By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter
She calls herself, “A small time girl with big dreams.”
And Sarah Ronaghi started dreaming at quite the early age – big dreams, too.
“I always wanted to be in theater,” she told the Northern Kentucky Tribune in a phone conversation from her Los Angeles home.
Quite the jump for the gal who attended Burlington Elementary and Conner Middle School. “I actually started doing theater as young as five or six,” she recalled.
Her dream took her to School for the Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, in the ‘90s.
“I remember my first performance at the school was in Chorus Line,” she said, “And my first speaking role was in Great Expectations, as a sister.”
Performing, acting on stage was in her blood – she was hooked – and with the help of her mom (Leasa Souza) Ronaghi trekked to Honolulu, Hawaii to continue her training, and she eventually graduated from Mid-Pacific School of Theater Arts.
“We were required to perform, in two of three performances a year at Mid-Pacific,” she said.
And if you’re wondering how on earth, she discovered Mid-Pacific, well, mom was always on the hunt for art Schools for me,” Ronaghi said.
Performing was never the problem for Sarah Ronaghi – getting the gig to do it was.
“I was always a go-getter, so I wasn’t real nervous moving to LA on my own,” she said. “I had a degree in Journalism, and thought I could be an Entertainment Reporter.”
She made friends as she was working as a waitress at an LA Outback Restaurant.
“My first break, a role on FX, as Mandy in Dave from 2020-21,” she said. “I will not lie, it’s a grind, a hustle. You get close to landing big roles, and you don’t – but you don’t give up.”
She did not.
“It’s like winning the lottery – getting a lucky break. But you need to get used to rejection. Hardest part — that’s easy — Getting the job.”
Her latest is FX’s Clipped, to air June 4th, on Hulu.
Clipped, which is based on the ESPN’s 30-for-30 podcast, The Sterling Affairs, explores Donald Sterling – the former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association – and his 2014 racism scandal.
Or, as the press release for the show puts it, the six-episode show will chart “the collision between a dysfunctional basketball organization and even less functional marriage.”
Doc Rivers, the then-coach of the Clippers is played by Laurence Fishburne and Donald Sterling, the billionaire owner is portrayed by Ed O’Neill.
“I play a Clippers’ cheerleader,” Ronaghi says, “and confide with Sterling’s mistress.”
That’s all she’d say.
But she did mention the shooting for the show started back in November of 2022.
“We were held up for a time with Covid and then the writers’ strike,” she said. “I remember reading for the part in September, and heard back about two or three weeks later.”
As for the basketball theme, Ronaghi says, “I tend to research on the topics. But more importantly I focus on the paper in front of me.”
Clipped should be a natural for Sarah Ronaghi.
She’s from Kentucky.
Sarah Ronaghi’s journey from a young theater enthusiast to landing a role in FX’s new series “Clipped” is quite inspiring! Starting from local school performances to making it in LA is a testament to her determination. It’s cool how her background in journalism and her early acting pursuits have shaped her career. The series itself, exploring a major sports scandal, sounds intriguing, especially with her role adding depth to the storyline. How exciting it must be for her to see her dreams take shape!