Shani Hadjian (pronounced Sha-nee Hod-jee-an) she/they is an Armenian American actor, photographer, and filmmaker currently living in Brooklyn with her wife, Emily, and their dogs, Beans and Petra. 

Shani is passionate about telling Middle Eastern stories, queer stories, and stories that engage audiences to view their relationships and surroundings with a new lens. 

a tall, queer, middle eastern weirdo

Get to know me

Favorite theatre credits: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Wizard of Oz, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Spamalot, Fun Home, Once, Les Miserables, Caroline, or Change, and As You Like it. Shani created the film Up or Out, a proof-of-concept short for the feature of the same title she wrote. Favorite on screen credits: FBI: Most Wanted, Girls on the Bus, You, Up or Out, Poncho, Stricken, Sometimes at Night. Shani was awarded “Best Actress” by the Press Newspapers for her role in Spamalot and “Best Featured Actress” by DCMetro Theatre Arts for her role in Caroline, or change. As a photographer, Shani has owned her business since 2010, focusing on actor headshots that showcase authenticity and joy.