By Joe Puccio

Horror is arguably – and undeservedly – the single most maligned genre in the television and film landscape. While small screen critic darlings like The X Files and The Walking Dead have admittedly received their share of praise and motion picture fan favorites such as Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs have certainly garnered a healthy dose of acclaim, it is conspicuously obvious that examples like these are, unfortunately, exceptions to the rule.

From, rightfully, is another anomaly. With clever writing, intense suspense, and palpable scares, the science fiction-tinged series has steadily gained viewership since its premiere in early 2022 on Epix. And although the aforementioned reasons are undoubtedly an immense rationalization for its success, it’s the gifted cast that is equally as responsible.

Rising star Pegah Ghafoori, as Fatima Hassan, immediately won over viewers with her calm, assuaging demeanor since the show’s inception. The central character’s journey, however, hasn’t exactly been a smooth one throughout her three seasons in the unnamed nightmarish town in which its residents are trapped. The unstable narrative arc is welcomed by Ghafoori.

“I love the big sister energy that Fatima has,” Ghafoori exclaimed, in a recent chat with Generation X Wire. “It’s been so rewarding. With John Griffin’s (creator and writer) brain, it’s just great and well written. Everything he comes up with is so good.”

The mostly ensemble cast, led by veteran actor Harold Perrineau, also includes Catalina Sandino Moreno, Eion Bailey, Hannah Cheramy, and Robert Joy. Working with such a diverse mix of talented thespians has been a blessing for the Toronto native. “Oh my God, it’s been so humbling. Catalina, Elizabeth (Saunders), Eion, and everybody, they’re all so grounded and incredibly human,” Ghafoori gushed. “The realness and rawness in how everyone approaches the work has been such a great learning opportunity for me, especially since From is kind of my first ‘big thing.’ Ricky (He), Corteon (Moore), the talent is through the roof. They really get you to up your game; you can’t act badly around them,” she kidded. “And Harold is amazing. Anything he does, he’s going to be the star.”

The road to starring on the hit series has been sprinkled with quite an eclectic array of activities in other art forms for Ghafoori, including theater, music, and even modeling  – a seemingly perfect fit for the beautiful performer, with one hitch.  “I’ve been told that I’m too short,” she laughed. “But I enjoyed doing it. As for live theater, I’d love to get back on stage at some point in the future but for right now, I’m more focused on my screen career.”

Before landing From, Ghafoori received rave reviews for her riveting, utterly emotional performance in Sepideh Yadegar’s One Must Wash Eyes, a tense, timely drama in which she portrayed a foreign student who struggles to remain in Canada after encountering visa issues due to participating in the Woman-led revolution in Iran. The role was deeply personal for the Iranian-born Persian actress.

“The story was based on Sepideh’s real life,” Ghafoori shared. “I moved to Canada at such a young age and while there were a handful of Iranians, the population has really grown since then. The kind of hatred that comes with not being accepted as you are and then eventually gaining that acceptance and having a community was such a learning experience.”

The part was a draining one for Ghafoori as well. “It was exhausting, emotionally and psychologically. Playing Sahar reminded me what it was like to be an Iranian girl in a place that’s not your home,” she reflected. “It taught me how strong Iranian women, and women in general, are.”

The future is indeed bright for the compassionate animal lover (Ghafoori’s current fur babies include a sizable Great Dane and an adorable male cat named Phoebe – named before knowing the sex) with several notable projects on the horizon for 2025. “There are a few exciting things coming up that are a bit early to talk about,” she revealed. “I can’t wait for everyone to see them.”

Fortunately, From, which now airs on MGM+, has been renewed for an impressive fourth season. Filming for Ghafoori and her colleagues will begin next year with the mind-bending program expected to return in 2026. “We’re like a family who’ve watched each other grow over the last few years,” she beamed, proudly. “It’s shaped us into who we are and it’s really exciting to think about the show’s future.”

Follow Pegah Ghafoori on Instagram.