Skip to content
MovieCove
Sakina Jaffrey

Sakina Jaffrey

Actor · Born February 14, 1962 (64) · Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Screen Actors Guild Award nominee

Sakina Jaffrey (born February 14, 1962) is an American actress. Her best known roles include Linda Vasquez in the Netflix original series House of Cards and Denise Christopher in the NBC series Timeless. She is the daughter of actor Saeed Jaffrey and actress/cookbook writer Madhur Jaffrey.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 14, 1962 (64)
From
Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
51 on MovieCove · 66 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 4% in 30 days

What are Sakina Jaffrey's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
34%
Bonds
32%
Survival
16%
Morality
11%
Society
7%
Family bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 1 · Dark 3

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 8 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 4 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 8 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
6
Tense
5
Melancholic
7
Hopeful
6
Contemplative
4
Other
8

How their films linger

Hopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet5
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Sakina Jaffrey's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 40 of their 51 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sakina Jaffrey's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

66 credits, 51 with a MovieCove page.

  • Avatar: Seven Havens(2026)

    Show 13 episodes · as Agam (voice)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Super Troopers 3(2026)

    as Mehta

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Deli Boys(2025)

    Show 3 episodes · as Seema

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • Goosebumps: The Vanishing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 3 episodes · as Dr. Ramona Pamani

  • Before(2024)

    Show 3 episodes · as Gail

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • Ms. Marvel(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Auntie Shirin

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • The Hating Game(2021)

    as Helen

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Mayor of Kingstown(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Leticia Marks

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Ghosts(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · as Champa

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Soul(2020)

    as Doctor (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Little Voice(2020)

    Show 6 episodes · as Vilina

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Snowpiercer(2020)

    Show 23 episodes · as Mrs. Headwood

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Defending Jacob(2020)

    Show 8 episodes · as Lynn Canavan

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Sunnyside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Alisha Modi

  • Prodigal Son(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Elaine Brown

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Late Night(2019)

    as Molly's Mom

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Dark Was the Night(2018)

    as Jane

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Equalizer 2(2018)

    as Fatima

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Lost in Space(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Kamal

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Red Sparrow(2018)

    as Trish Forsythe

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Meyerowitz Stories(2017)

    as Dr. Malini Soni

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • American Gods(2017)

    Show 3 episodes · as Mama-Ji

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Claire in Motion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Maya

  • Timeless(2016)

    Show 26 episodes · as Agent Denise Christopher

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Billions(2016)

    Show 20 episodes · as Daevisha 'Dave' Mahar

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Blindspot(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Susan Albright

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Mr. Robot(2015)

    Show 7 episodes · as Antara Nayar

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Madam Secretary(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Chondita Samant

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Sleepy Hollow(2013)

    Show 5 episodes · as Sheriff Leena Reyes · as Sheriff Leena Reyes (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • House of Cards(2013)

    Show 27 episodes · as Linda Vasquez

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Domino Effect (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Serena

  • The Mindy Project(2012)

    Show 6 episodes · as Sonu Lahiri

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Girls(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Gynecologist

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • The Understudy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Nurse

  • Homeland(2011)

    Show 3 episodes · as Dr. Meyer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Breakaway(2011)

    as Livleen Singh

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Blue Bloods(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Demir

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • The Toe Tactic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Lacticia Utt

  • The Ode (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Parin

  • Definitely, Maybe(2008)

    as School Mom

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • What Goes On (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Asha

  • Before the Devil Knows You're Dead(2007)

    as Manager

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Nanny Diaries(2007)

    as Sima

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Where God Left His Shoes(2007)

    as Doctor

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Hiding Divya(2006)

    as Dr. Sharma

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Heroes(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mrs. Suresh

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • The Manchurian Candidate(2004)

    as Mysterious Arabic Woman

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Raising Helen(2004)

    as Nilma Prasad

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Ash Tuesday(2003)

    as June

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Revolution #9 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Dr. Ray

  • The Truth About Charlie(2002)

    as Sylvia

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • The Guru(2002)

    as Young Woman in Dance Class

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Mystic Masseur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Suruj Mooma

  • Chutney Popcorn(1999)

    as Sarita

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Cotton Mary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Rosie

  • Third Watch(1999)

    Show 16 episodes · as Dr. Hickman

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Geeta Chanoor

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Sex and the City(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Rama Patel

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Daylight(1996)

    as Kit's Passenger #1

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Indian in the Cupboard(1995)

    as Lucy

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Masala (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Rita Solanki

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Balikrishan · as Roya Koutal

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Slaves of New York(1989)

    as Wilfredo's Receptionist

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The Perfect Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Neena Lal (introducing)

  • I'm Dead Right? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • There She Goes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 66 titles, 64 of them dated from 1988 to 2026; peak year 2019.

Biggest box office

The Equalizer 2 (2018)

$190M worldwide

Highest rated

Defending Jacob (2020)

Midcredits 89th

Most popular right now

Avatar: Seven Havens (2026)

Film career

MilestoneNomination
19882026

Peak 2019 · at the high point of their film career. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting66 of 66: 66 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score68th

By decade

1980s2 · acting1990s8 · acting2000s17 · acting2010s24 · acting2020s13 · acting

Billing

usually 13th · top billed in 0% of 17 roles
9505

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

Nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2015, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Sakina Jaffrey's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 47th percentile, the median of all 23; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 46th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

87thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 51 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up21
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

26 of their 51 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser26
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

Ash Tuesday (2003)

91st percentile spread · 35% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Soul (2020)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 61/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 37. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Sakina Jaffrey's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles20–77 · median 46 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles21–42 · median 28 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles40–72 · median 58 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles27–52 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles14–67 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Sakina Jaffrey work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sakina Jaffrey's MovieCove titles; Ajay Naidu shares the most, 2.