Kimia Behpoornia

Kimia Behpoornia’s life in comedy all started in fourth grade when her dad signed her up for after-school improv in hopes of boosting the shy girl’s confidence. “That really backfired. I loved it!” says the comedian and actress. “So much so that I did the school play after that, and it all snowballed from there. I had to come out to my immigrant parents as an artist. So really it’s my dad’s fault. I could’ve been a doctor or a lawyer if he let me stay shy.” Growing up, she didn’t see characters that really resonated. “I gravitated toward cartoons because at least in those worlds the girls could be little weirdos or everyone is a robot or a piece of furniture,” she says. “They are essentially genderless and behave beyond the binary that most live-action characters have to stick to.” The desire to help people feel seen drives her work. “It’s the whole reason I’m out here. I play characters as different shades of myself so anyone who grew up like me and didn’t see themself represented in film and TV can relate.” The actress is known for her roles on Abbott Elementary, Hacks, Reboot, and Atypical, as well as her recurring appearances on Dropout and in the Los Angeles improv scene. Looking ahead, Behpoornia wants to take chances on creators with slice-of-life perspectives, work in more indie spaces, and tell niche stories. “Also, I really want to work with more queer Iranian creatives, find me!” –MH