The Pitt” Star Sepideh Moafi Refused to Change Her Name: “I Immediately Said F—k No.”
Sepideh Moafi, who stars as Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi in the hit medical drama The Pitt, has opened up about turning down pressure from her first agent to change her name early in her career.
In a candid new interview, the actress revealed that right after graduating from her MFA program at the University of California, Irvine in 2013, her initial agent suggested she adopt a different name to make it easier to book roles.
“When I graduated from grad school, my first agent wanted me to change my name, and I immediately said, f—k no,” Moafi told People magazine. “It felt like they needed me to be someone different to work or to sell something.”
Moafi, whose parents came to the U.S. as Iranian refugees, stood firm in keeping her authentic name. She went on to build a diverse and successful career without compromising her identity, landing roles in projects like The Deuce, The Magicians, and now the critically acclaimed Max series, The Pitt.
While she has no judgment toward actors who do choose to change their names, she hopes those decisions come from a place of personal empowerment rather than external pressure to become “more universally palatable.”
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with people who decide to do it,“ she said. “I know a lot of actors, specifically people of color, who have been expected to change their name and haven’t. I hope anyone who makes that choice makes it for themselves.”
Connection to Her Role in The Pitt
Moafi noted that her character, Dr. Al-Hashimi’s, struggle to be seen as an equal in the high-pressure ER environment mirrors broader systemic issues in Hollywood and beyond.
“Unfortunately, it’s not just the norm with our male counterparts. It’s sort of ingrained on a systemic level,“ she explained. “We have this patriarchal lens and some women think they need to maintain these rather patriarchal norms to uphold and exist within the system.”
By refusing to alter her name, Moafi has become an example of authenticity in an industry that has long pushed performers — especially women and actors from underrepresented backgrounds — to assimilate or simplify their identities for marketability.
Her stance has resonated strongly with fans, many of whom praised her for staying true to herself in a competitive field.
Sepideh Moafi’s powerful refusal highlights an ongoing conversation in entertainment about identity, representation, and the pressure to conform — a conversation her character in The Pitt is also helping to bring to the forefront.
By Mark Smith Follow us on X @realnewshubs and subscribe for push notifications.
Follow and subscribe to us for push notifications to never miss breaking updates.