for her from start to finish, and I’ll be so excited for people to see the finale to see where that inherent strength comes from and what she’s had to get over in order to continue to stay in her power,” she elaborated.
Lessons learned from this show
On the lessons learned from this series, she reflected, “I started the show shortly after burying my dad, and I think I was a bit in shock when I started my first episode back, which was episode 103. I didn’t do as much work as I needed to.”
“Looking back on it, I think it has shown me that diving into all of the analysis and script work while owning the grief, not just putting aside for later, is what life will demand of you to be remain connected to yourself and in this case, my character, in one of the most difficult moments of my life,” she explained.
The digital age
On being an actress in the digital age, she said, “I think it’s great that actresses can control their image through social media and create their own business and connection to the audience with what they want to share and how they want to share it.”
“When I started in the industry, it was very traditional, and you didn’t always have control over what you wanted to say or how you wanted to be seen, and that is a bright spot for social media,” she explained.
“I think it also has an added pressure to yield influence or share things that are inauthentic to you to stay relevant, which I worry about for younger people,” she noted.
“Ultimately, I hope and believe that the digital age will only keep becoming more authentic as we evolve with our own usage of it,” she added.
Career-defining moments
On her career-defining moments, she stated, “I think being an Afghan-American woman and finding a path in mainstream Hollywood television, even making my Broadway debut, while remaining authentic to my culture and my name, is the thing that has helped define me most.”
“Trying to remain true to myself is a very individual and personal journey, as opposed to trying to become profitable or hirable or what the market wants. It’s not the fast way through it, but it’s the long, steady, and honest way,” she elaborated.
Dream acting partners
On her dream acting partners, she remarked, “I’ve already had some incredible dream, acting partners, Sam Shepherd, David Strathairn, Mahershala Ali, Rachel Weisz, Michael Shannnon, and so many actors in ensemble television that I’ve worked with that have shown up with such a heavy load to carry.”
“These actors have been so professional and phenomenal with such a great spirit to them that I feel blessed with every single person that I’ve had the opportunity to work with,” she acknowledged.
“I’ve always wanted to work with some of the women that I admired when I was younger,” she admitted. “I thought Jennifer Aniston was a comedian who went into drama, and she was really quite flawless. Working with her would be incredible.”
“Nicole Kidman is a dreamboat star,” she said. “Mindy Kaling is doing incredible work. But ultimately I think Denzel Washington? I got to work with his son, John David, who is an absolute delight and a phenom, but I would like to work with Papa Denzel!”
Success
Regarding her definition of the word success, she said, “I think success is living out your dreams and purpose as close as you can get to it and enjoying it as much as you can.”
“Material things don’t necessarily measure success, but the joy you feel in going to a Little League game, rescuing puppies, launching a product, or celebrating the premiere of your TV show is a dream for all of the above,” she elaborated.
“In the end, when you look back, you’ll never regret how much fun you had, how many connections you had, or how much love you gave,” she explained.
“Being proud of how I love life, even when it was horrible to me, that I kept showing up for it and for my dreams, in my last years, that will be the definitive measure of success for me,” she added.
Message for her fans and supporters
For her fans and supporters, she expressed, “I am always so grateful to anyone who supports me! Thank you for caring!”
“The notes always move me from young women who have felt a little culturally oppressed or denied their rights, and see me breaking out of that mold and living boldly in a way that negates societal or cultural familial norms, move me deeply,” she elaborated.
“I feel proud that I can do it in a way that still has integrity, so that they can have something to see and break their pressures and become the person they want to be,” she acknowledged.
Closing thoughts on the series ‘Suits: LA’
For fans and viewers, she remarked about “Suits: LA,” “It is such a fun ride. I’m so excited for everyone to get to the end in 12 and 13, and see how the show has evolved, and how the cast has come together.”
“They will also finally learn a little about my character Rosalyn‘s backstory, which will come out in 13,” she revealed.
“There are so many avid fans of the OG ‘Suits,’ which was a phenomenal show, but this is its own beast. It has its own origin story,” she noted.
“We started with a bang, literally, and I hope that they’ll continue to tune in on NBC, or catch up on us on Peacock, and enjoy the show for the original piece it is,” she concluded.
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