“Success ultimately means nothing when balance and success in other areas of life are sacrificed.”

Ali Afshar is a professional actor, world-champion racecar driver and founder of Easy Street Motorsports (also known as ESX). He holds world records in racing and has led ESX to NHRA Event, National, and World Championships. Ali also created the exclusive and highly anticipated Ali Afshar Signature Series lines of Subaru and Aston Martin vehicles that are sold directly through Subaru and Aston Martin dealers across the nation. As an actor, his many television and film credits include He’s Just Not That Into You, The King of Queens, JAG, Power Rangers, Three Kings, Godzilla, The Siege, and the hit television series, Saving Grace.

the interview

I met Ali as he was rolling out from under an huge bed in a music video I was helping produce. I’m not kidding – he was “playing” a racecar driver and even had his enormous racing helmet on. We met because he couldn’t hear me when I was explaining what the actors needed to do so he had to lift his helmet off his head and ask me to repeat it all. It happened that we were both on this particular shoot because we were helping out our friends/family. I was helping out my friend who was producing and directing the video, and he was helping out his future sister-in-law’s sister, Meiko, who is the artist whose music video we were shooting. When we started talking between takes, I found out not only was he a real racecar driver, but that he was a champion! Perfect. We shot his interview at his office in Santa Monica, CA. Take a look and see Meiko’s video and Ali’s excellent roll! (aliafshar.com; esxmotorsports.com)