Roxy Shahidi

Roxy Shahidi, born Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi on March 12, 1983, is an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Leyla Harding in the popular ITV soap opera, Emmerdale. Shahidi began her acting career with the Contact Young Actors Company in 2004 and later worked as a drama workshop leader for Peskar Productions in Oldham and Bolton. Her impressive theatre credits include performances in East is East, Janus, Christie Malry's Own Double Entry, Freshly Scratched, and Rafta, Rafta... She has also appeared in radio plays, such as Nadeem Aslam's Maps for Lost Lovers. Shahidi has made notable appearances on British television, including the shows Sinchronicity and her long-running role as Leyla Harding on Emmerdale from 2008 to 2011.