Nazanin Mandi was born on September 11, 1986, in Valencia, California. She is of Persian, Mexican, and Native American descent—Mandi’s father, Ali Reza Mandighomi, while her mother, Luz Cecilia Saenz, is Latin American. Mandi began her modeling career at the age of 10, after being scouted by a photographer at an In-N-Out Burger. At age 15, Mandi performed Mozart’s Requiem, K.626 at Carnegie Hall in New York City. During this time, Mandi attended Valencia High School, where she studied jazz and classical music as a soloist in the institution’s VHS Choir. Mandi graduated from Valencia High in June 2004.
