Sheila Joon Ostadazim
                                
​                                                                                        AEA | SAG-AFTRA 

Sheila Joon Ostadazim (first name Sheila Joon or Joon, for short) is a half Iranian, half Swedish, Seattle native turned proud Brooklynite. She was recently seen in Onaje by Robert Bowie Jr., directed by Pat Golden in the NYC Fringe Festival (named Best of Fringe by Theatre is Easy), Off-Broadway at The Duke Theatre in Daniel Curzon's The Blasphemer, directed by Pat Golden and The Metropolitan Playhouse's East Village Chronicles, directed by Michael Hardart playing Janis Joplin. SJ was named a 2015 Mary Louise Rockwell Scholar with Primary Stages/ESPA and has studied extensively with New York's most daring and present theatre collaborators. Other recent stage credits include work with Primary Stages/59E.59, The Cherry Lane Theatre, Amoralists/Rattlestick, Manhattan Theatre Club, The National Arts Club, The Lark, Red Fern Theatre Co., Rabbit Hole Ensemble, The Shaw Project, Judith Shakespeare Company, Lunar Energy Productions, Theater 2020, Theatreworks USA, etc. Regionally, she has worked with The McCarter Theatre, George St. Playhouse and The Annex Theatre. Select films include recent award winning film Le Crueset by Don Downie, 3 people you've never heard of by Dave Rosfeld, Chanticleer and Poker Face by Becky Lane, and multi-award winning short film, Plan B, by Sarah-Rose Meredith. Joon is an avid yoga practitioner, traveler and dog lover. Proud AEA, SAG and AFTRA member. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3574838/ 

What's up with the name? It's Iranian (aka "Persian"). Sheila and Joon go together, it's one name- like in the South: "Sheilajoon, you get your ass over here.. (Bless her heart)!" In Farsi, Joon means "dear, sweetie, essence of.." so while Joon goes as a first name and is my preference, for me, Sheila with out Joon does not.  For years I omitted the the multi-syllabic Ostadazim (Pronounced: Oh-Stah-Duh-Zeem) for the convenience of entering those audition rooms and avoiding this very explanation, all the while using Joon as my last name; even though it was an essential part of my first. Thankfully, times have changed and so have I!

​I thank you for addressing me in an accurate and authentic way! -Joon 

​

                       Click Below to Watch Director Lee Manansala's "The Cigarette of the Strongman" featuring Margaret Singer and Sheila Joon