‘The Pitt’ Star Sepideh Moafi Opens Up About Shocking Name Demand
Sepideh Moafi is currently a star on the medical drama The Pitt, but she recently shared that her path to success involved standing up for herself early on.
After finishing her acting studies at the University of California Irvine in 2013, her very first agent gave her some advice she didn’t like. The agent told her she should change her name if she wanted to get more acting jobs.
In an interview with People, Moafi remembered that moment clearly. She said, When I graduated from grad school, my first agent wanted me to change my name and I immediately said, f— no. She explained that she didn’t want to become someone else just to be more successful or to make people feel more comfortable. She felt like the industry was asking her to change her identity just to sell a product.
Even though she refused to change her name, her career took off anyway. She started booking one job after another, appearing in shows like Black Bird and The L Word: Generation Q. Moafi says she does not judge other actors who do choose to change their names, especially people of color who often face pressure to do so. She told the magazine, I hope anyone who makes that choice makes it for themselves and not because they feel like they need to change who they are in order to be more universally palatable.
Now in the second season of The Pitt on HBO Max, Moafi plays a doctor named Baran Al-Hashimi. Her character is a smart physician who takes over for Noah Wyle’s character while he is away. In the show, her character has to deal with a lot of tension and power struggles. Moafi feels that these struggles are something many women can relate to in their own jobs. She said, That moment is so relatable for any woman in any field in positions, and particularly in positions of power.
“I’m going to recommend this ED have 2 attendings on shift on all times moving forward.” DOES THIS MEAN DR. AL-HASHIMI IN S3 CONFIRMED?? #YESPLEASE pic.twitter.com/HuE1tt0p0y
— pittpilled kiks!! (@leatinseason) March 27, 2026
The actress explained that these problems are often part of a bigger system that affects how women are treated at work. She found playing the role to be very meaningful because it allowed her to speak up about issues that are bigger than just one scene in a show. Moafi believes that by staying true to her name and her identity, she was able to build a varied and beautiful career on her own terms.
It is great to see an actress who values her heritage more than a quick path to fame. Names are a huge part of who we are, and being told to change yours just to get a job feels very outdated. It shows that talent and hard work can win out even when you refuse to follow “the rules” of the business.
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