In Amazon’s latest hit series, Sophia Taylor Ali plays Fatine, a talented and determined teenage girl who finds herself trapped on an island with a number of other young women.
The show’s team includes “Wadjda” director Haifaa Al-Mansour and the writer of “Booksmart” Susanna Fogel behind the scenes, along with an ensemble cast at the forefront.
IndieWire’s Ann Donahue calls the show “relatable, relevant, and important” as it deals with a diverse cast, the difficulties of growing up, and different ways in which people respond to trauma and hardship.
Sophia Taylor Ali debuted on Grey’s Anatomy
Ali’s first major role was in Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Dahlia Qadri, a hijabi surgeon. “When I found out I got it I was just like, this is huge,” Ali tells Elle. “It’s literally all of my cousins – this is someone that I want to portray so badly.”
Ali spent a long time looking for a role that reflects her reality, and for a positive Middle Eastern character. “My whole life I’ve tried to be something that I’m not,” she explains in the same interview. “So playing this character that celebrates the differences of the culture in such a beautifully harmonious way is important to me.”
Ali has been interested in acting since early childhood, and her first role was in a show called K Street. She has had episodic roles in CSI: Miami, Barney & Friends, and notably MTV’s Faking It.
Since Grey’s Anatomy, Ali has not slowed down. In addition to her role in Amazon’s The Wilds, she stars in the upcoming film “Uncharted”, alongside Tom Holland and Antonio Banderas. Ali has also appeared in other wide-ranging projects, including Drake Bell’s “HONEST” music video:
Sophia Taylor Ali rejects typecasts and stereotypes
Ali was born in San Diego, California, to Asim and Brooke Ali. Coming from a Pakistani background, she struggled for a long time with representation in media. “I set this goal that I wanted to be what I am, which is Pakistani, and be able to represent those people as an American on TV,” she explains to Elle. “To try to make roles specifically Pakistani if they’re not, or wait for the opportunity to play something that would represent my people.”
In her spare time, Ali enjoys what she calls “brain workouts” as well as makeup art. “It’s not active or nutritious, but challenging myself with something new—learning Photoshop, languages, video-editing—almost makes me feel healthier than lifting weights,” she tells New Beauty. “It’s like the brain is still a muscle that needs a run.”
“The Wilds” has been wildly successful
Ali’s latest role was in Amazon’s survivalist drama The Wilds. The series revolves around a group of teenage girls marooned on a deserted island – but not all is as it seems. The show tackles a wide range of issues, from sexuality to suicide to loss and grief, as well as the intensity and trauma of being thrust into a sheer survival situation.
Requiring both emotional and physical intensity, The Wilds pushed its young actors. “…In a lot of ways, I pushed myself further than I thought I could go,” Ali reflected to Yahoo!Entertainment. “I realized a lot…I didn’t even really know how far I could go.”
“The Wilds” has received significant critical acclaim, with an impressive 92% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Richard Roeper of The Chicago Sun-Times wrote, “What’s so impressive about The Wilds is how creator Sarah Streicher and the deeply talented young cast members immerse us in this world so quickly and create an almost instant interest and empathy for these eight teenage girls.”
Watch The Wilds here.
