Sakina Jaffrey Biography

Fast Facts

• Studied Mandarin Chinese at Vassar College, earning her degree in 1984
• Before she became an actress, she planned to work as a translator
• When she was 17, she made her debut as an actress in a production of "Marie and Bruce" at the Public Theatre
• When she was a child, she danced with the Joffrey Ballet at City Center in New York City
• Quote: "People recognize my face, but they can't place me․ They'll ask me, 'Do you go to my gym?' or 'Weren't you at cousin Lizzie's wedding?' One woman started hugging me before she realized she actually only knew me from her T․V․ screen․"
• Quote: "[on "House of Cards"] "Maybe getting this job at my age will inspire older actors to keep on plugging․""
• Many of the movies she appears in are about childcare or raising children
• Often appears in movies with her family members, acting with her father in "Masala," her mother in "The Perfect Murder," and with her children in "Raising Helen․"
• In "Raising Helen," she improvised the whole baseball bat scene
• Was given special thanks in the credits of "Cake․"