How did it happen that an Armenian girl from Iran went to America alone and made a successful career?

In New Julfa, I founded the Union of Armenian girl scouts. In 1968, the American Girl Scouts Association issued an invitation to Iran’s scouts to send one of their members to the United States, the World Girl Scout Association. I had wanted to leave Persia since I was young, and fortunately, I was chosen to participate in that agreement. My English was very limited, so I did not put the Armenian-English dictionary down on the plane. Everyone thought I was reading the Holy Book. “No, this is my husband,” I joked. I was supposed to leave the US in three months. I went to Germany, then returned to the US with one suitcase, where I had no relatives. During the day I worked as a waitress, and at night I attended classes at the Midway/Paris Beauty School. It was difficult, but I never went after easy things.

I settled in America, attended various schools and courses, graduated from university and even taught at the university for 30 years.

Please tell us about your acting career.

I went on stage in New Julfa when I was only 8 years old. Then I worked in Armenian theater groups of New York as an actress in the theater groups of Hamazkayin Union, Armenian Radio Hour and Union of Alumni of Esayan College. I played in “How Difficult it Was to Die,” “Vardananank,” “Great Silence,” “The Passenger” and other plays.

I was also a make-up artist. In 1995, I received a theater director’s certificate from Queens College in New York, where I made my directorial debut, the production of Herand Markarian’s drama “Mirrors” in English.

And how did you enter the field of make-up?

I have always loved make-up, which gives a person a new appearance, creates a new look. At the Midway-Paris Beauty School, I met a make-up artist working in film and television, who offered me the same job. I said, “Oh my God, that’s exactly what I want to do!” After passing special exams, I started working in film and television. I always tried to be the best! I was always loved by the actors and they wanted me to work with them again.

You have worked with many celebrities from the fields of show business and politics. Can you single out anyone or any fascinating story related to them?

I cannot, as working with everyone was a pleasure for me.Among those people were Susan Sarandon, Celeste Holm, Nana Mouskouri, Helen Hayes, Bill Cosby, Kathleen Turner, Isabella Rossellini, Cynthia Harris, Michael Douglas, Plácido Domingo, Jon Bon Jovi, Sarah Brightman, Billy Joel, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Kofi Annan, Ivana Trump… Some did not know that I am Armenian, but some did. For example, Plácido Domingo always hugged me and said: “My Armenian friend!” I also did make-up for Armenian actors and singers who came to the US: Ofelia Hambardzumyan, Hovhannes Badalyan, Khoren Abrahamyan, Ruben Matevosyan and many others.

You have been photographing and filming events of Armenian cultural life in the East Coast of the US for many years, creating a rich archive. What do you intend to do with it?

I have already given some part to the Museum of Literature and Art of Armenia; I intend to give the rest to an Armenian center in the US. I hope that there will be people interested in these archives, one day they will discover how this handful of people tried to preserve their arts and culture in New York.

In recent years, you have also been busy with literary works.

I have always loved literature, cooperating with the Diaspora and Armenian press with articles and poems. In 2017, I published two poetry collections in Yerevan: Paths of the Motherland and Paths of Love. And now I am preparing to publish a volume presenting the 30-year activity of the National Union of New York. I also intend to write my biography; I don’t know yet whether in Armenian or English.

I think in English, so that there will be more readers.

Yes, perhaps. We must always keep the awareness about our people, our culture bright and awake!