Bijan Daneshmand Stars in Sony Classics' 'The Persian Version'

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – When Bijan Daneshmand took on his first role on stage as a child, he realized that perhaps acting was not for him. But decades later, he is at the top of his game starring in the upcoming feature film “The Persian Version,” from Sony Pictures Classics and writer/director Maryam Keshavarz (“Circumstance”).

“I’m grateful to be a part of such an engaging film that features an amazing cast and a talented team of professionals,” Daneshmand said. “Maryam is one of those directors that knows what she wants, but is also able to listen, explain and sometimes be welcoming to any suggestions or input by the actors.”

The comedy drama, which earned the Audience Award and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 2023 Sundance International Film Festival, is set for release in September. It tells the story of a large Iranian-American family that gathers for a celebration when a family secret is uncovered. The incident catapults the estranged mother and daughter into an exploration of the past, only to discover that they are more alike than they know. The cast includes Layla Mohammadi (“The Sex Lives of College Girls”), Niousha Noor (“Kaleidoscope”), Bella Warda (“Radio Dreams”) Sachli Gholamalizad (“Domino”) and newcomer Kamand Shafiesabet.

Daneshmand comes to the film after appearing in HBO’s “House of the Dragon.” Playing the family patriarch Ali in the new film, Daneshmand takes on a nurturing role of the father of eight children who is at the heart of the comedic drama. But for the experienced actor, the characterization was special from the beginning.

“Maryam, who directed, talked me through the character, which was based upon her father. I felt honored and had a feeling of responsibility playing the role of her real-life father,” he said. “The more I learnt about this fascinating and interesting man, the more at ease I was to perform the role. I also find, the finer the quality of the script, the story, the easier it was to act. The script was excellent.”

Having been born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Daneshmand discovered his passion for the arts early on. With his mother, a former film actress, nurturing his creative side and allowing the young boy to discover his love for film, television and other forms of artistic expression which he immersed himself from the start – even after he was sent to Sussex, England at age 10 to attend boarding school. He would go on to attend Kings College in London and earn a BSc Degree in civil engineering, then a Masters Degree in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Arts.

Although he would start a family after college and take on property development in London, he would return to acting when his brother gave his son a video camera for his birthday.

“We got into groups of three and made short films. It was amazing fun and hilarious,” he recalled. “I got an incredible buzz, and unlike when I was about eight, I was now happy to act. On returning to London, I found a place in East of London; London Centre of Theatre Studies and took night classes. Following that I took classes with Stefan Gryff, an actor and coach and a Paris clown workshop with Philipe Gaulier in Paris.”

He soon signed with an agency and went on to work in a number of films such as Steven Spielberg’s “Munich,” Universal Pictures’ “Green Zone,” the notable psychological horror film “Under the Shadow,” and others. His television work includes the Fox drama “Deep State,” the acclaimed BBC drama “The Night Manager,” and the new Netflix drama “The Diplomat,” among others.

Today, Daneshmand spends much of his time to perform and write screenplays based on his own ideas and experiences. He hopes to bring those scripts to the Big Screen or perhaps publish them in a book. But he admits, only time will tell.