Leila Hatami

Leila Hatami, born on 1 October 1972 in Tehran, is widely celebrated as one of the most influential actresses of Iranian cinema. From an early age she appeared on screen, playing the 19th‑century painter Kamal‑ol‑Molk when she was just ten years old, and later a blind princess in her father Ali Hatami’s 1992 film Love‑stricken. After studying mathematical physics in high school she moved to Lausanne, Switzerland, where she first enrolled in mechanical engineering at EPFL before switching to French literature, a decision that would later enrich her artistic sensibility. The death of her father in 1996 prompted her return to Iran, and that same year she earned critical acclaim with the title role in Dariush Mehrjui’s drama Leila, a performance that won the Diploma of Honor at the Fajr Film Festival and marked her transition from child parts to leading adult roles. Over the next decade she built a reputation for portraying complex, often disordered women, earning multiple Crystal Simorgh nominations for films such as Sheida, The Deserted Station, and Forty Years Old. Her nuanced performance as Simin in Asghar Farhadi’s Academy Award‑winning A Separation (2011) brought her international fame, securing the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin International Film Festival and solidifying her status as a global cinematic talent.

Beyond acting, Hatami has contributed to the visual design of her husband Ali Mosaffa’s projects, notably designing sets and costumes for The Last Step, which garnered her the Crystal Globe for Best Actress at Karlovy Vary. Recognized by the French government as a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters in 2012, she has also served on prestigious juries, including Cannes 2014 and Venice 2022. Fluent in Persian, French, English, and German, she balances a vibrant professional life with a family that includes two children, Mani and Asal, and continues to be a defining presence in contemporary world cinema.