Exclusive interview with Lara Wolf, Iranian / American Actress

By Jean-Paul Eliard
The 17 April 2025

Hi Lara, I am very happy to do this interview.

Could you introduce yourself to the visitors of cinema-movietheater.com?
Hi! My name is Lara Wolf. I’m an actress, born in Tehran, raised in Zurich, and
I live in NYC. I studied psychology before becoming an actress and had the pleasure of playing Azin in Eran Riklis’ Reading Lolita in Tehran.

What do you like about your character Azin, and when did you read the script?
I had read the book long before the audition for this project came to me. In fact, Eran had me audition for several roles, all of which had elements I could relate to. But when I finally auditioned for Azin, I knew that was my role.

I love that Azin contrasts with the other girls through her eccentric streak. What we see is not what we get with her.
There’s a glamorous exterior, but it’s a cover.
She suffers from never being seen for who she truly is, yet she also fails to dismantle the shiny persona she’s curated — one that’s judged by women and lusted after by men.
Except for Mrs. Nafisi, no one seems to see her intelligence and humor. She masks her loneliness with superficial things.

I found so much joy in the complexity and depth of this character. I find it fascinating how people cope with the feeling of being misunderstood.

Can you tell us how you got your role?
As mentioned above, the auditioning process was rigorous. But it’s actually a funny story how I prepared for Azin.
I’ve auditioned a lot for Persian roles, and while I am Persian, I was often told
I didn’t “look” Persian enough — even though I look exactly like my Persian grandma. (Luckily, that narrow perception is changing.)

Now, Azin is described as blonde in the book — so I decided to really lean into a non-stereotypical look.
I ordered a blonde wig off Amazon and made it part of her character.
The wig almost made it into the film — both Eran and Azar Nafisi (the author) loved it. Unfortunately, the color didn’t fit the time period, so we tried endless wigs until Eran finally decided to drop the idea, and we just used my own hair.

Ultimately, I don’t think the wig alone got me the job, but it was a risk worth taking.
 

What was filming like with Golshifteh Farahani, Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Mina Kavani... and director Eran Riklis?
We shot this film in the wake of the Women, Life, Freedom protests, which fueled our purpose and motivation even more.
Everyone, including the crew, understood that we were making an important film. It somehow transcended the fact that only the actors spoke Farsi — which, by the way, ended up not being a problem at all, since Eran has a musical ear and could accurately tell if something sounded off.

Eran was incredible to work with. He’s a director who allows scenes to breathe, trusts his actors, and welcomes creative input.

We actors had a blast together.
It was a dream to spend almost two months in Rome. Some of the cast and crew have become friends for life.
 

Do you watch yourself during the broadcast?
Let’s put it this way — I don’t exactly enjoy it, but I do enjoy studying how it all comes together in the end. It’s like a puzzle.

In this case, having been an admirer of Eran’s films for a long time, I wanted to see how it was edited, what music was chosen, and how color and sound were used.
There’s so much aside from the performances that I care about in film.

And the reason I don’t really like watching myself is because I don’t want to get in my head about it. If something worked well, I don’t want to try and replicate it next time — it has to stay fresh.
On the flip side, if there’s something I didn’t like, I can’t change it anymore, so there’s no point in beating myself up over it.
 

How long did filming last and where?
We shot in Rome. We rehearsed for about two weeks, which was great because, by the time we started filming, we already felt like a family. Principal photography lasted around six weeks.

My journey in Rome, however, was extended by another six months, as I began working on the Peacock show Those About to Die, directed by Roland Emmerich, while wrapping up Reading Lolita in Tehran. I was very fortunate.

In Iran, women are still fighting for Woman, Life, Freedom, like
Ahou Daryaei last year.
Where are Iranian women today in their struggle? And are men still in solidarity with them?

The fight continues. The country has been oppressed as a whole — including men. It just hits women harder in their everyday lives. That’s why it’s important that we all do our part, whatever that may be, to keep the world aware of the situation.

I applaud all Iranian women for their courage and unwavering will to fight.
 

You were Nora in Quantico, Season 3, Episode 4.
I liked the series. How was filming with Priyanka Chopra?

Working with Priyanka was such an exciting experience. While it seemed like she was treated like royalty by those around her, I really appreciated how down-to-earth she was. We had a great time — especially since she, like me, loves to joke around and be silly.

She’s gorgeous and a smart businesswoman. What’s not to love? I respect her very much.
 

When and why did you choose to become an actress? Was it a film, an actor, an actress?

Things with me are always motivated from the inside out. I always had a strong longing for something outside the norm — something that would allow me to reach and fulfill my potential.

I’m an only child, and I kept busy by painting, playing the violin, jamming with my dad (he plays the guitar), singing, and taking any opportunity to create and be on stage. I was a shy kid, but performing was transfixing.
It helped me escape the fears and worries of everyday life.

My artistic side was never really encouraged professionally, so I went down the academic path to become a psychotherapist.
But life happened. As a young teenager, I experienced some trauma that needed healing. Instead of releasing it, I turned to self-destruction, and the rigid school system didn’t help.

Then I took singing classes and saw a light at the end of the tunnel.
I was reminded of the little girl on stage — and I knew this was my calling.
It went beyond anything therapy could offer.
I needed to self-express creatively.

And I loved film in particular — the composition, music, powerful performances, and stories that challenge your thinking and open doors to new worlds. I had to try it, and I’ve never regretted it. I believe art saved me.

What is a dream role of yours?
That’s a difficult question because there are so many characters I’d love to explore.

But I’m especially drawn to deeply broken people. I like exploring the dark side and finding the pain that drives someone. I’d love to play a character who has to overcome their own shadow and ultimately finds peace in saving others.

I’m attracted to psychological complexity and stunts/fight choreography — and if I could explore both in one part, that would definitely be a dream.
 

Do you have anything else you’d like to add?
Just that I’m grateful people seem to love Reading Lolita in Tehran, because it shows that art is the path to empathy.

Thank you very much for your interview Lara, and I wish you the best and happy Persian New Year.
 
More information about Lara can be found, on iamlarawolf.com and on IMDb.
 
* Awards
1 win & 4 nominations
 
2019
Brightside Tavern Film Festival
Nominated, Festival Prize
Best Actress for Time's Up (2018)
Won, Festival Prize
Best Ensemble for Time's Up (2018)
 
2019
Film Fest International, London
Nominated, Festival Award
Best Lead Actress for Roxana (2018)
Roxy Films (production company)
 
2019
Hang Onto Your Shorts Film Festival, NJ
Nominated, Best Ensemble Cast
The Naoj Company, Shinzou Videos