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Nazanin Boniadi: Five Things to Know About Actress Allegedly Wooed by Tom Cruise Pre-Katie Holmes
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Before the world saw Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah's couch for Katie Holmes, a Vanity Fair cover story claims that the Church of Scientology auditioned women to potentially become his romantic partner. (The Church of Scientology told E! News the story is "hogwash.")
The magazine reports that 32-year-old Nazanin Boniadi was the top choice as Tom's girlfriend (and potential wife) in 2004.
So who is she? Here are five things you need to know about Nazanin Boniadi.
More from Paul Haggis on Tom's alleged wife audition
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1. She's an International Lady: Per her official website, Nazanin was "born in Tehran at the height of the Iranian revolution." Her parents relocated to London while she was young, and she later moved to the U.S. for college. She is "fluent in both English and Farsi," according to her website, and she's an official spokeswoman for Amnesty International USA.
Did Katie Holmes really become a Scientologist after marrying Tom?!
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2. She's Really Smart: Despite some experience as a child actor, Nazanin decided she wanted to become a physician, per her website. The brunette beauty attended the University of California Irvine where she received her Bachelor's Degree with Honors and won an award for her work in heart-transplant rejection and cancer research. Bravo!
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3. She's Been a Soap Star. Nazanin's first major role was on General Hospital. From 2007 to 2009, she played Leyla Mir, a nurse with aspirations of becoming a doctor.
Ex-Scientologists offer support to Katie
Monty Brinton/CBS
4. She's Been Romanced by Barney Stinson: Who needs Tom when you can have Barney?! Nazanin played Neil Patrick Harris' love interest on How I Met Your Mother for nine episodes in 2011.
Look back at Tom and Katie in happier days
5. She Costarred with George Clooney: Fine, it was in a Nespresso commercial (see above!). Still, not too many ladies have the honor of swapping suitcases or sharing the screen with America's favorite silver fox.
Clearly, Nazanin's doing just fine without a ring from Tom.
Check out what Tom's been up to post-split.
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