Sarah Shahi, born Aahoo Jahansouzshahi on January 10, 1980, in Euless, Texas, is an American actress known for her diverse roles in television and film. She is the daughter of Abbas Jahansouzshahi, an Iranian, and Mahmonir Soroushazar, a Spanish-Iranian interior designer.

Sarah Shahi grew up speaking both Persian and English and attended Trinity High School and Southern Methodist University, where she studied opera and English.

Sarah Shahi began her career as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader from 1999 to 2000 and later transitioned to acting. She gained recognition for her role as Carmen de la Pica Morales on the Showtime series "The L Word" (2004-2009) and went on to star in the USA Network legal drama "Fairly Legal" (2011-2012) as Kate Reed.

She is perhaps best known for her role as Sameen Shaw on the CBS crime drama "Person of Interest" (2012-2016), where she played a former CIA operative turned vigilante.

Sarah Shahi has also appeared in films such as "Rush Hour 3" (2007) and "Bullet to the Head" (2012). She also starred in the Netflix series "Sex/Life" (2021) as Billie, a role that showcased her versatility as an actress. She speaks English, Farsi, and some Spanish, and she holds a brown belt in karate.

She was previously married to actor Steve Howey, with whom she has three children, and is currently in a relationship with actor Adam Demos.