Golshifteh Farahani

Golshifteh Farahani (also known as Rahavard Farahani) is an Iranian screen and stage actor born on July 10, 1983, in Tehran, Iran. She began performing in theatre as a child and quickly grew into one of the most visible talents to emerge from contemporary Iranian cinema, building a reputation for emotionally precise, character-driven work.

Over a career spanning more than four decades in the arts, Farahani has appeared in 40+ films, with many titles circulating through major international festivals. Her acclaimed Iranian credits include Half Moon, About Elly, and To Each His Own Cinema, where her performances helped introduce global audiences to the nuance and range of modern Iranian storytelling.

Farahani’s international breakthrough came with Ridley Scott’s Body of Lies, where she played Aisha, marking a historic moment as the first Iranian performer to appear in a major Hollywood production. She has since continued to bridge industries and languages, taking on high-profile projects such as There Be Dragons, Romantique, and action roles including Nik Khan in Extraction 2, while remaining a distinctive presence in world cinema.