Golshifteh Farahani - Biography

Who is Golshifteh Farahani?

Golshifteh Farahani is an actress by profession and French, Iranian by nationality. The multiple award-winning actress is best known for starring in the drama About Elly, Extraction, and Iranian movies Derakht e Golabie (The Pear Tree), Mim Mesle Madar (M for Mother), Paterson, Exodus: Gods and Kings, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

Golshifteh Farahani – Age, Parents, Siblings

Golshifteh Farahani’s birth took place on 10 July 1983 in Tehran, Iran. She was born as Rahavard Farahani to her mother Fahimeh Rahim Nia and her father Behzad Farahani, a theatre director and actor. 

She is not the only child of her parents and has two siblings, brother Azarakhsh Farahani and sister Shaghayegh Farahani, who is also an actress.

Education, Ethnicity

She studied music and piano from the age of 5. For education, Golshifteh Farahani attended a music school in Tehran. Born to a family of entertainers she began her acting career in her early teens. 

Her ethnicity is Iranian.

Golshifteh Farahani – Boyfriend, Husband, Children

Since her rise to fame, Farahani has been in several high-profile relationships and marriages. She began dating Amin Mahdavi and married him in 2003. But after eight years of marriage, the pair's divorce was finalized in 2011. She then began a relationship with her boyfriend, Louis Garrel, in 2012 and split in 2014.

Her second husband is Christos Dorje Walker, with whom she tied the knot in May 2015. They were married for around two years before getting a divorce in 2017. Golshifteh Farahani does not have any children from either of her marriages or relationships.

She is currently believed to be single but a secret boyfriend/affair cannot be ruled out.

Golshifteh Farahani – Career

Early Days

Farahani’s debut role was in the film Derakht e Golabie (The Pear Tree) as Mim (Mitra) at the age of 14. The role won her Simorgh Prize for Best Actress at the Fajr Film Festival. This was followed by portraying characters in the French and Iranian films Jayee Digar (Somewhere Else) (2002), Bab'Aziz: Le prince qui contemplait son âme (2004), Niwemang (Half Moon) (2006), Shirin (2008), and About Elly (Darbareye Elly) (2009), etc.

Since 2010

In the last decade Golshifteh Farahani has starred in films There Be Dragons (2011), The Patience Stone (2012), Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014), Altamira (2016), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017), The Night Eats the World (2018), Arab Blues (2019), Extraction (2020), among others.

Co-stars

On Extraction, Golshifteh Farahani has starred alongside Sam Hargrave (also the director), Derek Luke, Nico Pimpare, and Fay Masterson.

Golshifteh Farahani on Extraction (Image: Looper)

Golshifteh Farahani – Awards, Nominations

Over the course of her career spanning over two decades, Golshifteh Farahani has won numerous awards including the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (2008), Asian Film Awards (2013), César Awards (2014), Lumières Awards (2016), Chlotrudis Awards (2018), etc.

Golshifteh Farahani – Nudity, Controversy

In January 2012 it was reported that she would not be welcome in her homeland after posing nude in the French magazine Madame Figaro. According to the Daily Telegraph, Iranian government officials told her, "Iran does not need actors or artists like you. You may offer your artistic services somewhere else." 

She had also appeared topless in a short film Corps et Âmes (Bodies and Souls). Many of the films which starred have been banned in Iran.

Farahani has been actively involved in environmental causes as well as working as an advocate for the eradication of tuberculosis in Iran. 

Golshifteh Farahani – Net Worth, Salary

Her net worth is estimated to be around $1 million but the figure on her annual salary has not yet to been revealed.

Golshifteh Farahani – Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

On social media handles including Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, Golshifteh Farahani is followed by millions of followers and counting.