The Kite Runner star Homayoun Ershadi dies aged 78

Iranian actor Homayoun Ershadi, best known to international audiences for his memorable role as Baba in the 2007 film The Kite Runner, has died aged 78 after a battle with cancer. Iran’s state news agency confirmed the actor passed away on November 11.

Homayoun Ershadi passes away

Homayoun’s entrance into cinema was as unexpected as it was legendary. A professional architect for over two decades, nearing his 50s, he was stopped at a red light in Tehran by acclaimed Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami. Abbas Kiarostami, who was known to cast a lot of his films with non-professional actors, simply asked if Homayoun would like to be in a film.

That chance meeting launched a prolific second career, beginning with the 1997 Cannes Palme d’Or winner, Taste of Cherry. In a role that resonated with his own life, he played a man contemplating suicide who was looking for someone to bury him.

In less than three decades, Homayoun amassed over 90 film and television credits to his name. His gravitas and quiet dignity brought him global recognition, most notably as the stern yet loving father figure in Marc Forster’s adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner.

His international work continued with major productions, including the historical epic Agora (2009) and the military thriller Zero Dark Thirty (2012). Homayoun’s legacy is defined by his profound screen presence and the remarkable true story of a man who found global stardom late in life, simply by rolling down his car window.

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