Homayoun Ershadi is an Iranian actor who rose to international prominence with his remarkable debut in Abbas Kiarostami's *Taste of Cherry* (1997), where he played the lead role of Badii. Kiarostami discovered him by chance, as Ershadi was an architect at the time.

This role propelled him onto the international stage, leading him to appear in films such as Marc Forster's *The Kite Runner* (2007), in the role of Baba, and Anton Corbijn's *A Most Wanted Man* (2014).

Ershadi is known for his charismatic presence and his ability to portray characters of great depth, often ordinary men grappling with moral dilemmas or complex situations. His acting is characterized by a subtle intensity and a restrained expressiveness, which lend authenticity to his roles.