Who Voices The Dragon In Netflix's Damsel?
In the Netflix movie "Damsel," when Millie Bobby Brown's Elodie receives an invitation to marry the young, handsome Prince Henry of Aurea (played by "Love, Simon" and "Love, Victor" standout Nick Robinson), it seems like a real fairy tale — until it's revealed that Queen Isabelle (Robin Wright) and King Roderick (Milo Twomey) have a terrible deal with the kingdom's dragon in which they sacrifice princesses to sate the beast.
After Henry tosses Elodie into the chasm where the dragon resides, Elodie realizes the terrible truth and fights off the dragon, hurting her leg in the process; though she's able to escape, she and the dragon tangle again later in the film when Elodie is able to convince the dragon that they're both being used by the royal family of Aurea. Now, with the dragon by her side, Elodie can get revenge on Isabelle, Roderick, and Henry.
Who voices the mythical beast? Shohreh Aghdashloo, a veteran performer who has been appearing on the stage and screen since the mid '70s. Aghdashloo is a very recognizable performer to begin with, but her smoky, distinctive voice certainly sets her apart from her peers. Thanks to her iconic voice, Aghdashloo is the perfect person to voice such an important character; after all, the dragon is central to the plot of "Damsel," even going from antagonist to one of the good guys before the film comes to a close.
Shohreh Aghdashloo is a venerated performer
Born in Tehran, Iran, Shohreh Aghdashloo made her film debut in 1976 in the Iranian film "Chess of the Wind." She ended up emigrating to England and then the United States, ultimately scoring a breakthrough role in 2003's "House of Sand and Fog" — which earned her an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. Other notable films on Aghdashloo's resumé include "X-Men: The Last Stand," "Star Trek Beyond," and "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," where she shared the voice role of Gozer the Gozerian with fellow actresses Olivia Wilde and Emma Portner.
On the small screen, Aghdashloo has guest-starred on "Grey's Anatomy," "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit," "Bones," "The Flight Attendant," and as Mother Mary in "Mrs. Davis," but she's likely best known for "24" and "House of Saddam." On Kiefer Sutherland's action drama, Aghdashloo played Dina Araz, a member of a terrorist cell during the show's fourth season, and on "House of Saddam," the actress played Saddam Hussein's real-life wife Sajida Talfah (opposite Yigal Naor as Hussein). Her role in the British miniseries ended up earning Aghdashloo an Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or movie.
As for her turn in "Damsel," you can hear Aghdashloo's voice in the Netflix original film now.