# Homayoun Ershadi

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Iranian actor (1947–2025)

Homayoun Ershadi همایون ارشادی Ershadi in 2015 Born (1947-03-26)26 March 1947 Isfahan, Iran Died 11 November 2025(2025-11-11) (aged 78) Iran Alma mater Ca' Foscari University of Venice Occupation Actor Years active 1995–2025 Children 2

**Homayoun Ershadi** (alternatively spelled **Homayon Ershadi**, [Persian](/source/Persian_language): همایون ارشادی; 26 March 1947 – 11 November 2025) was an Iranian actor. He was known for his debut role in *[Taste of Cherry](/source/Taste_of_Cherry)* (1997), and several subsequent Iranian and other films, including European films like *[Agora](/source/Agora_(film))* or Hollywood films like *[The Kite Runner](/source/The_Kite_Runner_(film))* and *[Zero Dark Thirty](/source/Zero_Dark_Thirty).*

## Early life and education

Homayoun Ershadi was born in [Isfahan](/source/Isfahan) on 26 March 1947, and spent his adolescence in [Karaj](/source/Karaj) and [Abadan](/source/Abadan%2C_Iran).[1][2] He moved to Italy to study architecture at the [Ca' Foscari University of Venice](/source/Ca'_Foscari_University_of_Venice) in [Venice](/source/Venice), graduating in 1970.

Ershadi initially worked in Iran as an architect, but relocated to Canada with his wife following the [Iranian Revolution](/source/Iranian_Revolution). He and his wife settled in [Vancouver, British Columbia](/source/Vancouver), where he continued work as an architect. Ershadi returned to Iran in 1990 after he and his wife filed for divorce.[3][4]

## Career

Following Ershadi's return to Iran, he settled in [Tehran](/source/Tehran). Ershadi was discovered by director [Abbas Kiarostami](/source/Abbas_Kiarostami), while sitting in his car in traffic. Kiarostami approached him and requested him to play the leading role of his film, *[Taste of Cherry](/source/Taste_of_Cherry)*.[4]

In 2007, he was cast in *[The Kite Runner](/source/The_Kite_Runner_(film))*, a film about two young boys growing up in [Afghanistan](/source/Afghanistan).[4]

## Personal life and death

Ershadi's two children live in Vancouver, a place he visited often to see his grandchildren.[3]

Ershadi died from cancer in Iran on 11 November 2025, at the age of 78.[5] He was buried at the [Behesht-e Sakineh](/source/Behesht-e_Sakineh) in [Karaj](/source/Karaj). [6]

## Awards

Ershadi won the Sepanta Awards in 2017 for "Best Actor for Short Film" for his work in *Blue Lantern*, from the 10th Annual Iranian Film Festival in [San Francisco, California](/source/San_Francisco).[7]

## Cultural reference

The short story *Seeing Ershadi* by [Nicole Krauss](/source/Nicole_Krauss) was published in *[The New Yorker](/source/The_New_Yorker)* on 5 March 2018. It is about a ballet dancer who watches a film featuring Ershadi and then becomes obsessed with his face.[8]

## Filmography

Year Title Role Director Ref. 1997 Taste of Cherry Mr Badii Abbas Kiarostami [9][10] 1998 The Pear Tree Dariush Mehrjui [11] 2002 Disturbant Sirus Alvand 2005 Portrait of a Lady Far Away Ali Mosaffa [9] 2006 Color of Friend Mr Jahangir Bita Shafipour 2007 The Kite Runner Baba Marc Forster [12] 2008 Aal Bahram Bahramian 2009 Agora Aspasius Alejandro Amenábar [13] 2011 Facing Mirrors Pedar Negar Azarbayjani [14] 2012 Zero Dark Thirty Hassan Ghul Kathryn Bigelow 2013 Good to Be Back Merati Dariush Mehrjui 2014 A Most Wanted Man Faisal Abdullah Anton Corbijn Ghosts Dariush Mehrjui 2015 Utopia Hassan Nazer 2016 Ali and Nino Asif Kapadia [15] Blue Lantern Reza Yarkhalaji [16] The Last Inhabitant Ibrahim Jivan Avetisyan [17] 2017 Lina father Ramin Rasouli [18] 2019–2020 Mannequin Jamshid Hossein Soheilizadeh 2020 No Choice Reza Dormishian 2022 The Town Ali Hazrati

