Want the best of both worlds? Start by watching Natasha Behnam on Max’s The Girls on the Bus, and then have her throw you an Iranian American dinner party. Great vibes required for entry.

The California-born actress has always had bright dreams and even brighter taste buds. Much of that is due to her family, who immigrated to America from Iran in 1979, bringing their strong traditions, cultures, and cuisine along. Many of Behnam’s fondest memories revolve around the kitchen when she was growing up and the lessons she learned from her grandmother — including to take your time. But Behnam’s time is now, both personally and professionally.

Behnam stars as Lola Rahaii in Max’s new series, a political drama that follows four journalists tasked with following the election’s presidential hopefuls. Lola is a bright personality in the group: A confident, outspoken TikTok star who cares about helping the younger generation better understand politics, even when others underestimate her potential or platform. And bringing that character to life was incredibly important to Behman who aims to use her words and actions to make a positive difference in the world and, most of all, to start conversations.

"I’m Persian, and food was always a party for my family. When I was a kid, we would have Monday night dinners at my house where my grandma would cook and my aunts, uncles, and cousins would all come, and then on Wednesday nights it would be at my aunt’s house. So we had family dinner twice a week where everyone would come and the tables would be full of these beautiful big dishes of different Persian food. For me, food has always been about community and family. And as I’ve grown up, it’s become a lot more about healing as well. I feel like food is like a spiritual practice for me now because, quite literally, we are what we eat, but I found that I can heal things in my body based on what I’m eating, and I can also harm things in my body based on what I’m eating. So I’ve now been really getting in touch with the spirituality of food."