Vida Samadzai is an Afghan-American model, actress, and activist born on 6 June 1980 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Her family fled Afghanistan during the Soviet-Afghan War, eventually settling in the United States, where she completed her education. She studied business administration and worked as a model. In 2003, she made international headlines when she was selected to represent Afghanistan at Miss Earth 2003 in Manila, Philippines — making her the first Afghan woman to compete in an international beauty pageant in more than three decades (since before the Soviet invasion and Taliban era). Her appearance in a red bikini during the pageant generated massive global media coverage. The Taliban issued death threats against her, and conservative elements within Afghan society demanded she be prosecuted. Undeterred, she continued her advocacy for Afghan women's right to participate in public life, arts, and sport, becoming a symbol for Afghan women's liberation. She was named Miss Earth Fire 2003 at the pageant. She has since advocated for women's rights and appeared in American television productions and films. In October 2011, she entered Bigg Boss 5 on Colors TV as one of the original contestants, making her the show's first Afghan and American-based contestant. She was eliminated in Week 7 (Day 48), finishing eleventh, and was replaced in the house by Sunny Leone.

Being the first Afghan woman to compete in an international beauty pageant in over 30 years, representing Afghanistan at Miss Earth 2003 in Manila, Philippines, where she was awarded the Miss Earth Fire title; her advocacy for Afghan women's rights and freedom; the global media attention and Taliban death threats she received following her pageant appearance in a red bikini; finishing eleventh in Bigg Boss 5 (Colors TV, 2011–12).

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