Art & Culture

Who Is Golshifteh Farahani, the Iranian Actress Linked to Emmanuel Macron?

BYYassine Hariss

May 19, 2026

Last year, the internet went into overdrive after a brief clip appeared to show French President Emmanuel Macron being struck across the face by his wife, Brigitte, moments before the pair stepped off their plane to begin an official visit to Vietnam.

At the time, officials moved quickly to downplay the moment, insisting the couple were simply “joking” before disembarking. Still, the explanation did little to quiet the wave of speculation that followed. Social media users, tabloids, and political commentators spent days dissecting the footage frame by frame, appearing unconvinced by the official narrative. Now, a newly published political book claimed the incident may have allegedly been linked to text exchanges between the French president and Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani.

According to French journalist Florian Tardif in his book Un Couple (Presque) Parfait (An (Almost) Perfect Couple), the incident was reportedly triggered after Brigitte Macron came across text exchanges between her husband and Farahani. Though Tardif insists nothing romantic ever occurred between the two, the reported messages — including “I find you very pretty” — were more than enough to reignite public conversation around the French president’s private life all while casting last year’s now-infamous Vietnam incident in an entirely new light.

With rumors, theories, and alleged text messages continuing to circulate online, many are asking the same question: Who exactly is Golshifteh Farahani? Below, we gathered some must-know facts about the actress currently making headlines well beyond the entertainment world.

She’s 43

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A post shared by Golshifteh Farahani (@golfarahani)

Farahani was born on July 10, 1983 in Tehran to a family heavily involved in Iran’s artistic scene. Her father, Behzad Farahani, worked as both an actor and theatre director, while her mother, Fahimeh Rahiminia, is also an actress. Her sister, Shaghayegh Farahani, also pursued a career in film, effectively making creativity the family’s main business.

She Became Famous at 14 Years Old

Farahani’s breakout role arrived in 1998 after she starred in The Pear Tree by Dariush Mehrjui. The performance earned her the award for Best Actress in the international section of the Fajr International Film Festival, immediately positioning her as one of Iran’s rising screen talents.

She Became the First Iranian Actress in Decades to Star in a Major Hollywood Production

In 2008, Farahani starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott’s Body of Lies, becoming one of the first Iranian actresses to break into major Hollywood cinema after the 1979 Revolution.

She Was Forced to Exile

Following the release of Body of Lies, Farahani reportedly came under increasing pressure from Iranian authorities, particularly after appearing at the film’s premiere without a headscarf. This moment, amongst many others— including public comments surrounding censorship and women’s freedom in Iran— eventually pushed her to leave the country altogether and settle in Paris, where she rebuilt her career entirely.

Who Is Golshifteh Farahani, the Iranian Actress Linked to Emmanuel Macron?

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Who Is Golshifteh Farahani, the Iranian Actress Linked to Emmanuel Macron?

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