Katayoun Riahi

Katayoun Riahi (born 31 December 1961) is an Iranian actress, and has received various accolades, including three Hafez Awards, nominations for a Crystal Simorgh, and an Iran Cinema Celebration Award. Riahi rose to prominence for her performance as Zoleykha in Prophet Joseph (2008–2009). She won the Best Actress award at the 26th Cairo International Film Festival for her performance in The Last Supper (2002).

She is also the founder and CEO of the Komak Charity Foundation and an ambassador of the Mehrafarin Foundation in Iran.

Career
It was with the series' Days of Life (1998), After the Rain (1999) and The 10th Night (2001) that she established herself as a capable actress.

She also played a starring role in the series Prophet Joseph (2009).

Many critics believe that Riyahi's best performance was in the movie The Last Supper (2001), a role which accorded her a Best Actress nomination at the 20th Fajr International Film Festival.

Her outstanding performance in the movie This Woman Won't Talk (2002) earned her a Best Actress Award at the 7th Iran Cinema Celebration.

Riyahi has also appeared in a number of movies, including The Stranger (1987), Apartment 13 (1990), The Kind Moon (1995), Lighter Than Darkness (2002) and Invitation (2008).

Sexual Abuse on set:

On the 28th of May 2022, Riahi posted a picture on her instagram account stating that she was sexually abused by Davood Rashidi and Mr. Pursimimi. She wrote: “Mr. Pursimimi who came as an investigator abused his position to abuse me. It was a hard time and I didn‘t say anything. After 25 years my soul has not healed from this bitter accident. Remember if wealth, fame and power are not contained, if morals and laws are not in power, this corruption will rule everywhere with tyranny.“

Arrest
Riahi was one of the first celebrities who took off her hijab amidst the 2022 nationwide protests and in support of the people wrote: "Iranian women are the voices of one another" and "Enough with the lies"! In an interview with Iran International, Katayoun Riahi mentioned how her husband barred her from travelling abroad for 10 years, illustrating the power men have over women in Iran. Security forces arrested her in her villa in the suburbs of Qazvin. She was later seen leaving the police station in an ambulance. About two months later security officers attempted to arrest her in her house, but according to reports, she managed to escape before their arrival.