Bahar's rise to the top of the acting industry has been a long and windy path. Born in Tehran in 1975, her parents named her Bahar (meaning "Spring" in Farsi). Bahar and her family moved to Los Angeles, California in 1979 following the Revolution. She attended high school in Beverly Hills, excelling in academics and the arts (she played the violin in the school orchestra). Bahar attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she obtained her degree in Environmental Studies. After graduation, Bahar traveled through Europe and gained a true cultural understanding of the world. When she returned, Bahar's financial situation was woeful. She was forced to take a corporate job in order to pay off her European travels. All the while, Bahar was depressed that she was unable to pursue her true passion, acting. Invoking the Persian-work ethic, Bahar (who is, by the way, fluent in English, Farsi, and Spanish) kept her steady corporate job while taking acting classes every night from 7pm to 2am. Eventually, she was able to quit her job and pursue her Hollywood dream. Bahar quickly went from getting TV gigs to landing film roles in acclaimed movies such as Crash and Syriana. She is a Screen Actors Guild award winner and has won a coveted spot on People Magazine's Most Beautiful People category. Bahar is a staunch activist and takes protecting the environment very seriously. In 2001, Bahar married Clayton French, and in 2005, she gave birth to her first son, Ezra.
