Homayoun Ershadi (alternatively spelled Homayon Ershadi, Persian: همایون ارشادی; 26 March 1947 – 11 November 2025) was an Iranian actor. He was known for his debut role in Taste of Cherry (1997), and several subsequent Iranian and other films, including European films like Agora or Hollywood films like The Kite Runner and Zero Dark Thirty.
Ershadi initially worked in Iran as an architect, but relocated to Canada with his wife following the Iranian Revolution. He and his wife settled in Vancouver, British Columbia, 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. Ershadi was discovered by director 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.[4]
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 in 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.[7]
Cultural reference
The short story Seeing Ershadi by Nicole Krauss was published in 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]
