Honestly, if you haven’t seen a Shahab Hosseini performance, you’re missing out on the guy who basically redefined what it means to be a leading man in Iranian cinema. Most people know him as the face of those intense, Oscar-winning Asghar Farhadi films. But that's just scratching the surface.
He’s not just an actor; he’s a mood.
He has this weird, almost frustrating ability to play a total jerk—someone you should absolutely hate—and somehow make you feel sorry for him by the time the credits roll. It’s a gift. Or a curse, depending on how much you like crying at your TV.
The Farhadi Era: More Than Just "The Salesman"
When we talk about Shahab Hosseini movies and TV shows, the conversation usually starts with A Separation or The Salesman. It has to. Those are the heavy hitters.
In A Separation (2011), he plays Hojjat. He’s hot-headed, unemployed, and desperate. He’s a powder keg. Most actors would just play him as a "villain" or a "problem," but Hosseini gives him this underlying sense of shame that makes your heart ache. He won the Silver Bear at Berlin for that one.
Then came The Salesman in 2016.
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He won Best Actor at Cannes for playing Emad. It’s a masterclass in slow-burn domestic horror. He starts as this mild-mannered teacher and ends up... well, I won't spoil it. But that transition is chilling.
Why "Shahrzad" Changed Everything
If you’re looking for his most iconic TV work, it’s Shahrzad. No contest.
Before this, Iranian home media (the stuff you buy or stream, not state TV) was kinda hit-or-miss. Shahrzad changed the game. Hosseini plays Ghobad, a wealthy, spoiled man-child forced into a marriage with the woman his uncle chooses.
He starts off as a gambling, cheating, generally pathetic person.
By the end of the third season? People were literally protesting his character's fate. He turned a "villain" into a tragic hero through sheer charisma. It was a massive cultural moment in Iran from 2015 to 2018.
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The Recent Shift: "The Lion Skin" and Beyond
Fast forward to 2022 and 2023. If you haven't seen The Lion Skin (Poost-e Shir), go find it.
He plays Moheb Meshkat, a detective who is essentially a ghost of a man. He’s grieving, he’s tired, and he’s obsessed with a case. It’s a gritty, dark thriller that feels more like True Detective than your typical Iranian drama.
It proved that even as he gets older, he isn't losing his edge. He’s just getting more selective.
In early 2025, we saw the release of Raha (directed by Hesam Farahmand). It’s a social drama where he plays Tohid. It actually premiered at the 43rd Fajr Film Festival and walked away with a Crystal Simorgh for Best Film in the New Vision section. He’s still the biggest draw in the room.
A Quick Look at the Deep Cuts
Everyone knows the hits, but here are the ones fans actually talk about:
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- About Elly (2009): The first time he really clicked with Farhadi. He plays the "funny friend" until things go south.
- The Painting Pool (2013): He plays a man with an intellectual disability. It was a huge risk. It could have been cheesy, but he handled it with so much dignity.
- Intoxicated by Love (2024): He plays Shams Tabrizi. It’s a big-budget, lush historical piece. If you like Rumi, you need to see this.
- The Night (2020): A psychological horror movie filmed in the US. It’s weird, creepy, and shows he can lead a Western-style genre flick without breaking a sweat.
The Reality of His New Work in 2026
Right now, in 2026, he’s moving more into directing and producing.
His latest directorial effort, The Last Act, finally hit Iranian cinemas in late 2025. It’s based on a French play called The Last Curtain. It’s a heavy, philosophical piece about a dissident writer. It’s not for everyone—definitely not "popcorn" cinema—but it’s deeply personal for him.
He also has Aban (2025) and Fereshteh's Sin (2023-2024) under his belt. He’s clearly trying to balance the high-stakes thrillers with smaller, more experimental projects.
What to Watch First?
If you're a newcomer to Shahab Hosseini movies and TV shows, don't start with the obscure stuff.
- Watch The Salesman. It's the most "complete" example of his talent.
- Binge The Lion Skin if you like crime and mystery.
- Check out Superstar (2009) if you want to see him as a traditional, high-glamour movie star before he got all "serious."
Hosseini is one of those rare actors who survived the transition from "young heartthrob" to "prestige veteran" without losing his audience. Most guys fade out. He just got louder.
If you want to stay updated on his 2026 releases or find where to stream his classic Farhadi collaborations, your best bet is to check platforms like Filmnet or Namava if you have access, or look for his titles on Criterion and Amazon in the West. Start with his Cannes-winning performance in The Salesman—it’s the definitive entry point for a reason.