Albeit unofficial, Hollywood actress Shiva Rose has given up acting. She was last seen as the late American film actress and dancer Louise Brooks in Alex Monty Canawati’s Return to Babylon, a 2013 biographical comedy-drama about the scandalous lifestyles of renowned movie stars in the 20s. In the years she worked as an actress, Rose performed on stage and for screen audiences. She appeared in at least 21 movies and television shows, including The Practice, 61*, The Young and the Restless, and David & Layla. The latter won her the President Award for Best Breakthrough Performance at the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival.
Away from the film industry, Shiva Rose has sustained her relevance over the years with alternative careers as an activist, blogger, and natural beauty entrepreneur. Shiva Rose’s current career path is probably tied to the circumstances surrounding her casual disappearance from Hollywood. She was diagnosed with lupus and other autoimmune conditions after having her first child. Upon learning she might have only a year left to live, the Layla actress adopted a lifestyle that saved her life and conceivably inspired her decision to quit acting.
1. Shiva Rose’s Family Fled Iran During The Iranian Revolution
An American of Iranian and Irish descent, Shiva Rose was born in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, on February 8, 1969, to an American mother, Carol June, and an Iranian father, Parviz Gharib Afshar. Although born in the United States, she spent most of her early life in Iran. The actress was 10 when her family fled Iran for Paris in the wake of the Islamic Revolution that dismantled the Imperial State of Iran in 1979. The family later left France for the United States and ultimately settled in Los Angeles.
Rose has linked the experience to the beginning of her acting career. On her website, The Local Rose, the actress confirms she “was raised to bohemian parents in the countryside of Iran until the revolution… occurred.” She recalls the sudden change “from a childhood nurtured on imagination and nature to life as a refugee.” To embrace her new life, Shiva Rose “sought solace in old films, fashion and books…” That, she said, led her “to work as an actress in TV, film and theater.”
2. Her Father Parviz Gharib Afshar Is Also An Actor
While Shiva Rose has attributed the beginning of her acting career to the abrupt disruption of her life during her childhood, it’s also possible her father influenced her decision to become a performer. Once described in a New York Times piece as “The Persian Johnny Carson,” Rose’s father is a prominent television personality and an actor. Parviz Gharib Afshar attended San Francisco State University in the United States after completing his high school education in Iran.
Afshar would later obtain a Masters in Broadcasting from UCLA and established himself as an Iranian force in American television. He’s often credited for starting the first Persian program in the United States. Rose’s father notably championed various stage productions while getting college-educated, including the Iranian student’s stage production for Nowruz, which soon found its way to television. As an actor, he’s best known for playing Nur Mohammad in James Fargo’s 1978 action adventure Caravans.
3. Shiva Rose Began Her Career On Stage At Age 15
Upon falling in love with acting, the Layla actress began performing in theaters across Santa Monica, California, at age 15. Over a decade later, she made her screen debut as Sally Bader in a 1998 episode of ABC’s The Practice. The following year, she played Sally Mae in Lori Fontanes’ How to Get Laid at the End of the World. With movies like Black Days, 61*, 13 Moons, and The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest, Shiva Rose popularized her name in the competitive industry. Although she was involved in several other productions, she is best known for starring opposite David Moscow’s David Fine in J. J. Alani’s romance dramedy about a Jew and a Muslim falling in love — David & Layla.
4. She Was Once Married To The Practice Actor Dylan McDermott
Shiva Rose and Dylan McDermott met at a coffee shop in Venice, California. Their meeting was memorable for McDermott as it was also the day he was cast for his first big role alongside Clint Eastwood — as Secret Service Agent Al D’Andrea in Wolfgang Petersen’s In the Line of Fire (1993). The two wedded in November 1995 and were married for 12 years before separating in September 2007. Their marriage officially packed up in January 2009 after McDermott filed for divorce in May 2008, citing irreconcilable differences. The former couple has two daughters named Colette Rose McDermott and Charlotte Rose McDermott. Colette takes after her parents: she’s an actress known for playing Josephine in Ian Brennan and Ryan Murphy’s Hollywood.
5. Shiva Rose Now Devotes Her Time To Naturalism And Activism
By and large, Shiva Rose’s acting days are over. She’s, however, found a purposeful career as a blogger, activist, naturalist, and wellness/beauty entrepreneur. Through her blog, The Local Rose, Dylan McDermott’s ex-wife is now committed to fostering natural beauty among women. She creates and sells skincare products marketed as toxic-free and natural.
While her activism dates back to her days at UCLA, when she founded a program to feed homeless people, Shiva Rose became a naturalist after she was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition. “This diagnosis…propelled me on a path as a naturalist and activist. The Local Rose was born out of a desire to celebrate a holistic, healthy, authentic lifestyle without sacrificing taste and glamour,” reads the profile on her blog.
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