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Sakina Jaffrey

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Sakina Jaffrey
Jaffrey in 2014
Born (1962-02-14) February 14, 1962 (age 64)
New York City, U.S.
Alma materVassar College (AB)
OccupationActress
Years active1979–present
SpouseFrancis Wilkinson
Children2
Parents
Relatives

Sakina Jaffrey (born February 14, 1962)[1] is an American actress. Jaffrey may be best known for portraying Linda Vasquez in the Netflix original series House of Cards, and Denise Christopher in the NBC series Timeless.

Early life

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Jaffrey was born in New York City, the youngest daughter of Indian-born parents, actress and food and travel writer Madhur Jaffrey, and actor Saeed Jaffrey.[2] Her parents divorced when she was three years old, and she grew up estranged from her father, who subsequently moved to the United Kingdom.[3]

She grew up in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan, where she attended PS 41. She later attended the Nightingale-Bamford School on the Upper East Side.[1]

Jaffrey picked up her love of Chinese culture from her elder sister, Meera. She graduated from Vassar College in 1984, with a major in Chinese Language and Literature, originally planning to be a translator before she became an actress.[4]

Career

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At the age of 17, Jaffrey made her professional acting debut in the play Marie and Bruce by Wallace Shawn at the Public Theatre in New York City.[1]

She appeared with her father in the film Masala (1991)[5] and with her mother in The Perfect Murder (1988).[6] In 2002, she appeared in The Truth About Charlie starring Mark Wahlberg.[7] Her children Cassius and Jamila appear with her in Raising Helen (2004).[8] Jaffrey starred in the English-language American-Indian drama film The Ode (2008).[8]

She starred as Linda Vasquez, the White House Chief of Staff, in the Netflix series House of Cards (2013).[9] In 2014, it was announced that she would be appearing in the second season of Fox's television series Sleepy Hollow as Leena Reyes, the new sheriff.[10]

From 2016 to 2018, she had a starring role in the NBC television series Timeless as Homeland Security Agent Denise Christopher.[11]

She also starred as Malini Soni in The Meyerowitz Stories, a 2017 comedy-drama film directed by Noah Baumbach and costarring Dustin Hoffman and Adam Sandler.[12]

Personal life

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Jaffrey lives in New York with her husband, Francis Wilkinson, a journalist, and their two children, Cassius and Jamila.[13]

Acting credits

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1988The Perfect MurderNeena Lal
1989Slaves of New YorkWillfredo's receptionist
1991MasalaRita Solanki
1995The Indian in the CupboardLucy
1996DaylightKit's passenger #1
1999Chutney PopcornSarita
Cotton MaryRosie
2001Revolution No. 9Dr. Ray
The Mystic MasseurSuruj Mooma
2002The GuruYoung Woman in Dance Class
The Truth About CharlieSylvia
2003Ash TuesdayJune
American MadeN/aShort film
2004Raising HelenNilma Prasad
The Manchurian CandidateMysterious Arabic Woman
2006Hiding DivyaDr. Sharma
2007Where God Left His ShoesDoctor
DhariniKiranShort film
Waking DreamsRajani
The Nanny DiariesSima
Before the Devil Knows You're DeadManager
2008Definitely, MaybeSchool Mom
The Toe TacticLacticia Utt
The UnderstudyNurse
The OdeParin
2009Company RetreatSareeta
2010Nevermind NirvanaDr. Sarita MattoTelevision film
2011BreakawayLivleen Singh
2012The Domino EffectSerena
2013The NecklaceSunitaShort film
2016Claire in MotionMaya
2017The Meyerowitz StoriesDr. Soni
2018Red SparrowTrish Forsyth
Behold My HeartJane
The Equalizer 2Fatima
2019Late NightMrs. Patel
2020SoulDoctorVoice role
2021The Hating GameHelen
2026Super Troopers 3TBAPost-production

