Arianna Afsar

Arianna Afsar
Born	Arianna Ayesha Afsar (1991-10-22) October 22, 1991 (age 33) San Diego, California, U.S.
Education	University of California, Los Angeles (BA)
Occupations	singer composer beauty queen activist actress
Notable work	Hamilton (2016) Jeannette: The Musical (2019) Allegory (2019)
Website	www.ariannaafsar.com

Arianna Ayesha Afsar (born October 22, 1991) is an American singer, composer, beauty queen and activist best known for her starring role in Hamilton, as the songwriter of the musical Jeannette, and as a top contestant on American Idol.

Early life and education

Afsar is from San Diego. Her father is from Bangladesh and her mother is of German origin.^[1][2] She attended Westview High School where she opened Adopt-a-Grandfriend in 2005, to fight loneliness of senior citizens.^[3][4] After graduating Westview in 2009, she attended the University of California, Los Angeles.^[5][6]

Career

Pageant

Afsar won the Miss America's Outstanding Teen title for California in 2005^[7] and represented California in the inaugural Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant in Orlando, Florida in August 2005.^[8] As the youngest contestant in the competition, she won a preliminary talent award and placed first runner-up.^[9]

She was the winner of Miss San Diego County in 2010.^[10][11]

In 2010 Afsar competed in the Miss California pageant for the first time and won the Miss California 2010 title.^[12][13] She competed in the Miss America 2011 pageant in January 2011 and placed in top 10.^[14]

American Idol

In 2009, Afsar was a contestant on American Idol 8. She auditioned in Phoenix and sang "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae.^[15][16] She was one of the final 36 contestants.^[17] Afsar progressed to the live semi-finals but failed to make it through her group and was not selected to compete for a wildcard by the judges.^[15][18]

Theatre

In 2001 she appeared in a production of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical as Cindy Lou Who.^[19]

It was announced on July 13, 2016, that Afsar would portray the role of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton in the Chicago production of Hamilton beginning performances in late September 2016.^{[20][21][22][23]} Afsar left the Chicago production on March 25, 2018, but briefly returned to the role for the 2nd National Tour's stop at Segerstrom Center for the Arts for the weekend of May 19, 2018.^[24]

Afsar wrote the music and lyrics to the musical We Won't Sleep (formerly Jeannette) with a book by playwright Lauren Gunderson. The musical is about U.S. Rep. Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress. Under the title Jeannette, it was part of the 2019 summer series at the National Music Theater Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Connecticut.^[25] We Won't Sleep is scheduled to have its world premiere at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia in 2022.^[26]

Politics and activism

Afsar is also a women's rights activist. She is on the board of the ACLU of Illinois Next Gen.^[27] She spoke at the youth reception for the American Civil Liberties Union national convention.^[28] She is an avid supporter and vocal advocate for Planned Parenthood, United State of Women, and the Women's March.^[29] Afsar opened for Michelle Obama at the United State of Women^[30] at the Shrine Auditorium.

Other

Afsar played the role of "Ellie" in the direct-to-video science fiction action film Martian Land.^[31]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2014	Mauj Mastiyan (Taste of Love)	Dolly
2015	Martian Land	Ellie	Direct-to-video
2018	Canal Street	Kathy
2022	Wedding Season	Priya

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2009	American Idol	Herself	4 episodes
2014	Unusual Suspects	Deanna Grimes	Episode: "Blood in the Water"
2014	OMG! EMT!	Brianne	Episode: "Surprise Attacks"
2014	Tattoo Nightmares	Elizabeth	Episode: "Broke and Branded"
2015	My Haunted House	Carrie	Episode: "Summer Rental & Dark Room"

References

1. 'Hamilton' Star Ari Afsar Dares to Be a Voice. TruthDare Podcast, hosted by Toan Lam (podcast). April 1, 2017. Event occurs at 00:02:13. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
2. Zouves, Natasha (July 13, 2010). "New Miss California Against Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants". NBC Southern California. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
3. Union-Tribune, San Diego. "Miss California Arianna Afsar shines in the spotlight". sandiegouniontribune.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
4. "UCLA student Arianna Afsar crowned Miss California 2010". dailybruin.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
5. "Ari Afsar – Singer/Actor". Sunnynook Drive. Archived from the original on March 1, 2018. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
6. Union-Tribune, San Diego. "San Diegan Arianna Afsar competing for Miss America crown". sandiegouniontribune.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
7. "Arianna Afsar | Miss California". Miss California. April 2, 2015. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
8. "2005 Contestants – Miss America's Outstanding Teen". Miss America's Outstanding Teen. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
9. "PQ's Arianna Afsar Makes Top 10 in Miss America Competition". 92127 Magazine. January 2, 2011. Archived from the original on March 2, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
10. "Miss Yorba Linda third in Miss California pageant". Orange County Register. July 1, 2010. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
11. "Past Winners". www.misssandiego.org. Archived from the original on March 1, 2018. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
12. Vanessa Rakis-Garabedian, Vanessa (July 1, 2010). "Miss S.D. wins Miss California in Fresno". Fresno Bee.
13. "UCLA students juggle their academic workload with pageant competitions". dailybruin.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
14. "Miss California History". Miss California. Archived from the original on October 13, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
15. Clifford, Jane. "Westview High School student makes the 'American Idol' cut". Signs on San Diego.
16. Interactive, Tribune. "American Idol Top 36: Arianna Afsar". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
17. "American Idol Audition of the Day: Arianna Afsar". The Hollywood Gossip. February 3, 2009. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
18. Rushfield, Richard (March 5, 2009). "Nine down, now let the wild cards roll". Los Angeles Times.
19. Phillips, Michael (December 4, 2001). ""Grinch" entertains without stealing heart". The Los Angeles Times. p. 190. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
20. "Casting for Chicago's 'Hamilton' announced". Chicago Sun-Times. July 13, 2016.
21. "UCLA alumna Ari Afsar lands role in Chicago production of 'Hamilton'". Daily Bruin. September 16, 2016.
22. Nitschke, Emma. "Helpless for 'Hamilton'". Marquette Wire. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
23. Nguyen, Minh (July 14, 2016). "Chicago Run of 'Hamilton' Announces Opening Leads". NBC News. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
24. "Tweets". Twitter. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
25. Clement, Olivia (2019). "O'Neill Theater Center's 2019 Season Taps New Works by Craig Lucas, Hansol Jung, Charly Evon Simpson, Anna Ziegler, More". Playbill. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
26. "We Won't Sleep". Retrieved August 9, 2021.
27. "The Next Generation Society". ACLU of Illinois. March 3, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
28. "Ari Afsar on Instagram: "The ACLU needs us now more than ever. I had the honor to share my story last Friday for the @acluofil Luncheon. Always Speak Out, Stand Up,…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
29. "Full List of Speakers at Women's March in Chicago". NBC Chicago. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
30. ja-gaciak (May 5, 2018), Ari Afsar performing "We Won't Sleep" at The 2018 United State of Women Summit, archived from the original on December 15, 2021, retrieved October 23, 2018
31. Miller, Thomas Kent (October 3, 2016). Mars in the Movies: A History. McFarland. p. 215. ISBN 9780786499144.

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Kristy Cavinder	Miss California 2010	Succeeded by Noelle Freeman
Preceded by Elizabeth & Isabella Tang	Miss California's Outstanding Teen 2005	Succeeded by Summer Clark