Payman Maadi
Payman Maadi (born July 9, 1970), also known as Peyman Moadi, is an Iranian-American actor, screenwriter, and director. He is best known for starring in the films A Separation (2011) and About Elly (2009) by Iranian Academy Award-winning director Asghar Farhadi, Last Knights (2015) and the independent drama film Camp X-Ray (2014). For his role in A Separation, he won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival (2011).
Also recorded as Peyman Moaadi · Payman Ma'adi
Payman Maadi

Mehdi Delkhasteh · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Peyman Maādi
- Born
- 9 July 1970
- Birthplace
- New York City, U.S.
- Occupation
- * Actor
- Spouse
- Faranak Qavanlou
- Nationality
- United States.
- Fields
- writing.
- Education
- Islamic Azad University of Karaj and Islamic Azad University.
- Languages
- Persian and English.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Payman Maadi (born July 9, 1970), also known as Peyman Moadi, is an Iranian-American actor, screenwriter, and director. He is best known for starring in the films A Separation (2011) and About Elly (2009) by Iranian Academy Award-winning director Asghar Farhadi, Last Knights (2015) and the independent drama film Camp X-Ray (2014). For his role in A Separation, he won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival (2011).
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Note VALÉORINE
Payman Maadi (born 1972) is an actor, costume designer and film director, among other activities, of American nationality. The actor was born in New York City.
Payman Maadi was educated at Islamic Azad University and Islamic Azad University of Karaj. The actor lived in Los Angeles. Activity centred on writing. Languages used include English and Persian.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q2893018 · wikipedia · Payman Maadi
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Peyman Maādi • Native Name — پیمان معادی • Born — 9 July 1970 • Birthplace — New York City, U.S. • Citizenship — * United States • Iran • Occupation — * Actor • screenwriter • director • Years Active — 2000–present • Spouse — Faranak Qavanlou • Children — 2
Early life
Early life
Maadi was born in New York City to Iranian parents. When he was 5 years old, his father, an attorney, decided to move back to Iran. He graduated from the Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch with a degree in metallurgical engineering. Maadi later decided to become a screenwriter.
Career
Career
Maadi started his film career as a screenwriter with the film Swan Song in 2000. He later wrote several renowned Iranian films. He began his acting career in Asghar Farhadi's film About Elly (2009), continuing his working relationship with the director in the film A Separation, which was released to widespread critical acclaim. Two years later, he received the Silver Bear award for Best Actor in Leading Role at the Berlin International Film Festival for his performance as Nader in Farhadi's A Separation (2011). He was seen in the indie drama Camp X-Ray, which was accepted into the U.S. Dramatic Competition section of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was released October 17, 2014. Maadi also appeared in the HBO television series The Night Of. In 2014 he was a jury member at the 17th Shanghai International Film Festival. He won the Crystal Simorgh for his role in Walnut Tree (2020) at the Fajr Film Festival. The film is about a father who has to bear the burden of his children's grief under the terrible shadow of war.
Personal life
Personal life
Maadi divides his time between Tehran and Los Angeles. He owns a watch gallery in Tehran. He identifies as Muslim.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Director — Network — Notes — Ref(s) references • 2016 — The Night Of — Salim Khan — Steven Zaillian, James Marsh — HBO — Miniseries, 8 episodes • 2020 — Westworld — Elliot — Jonathan Nolan, Frederick E.O. Toye — 3 episodes • 2024 — Viper of Tehran — Arman Bayani — Saman Moghaddam — Filmnet — Main role; 14 episodes, also as writer • 2025 — Azaazil — Behrouz Sharifi — Hassan Fathi — Namava — Main role • Caviar — Payman Maadi — Filimo — Also writer
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Los Angeles.
Residences
New York City.
Birth place
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Director — Notes — Ref(s) references • 2000 — Swan Song — Saeed Asadi — As writer • 2002 — Thirst — Mohammad Hossein Farahbakhsh — As writer, costume designer • 2004 — Coma — Arash Moayerian — As writer • 2006 — Cafe Setareh — Saman Moghaddam • Wedding Dinner — Ebrahim Vahidzadeh — As writer, director advisor • 2007 — Lipstick — Payman Maadi — Short film; also as writer • 2009 — About Elly — Payman — Asghar Farhadi • 2011 — A Separation — Nader • Mourning — Masoud (voice) — Morteza Farshbaf • 2012 — The Snow on the Pines — Payman Maadi — Also as writer • 2014 — Camp X-Ray — Ali Amir — Peter Sattler • Tales — Taxi Driver — Rakhshan Banietemad • Melbourne — Amir — Nima Javidi • 2015 — Last Knights — Emperor — Kazuaki Kiriya • 2016 — 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi — Amahl — Michael Bay • Life and a Day — Morteza — Saeed Roustaee • Window Horses — Payman — Ann Marie Fleming — Voice • 2018 — Bomb: A Love Story — | Iraj Zokayi — Payman Maadi — Also as writer • Pig — Himself — Mani Haghighi • 2019 — Suddenly a Tree — Farhad — Safi Yazdanian • Just 6.5 — Samad Majidi — Saeed Roustaee • 6 Underground — Murat Alimov — Michael Bay • 2020 — Walnut Tree — Qader Molanpour — Mohammad Hossein Mahdavian • Night Shift — Asomidin Tohirov — Anne Fontaine • 2022 — Leila's Brothers — Manouchehr Jourablou — Saeed Roustaee • 2023 — Opponent — Iman — Milad Alami • Aporia — Jabir — Jared Moshe • Parfum — Dylan Gee — Short film • 2024 — Hard Shell — Majid Reza Mostafavi • 2025 — Woman and Child — Hamid — Saeed Roustaee • 2026 — Crime 101 — Sammy Kassem — Bart Layton
Awards and nominations
• Award — Year — Category — Nominated work — Result — Ref(s) references • Asia Pacific Screen Awards — 2011 — Best Performance by an Actor — A Separation • 2018 — Best Screenplay — Bomb: A Love Story • Berlin International Film Festival — 2011 — Silver Bear for Best Actor — A Separation • Fajr Film Festival — 2012 — Best First Director — The Snow on the Pines • Best First Screenplay • Audience Choice of Best Film • 2016 — Best Actor in a Leading Role — Life and a Day • 2018 — Best Film — Bomb: A Love Story • Best Screenplay • Special Jury Prize • 2019 — Best Actor in a Leading Role — Just 6.5 • 2020 — Best Actor in a Leading Role — Walnut Tree • Hafez Awards — 2014 — Best Screenplay – Motion Picture — The Snow on the Pines • 2016 — Best Actor – Motion Picture — Life and a Day • 2019 — Best Screenplay – Motion Picture — Bomb: A Love Story • Best Motion Picture • Best Actor – Motion Picture — Just 6.5 • 2021 — Best Actor – Motion Picture — Walnut Tree • 2024 — Best Actor – Television Series Drama — Viper of Tehran • Best Screenplay – Television Series • International Bosphorus Film Festival — 2018 — Best International Director — Bomb: A Love Story • International Cinephile Society — 2012 — Best Actor — A Separation — Runner-up • International Online Cinema Awards — 2015 — Best Supporting Actor — About Elly • Iran Cinema Celebration — 2011 — Best Actor in a Leading Role — A Separation • 2014 — Best Screenplay — The Snow on the Pines • Best New Director • 2015 — Best Actor in a Supporting Role — Tales • 2016 — Best Actor in a Leading Role — Life and a Day • 2019 — Best Actor in a Leading Role — Just 6.5 • Iran's Film Critics and Writers Association — 2009 — Best Actor in a Supporting Role — About Elly • 2011 — Best Actor in a Leading Role — A Separation • 2012 — Best Director — The Snow on the Lines • Best Creativity and Talent (first filmmakers) • 2014 — Best Actor in a Supporting Role — Tales • 2016 — Best Actor in a Leading Role — Life and a Day • 2018 — Best Film — Bomb: A Love Story • Best Director • Best Screenplay • 2022 — Best Actor in a Leading Role — Walnut Tree • Stockholm International Film Festival — 2019 — Achievement Award — – • Vesoul International Film Festival — 2014 — Golden Wheel — The Snow on the Pines • Village Voice Film Poll — 2011 — Best Actor — A Separation — Fourth Place