Television

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YearTitleRoleNotes
2000Law & OrderDr. BalikrishanEpisode: "Endurance"
2003–2005Third WatchDr. Hickman16 episodes
2004Sex and the CityRama PatelEpisode: "Splat!"
Law & OrderRoya KoutalEpisode: "Caviar Emptor"
2006HeroesMrs. Suresh2 episodes
2007What Goes OnAshaEpisode: "Blue"
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitGeeta ChanoorEpisode: "Outsider"
2011Blue BloodsMrs. DemirEpisode: "Thanksgiving"
2012GirlsGynecologistEpisode: "Vagina Panic"
2013–2018House of CardsLinda Vasquez19 episodes
2014–2015Sleepy HollowSheriff Leena Reyes5 episodes
2014–2018Madam SecretaryChondita Samant2 episodes
2015–2017Mr. RobotAntara Nayar7 episodes
2015Halal in the FamilyFatima Qu'osby4 episodes
2015–2016The Mindy ProjectSonu Lahiri6 episodes
2016BlindspotSusan AlbrightEpisode: "Cease Forcing Enemy"
2016–2018TimelessAgent Denise Christopher26 episodes
2017The Problem with ApuHerselfDocumentary film
2018 HomelandDr. Meyer3 episodes
2019American GodsMama-Ji4 episodes
Lost in SpaceCaptain Kamal5 episodes
2020Defending JacobLynn Canavan7 episodes
2021–2022SnowpiercerDr. Headwood16 episodes
2022Ms. MarvelAuntie ShirinEpisode: "Destined"
2022–2023BillionsDaevisha ‘Dave’ Mahar20 episodes
2024GhostsChampa ArondekarEpisodes: "A Very Arondekar Christmas," parts 1 and 2
2025GoosebumpsRamonaRecurring (season 2)
Deli BoysSeema
2026Avatar: Seven HavensAgamUpcoming

Theatre

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Year Production Role Venue Notes Ref.
1979 Marie and Bruce Public Theatre Professional acting debut [1]
1988 George Washington Slept Here Apple Corps Theatre [14]
Phaedra Brittanica CSC [15]
2009 The River Crosses Rivers: Short Plays by Women of Color Castillo Theatre Production of New Federal Theatre [1]

Awards and nominations

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Year Association Category Nominated work Result
2015Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesHouse of CardsNominated

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sakina Jaffrey". New Federal Theatre. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022. Sakina Jaffrey was born on February 14, 1962 in Manhattan.
  2. ↑ "Saeed Jaffrey daughter Sakina Jeffery left Bollywood, became Hollywood Superstar; Here's how she looks now". www.india.com. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  3. ↑ Adilman, Sid (February 2, 1992). "The three faces of Saeed Jaffrey". Toronto Star. p. C1.
  4. ↑ Renz, Kay (July 4, 2004). "Actress Sakina Jaffrey: Getting Used to the Red Carpet". Boca Raton News. p. 8V.
  5. ↑ Woo, Elaine (November 17, 2015). "Saeed Jaffrey dies at 86; Actor exuded flair and versatility from Bollywood to Britain". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  6. ↑ The Perfect Murder 1988, directed by Zafar Hai | Film review (timeout.com)
  7. ↑ "The Truth About Charlie". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on October 10, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  8. 1 2 "Raising Helen". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  9. ↑ Goodman, Tim (January 26, 2013). "House of Cards: TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Sleepy Hollow Casting Scoop: House of Cards Star Is the New Sheriff in Season 2". E! News. May 27, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Timeless". TV Guide. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  12. ↑ "The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)". TV Guide. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  13. ↑ "'House of Cards' actress Sakina Jaffrey feels '100% New Yorker'". CNN. May 21, 2019.
  14. ↑ Nelsen, Don (July 22, 1988). "Hart-Kaufman Play is Mossy". New York Daily News.
  15. ↑ Kissell, Howard (December 16, 1988). "'Phaedra' Seems to Be Out to Lunch". New York Daily News.
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