Peyman Ghassemkhani

Peyman Ghassemkhani, born in the heart of Tehran back in January of ‘67, has been shaking up the Iranian film scene for decades. Dude’s got his fingerprints all over some of the most memorable scripts and performances out there. If you’ve ever caught yourself cracking up or just straight-up feeling something watching “Khoob Bad Jelf,” “The Lizard,” or “The Monster,” yeah, that’s probably him working his magic behind the scenes—or sometimes right in front of the camera. He’s not your run-of-the-mill writer, either. Ghassemkhani’s dialogue pops off the screen, often sliding between biting satire and just pure, chaotic fun. “The Lizard,” for example, isn’t just a movie—it’s basically a cultural moment in Iran, poking at social norms with a sly grin. Then you get “Khoob Bad Jelf,” where comedy gets a little meta and self-aware, and “The Monster,” which just goes wild with absurdity but somehow still makes you care about what’s going on. He’s had his share of headlines outside movies, too, especially with his marriage to Bahareh Rahnama—a whole other star in her own right—though that chapter’s closed now. Still, you can’t talk about modern Iranian cinema without his name popping up somewhere. Whether he’s writing, acting, or just popping up in a cameo, Ghassemkhani brings this sharp, clever energy that’s honestly hard to find anywhere else. And honestly? The guy’s nowhere near done yet.