Peyman Moaadi, Iranian actor, film director and screenwriter.
Mehdi Delkhasteh · cropped from

پیمان معادی در نشست خبری فیلم ناگهان درخت، سی و هفتمین دوره جشنواره فیلم فجر
Mohammadreza Abbasi · Mehr News Agency
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.پیمان معادی سازندگان عنکبوت مقدس را شست و پهن کرد + ویدئو.
- 2.Brooks, Brian. Iran's "Separation" Wins Berlinale's Golden Bear. IndieWire. February 19, 2011.
- 3.Scott J. Davis. Blu-ray details for Camp X-Ray starring Kristen Stewart. Flickering Myth. December 2024.
- 4.Soureh Cinema.
- 5.Male star of 'A Separation' gets role in US television miniseries – Iran Times. November 8, 2013.
- 6.Payman Maadi: Stars are no guarantee of a film\'s success, but the script is!.
- 7.Biography
- 8.sundance.org
- 9.Festival
- 10.The Night Of's Payman Maadi on Middle Eastern Stereotypes in Hollywood and Getting Past the Censors in Iran. August 22, 2016.
- 11.بازیگران و سریالهای نامزد دریافت تندیس حافظ را بشناسید - خبرگزاری مهر اخبار ایران و جهان Mehr News Agency. www.mehrnews.com.
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Studied at
1- Islamic Azad UniversityOrganisation
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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