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** حشمتی, محمدحسین (12 November 2025). ["بیوگرافی همایون ارشادی و علت اصلی فوت او+ همسر، فرزندان و فیلم ها"](https://setare.com/fa/news/762097/%d8%a8%db%8c%d9%88%da%af%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%81%db%8c-%d9%87%d9%85%d8%a7%db%8c%d9%88%d9%86-%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%b4%d8%a7%d8%af%db%8c/). *setare.com* (in Persian). Retrieved 21 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Homayoun Ershadi"](https://www.beirutfilmfestival.org/2014-14th-edition-jury/homayoun-ershadi/). *Beirut International Film Festival*. Retrieved 6 May 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-g&m_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-g&m_3-1) ["'He saw 6-foot-8 in my eyes'"](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/he-saw-6-foot-8-in-my-eyes/article699579/). *The Globe and Mail*. 11 December 2007. Retrieved 6 May 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:1_4-2) Kerr, Euan (27 December 2007). ["Homayoun Ershadi's strange trip to stardom"](http://www.mprnews.org/story/2007/12/20/ershadi). *Minnesota Public Radio (MPR)*. Retrieved 1 April 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Iranian actor Ershadi dies at 78 after battle with cancer"](https://english.alarabiya.net/life-style/entertainment/2025/11/11/iranian-actor-ershadi-dies-at-78-after-battle-with-cancer). Alarabiya English. 11 November 2025. Retrieved 11 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["همایون ارشادی بازیگر سینما و تلویزیون درگذشت + علت فوت و مکان تدفین"](https://www.shahrekhabar.com/news/176285604051865). *شهر خبر*. 11 November 2025. Retrieved 21 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Winners of 2017 'Sepanta Awards' at 10th Annual Iranian Film Festival in San Francisco announced"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180605080223/http://www.payvand.com/news/17/oct/1012.html). *Payvand.com*. 10 February 2017. Archived from [the original](http://www.payvand.com/news/17/oct/1012.html) on 5 June 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Krauss, Nicole (26 February 2018). [""Seeing Ershadi""](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/03/05/seeing-ershadi). *The New Yorker*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0028-792X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0028-792X). Retrieved 23 November 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_9-1) ["Review: 'Portrait of a Lady Far Away'"](https://variety.com/2005/film/reviews/portrait-of-a-lady-far-away-1200524720/). *Variety Magazine*. Penske Business Media LLC. 5 July 2005.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Holden, Stephen (20 March 1998). ["'Taste of Cherry': Simultaneously Epic and Precisely Minuscule"](https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/film/032098taste-film-review.html). *The New York Times*. Retrieved 23 November 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["The Pear Tree"](http://www.filmsufi.com/2013/02/the-pear-tree-dariush-mehrjui-1998.html). *The Film Sufi*. 28 February 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [French, Howard W.](/source/Howard_W._French) (31 December 2006). ["Where to Shoot an Epic About Afghanistan? China, Where Else?"](https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/31/movies/31fren.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5088&en=ad87d27aa2736916&ex=1325221200&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. pp. (p. 2). Retrieved 15 February 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Perry, Byron (24 February 2008). ["Homayoun Ershadi"](https://variety.com/2008/scene/markets-festivals/homayoun-ershadi-1117981380/). *Variety*. Retrieved 23 November 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Scheib, Ronnie (7 September 2011). ["Facing Mirrors"](https://variety.com/2011/film/reviews/facing-mirrors-1117945989/). *Variety*. Retrieved 23 November 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Debruge, Peter (5 February 2016). ["Sundance Film Review: 'Ali and Nino'"](https://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/ali-and-nino-film-review-sundance-1201698450/). *Variety Magazine*. Retrieved 1 April 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Blue Lantern"](http://iranianfilmfestival.org/all-date-list/blue-lantern/). *Iranian Film Festival*. 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Film Production: The Last Inhabitant"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160817121641/http://ncca.am/en/producing/view/article/243). *National Cinema Center of Armenia (NCCA)*. Archived from [the original](http://ncca.am/en/producing/view/article/243) on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Iran, Afghan Actors in 3-Nation Production"](https://financialtribune.com/articles/art-and-culture/72758/iran-afghan-actors-in-3-nation-production). *Financial Tribune*. 20 September 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2021.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Homayoun Ershadi](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Homayoun_Ershadi).

## External links

- [Homayon Ershadi](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0259831/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

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