Abdi, a recipient of Iran’s First-Class Order of Culture and Art, died on Friday afternoon, July 24, after being hospitalized recently due to a heart attack.
Born in Tehran in 1960, Abdi began his artistic career in 1979 after receiving his high school diploma by performing in amateur theater productions. He later joined television in 1982 and rose to fame with the popular TV series ‘I’m Late for School Again’ in 1983.
Abdi entered cinema in 1984 with the film ‘The Big Scandal’ and later showcased his remarkable abilities, particularly in comedy, through memorable performances in films such as ‘The Man Who Became a Mouse’, ‘The Tenants’, ‘Grand Cinema’, and ‘Iran’.
Known for his exceptional acting skills and rare facial features, Abdi had the ability to convincingly portray a wide range of characters across different genres. His distinctive face, which allowed extensive makeup transformations, enabled him to take on diverse roles, from comedic characters to dramatic figures.
His performances in films such as ‘Mother’, where he played a disabled character, and ‘The Magical Journey’, in which he portrayed both a middle-aged man and a child, demonstrated his extraordinary versatility and creativity.
Abdi also delivered acclaimed performances in films including ‘The Actor’, ‘Snowman’, ‘The Mourners’, and ‘Mr. Chance’. He won two Crystal Simorgh awards for Best Supporting Actor at the Fajr International Film Festival for his roles in ‘Mother’ (1989) and ‘I’m Sleepy’ (2011).
After a quieter period in Iranian cinema during the first half of the 2000s, Abdi regained widespread popularity with his performances in the ‘The Outcasts’ trilogy. He also played female characters in several films, including ‘Snowman’, ‘I’m Sleepy’, and ‘The Sleepwalkers’, with his performance in the latter featuring two female roles.
In recent years, Abdi had been struggling with health problems.
Following his death, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi offered condolences, paying tribute to the late actor’s artistic contributions and his lasting place in Iranian cinema and culture.