Who would have thought that a girl at the infancy of her acting career would get to work with Hollywood biggies like Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jake Gyllenhaal. But that’s Zoha Rahman for you. A British-Pakistani actor who broke into the white industry, with a glorious film debut in Spider-Man: Far from Home. The young starlet who has been smashing stereotypes with each of her appearances, has become a champion of inclusivity and diversity.

But getting to where she is, has been a long journey for Rahman. For someone who began working in commercials, this global Pakistani took a leap of faith into filmdom and in no time has become a breakout star.

Zoha Rahman graciously spoke with MAG about the surprises that came with being a South Asian character on an American production, offered her own take on the recent rise of South Asian faces in American media, and so much more. Excerpts follow:

As a starting point, could you say a little bit about where you grew up, and what your childhood memories are? Just set the scene for us or for people who don't know.

I grew up in Pakistan! I’ve lived all over the country as my father was in the army, and my mother was an English lecturer. The eldest of three, I grew up as a very shy child who loved to read and watch National Geographic!

How did performing arts come to be? Was your family encouraging of it?

I was always intrigued by the stage and by all things performance. Despite my shyness I’d always be centre stage at school plays, I kept performing till university along with my law degree. I then got picked up by a modelling agency, once I did a few commercials I got noticed by some directors! I was offered my first movie soon after, I kept working while I was studying. It came to a point where I knew which career path I wanted to follow, so I thought I’d try acting full time and see where it led me. And here I am! It was a journey of acceptance for both my parents and myself for the profession I’d chosen. Every parent wants their children to make the right decisions that promise a secure future. Often, pursuing a creative career is undesirable. I hid my work from them for a while, because I knew I was doing nothing wrong and I justified it to myself. I had to come clean when a commercial I shot was going to be on every major channel, I couldn’t hide that! From then on, it was a process of them trusting that this was not just a hobby. They saw me work hard, they saw the credits build and eventually they started being proud of me!

How did you land a role in first, Spider-Man and now 83?

For both films it was a standard audition process, NDAs were involved and it was very secretive. So, I knew they were going to be big projects. Production would have sent out a brief for actors they were looking for, and my profile got shortlisted! I was then invited for an audition, and I gave it my best. I heard back from my agent a few days later saying I’d got the role. For Spider-Man, I had additional calls to discuss whether I’d want to wear the hijab for my role or not, and I said yes!

What were your experiences as a cast member on both the films?

Brilliant! It was quite literally a dream come true to be able to learn on such a huge set, with household names that have so much experience. I remember trying to take everything in and just live in the moments as much as I could. Everyone was professional and friendly and I’ve made lifelong friends on these sets. I’m lucky enough to have the chance to travel with most productions I work with, so It’s almost like a trip with friends; discovering new countries and eating great food!

Are there specific challenges that someone of South Asian descent faces in Hollywood or Bollywood?

Bollywood is an industry created by South Asians, so no. Hollywood; absolutely. We have very few narratives dedicated to us. We are often a side character, or we have a negative role! There is a slow change we are seeing as the drive for representation is growing and people are speaking up, but we are a long way away from true diversity in the mainstream films we see.

What do you make of the increased number of South Asian actors and characters on TV these days? What do you think accounts for this change?

It’s wonderful to see us on screen, I always get extremely excited when I see someone who looks like me doing well. Of course, it’s because of conversations around representation opening up minds and opportunities. It’s also a direct effect of more South Asians behind the camera, we now have writers, producers, directors and casting teams that are South Asian themselves and so have firsthand experiences that they want to show the world. And so, once they create a story, they need the right actors to bring it to life. That’s where actors come in, they are literally the tip of the iceberg when it comes to a movie or TV show you see on screen.

In that same vein, are representation and diversity increasing in Hollywood or the international entertainment industry?

Very slowly, but we are on the right track and we will be able to move faster once we have more people behind the camera that want to share our stories.

You’re currently seen in Pakistani drama Dil-e-Momin. Was this the first time you were part of an all-Pakistani cast? And was there a palpable difference, given the cultural commonalities?

Dil-e-Momin is my first ever Pakistani project. After years of working abroad I wanted to try my hand at acting at “home”. And I was very fortunate to have an amazing first experience with a phenomenal cast and an amazing director. I learnt so much on this set, yet it is a different world in comparison.

When you go for roles, or have things come across your desk, are there certain things you look for in the role before you take it?

I’m at the infancy of my career so I can’t be picky right now, but I do get excited about characters that break stereotypes and bring an element of intrigue into a story. A character that changes the way you think even for a split second. I guess I like the idea of leaving an impact.

On the work front, what have you been doing lately?

I’m currently in talks for some powerful projects, I get to sign the final agreements soon and you’ll get to see more of me in Pakistan and in more international projects!

• Coordination: Umer Mushtaq
• Hair & Makeup: Nabila Salon
• Wardrobe & Styling: On-Fleek
• Photography: Yasser Sadiq
• PR: Alchemist