Reza Kianian (Persian: رضا کیانیان , born June 19, 1951) is an Iranian actor. Reza is the second child of a family of 9; he has 4 brothers and 2 sisters. When he was 1 year old, the Kianian family moved to Mashhad. His first acting coach was his older brother, Davood. In 1965, Davood directed and coached Reza in his first role in a play entitled 'Az Paa Nayoftadeha', written by Gholam Hossein Sa'edi. He continued to work with Davood's theater troup for the next 3 years, when he moved back to Tehran to study fine arts at the University of Tehran, where he graduated in 1976. Reza Kianian married his wife - Hayedeh- on March 21 on the Persian New Year in 1983.
Reza Kianian starting his acting career in theater. He began acting in 1965, when he was only 15 years old. Later on in life, he took the stage in renditions of plays such as Antigone, Petty Bourgeois, Simon Masha Figures, Mississippi's Marriage, Souvenir of the Sand Years and many more. In April 2010, after a six-year hiatus from theater, Kianian returned to stage under the direction of Atila Pesyani in Professor Bvbvs.
Published books
Reza Kianian is the author of 9 books in Iran.
Sevoomin Sarneveshte Davoud (Davoud's Third Destiny)
Bazigari (Acting)
Tahlil-e Bazigari (Analyzing Acting)
Sho'bade-ye Bazgari (Magic of Acting)
Bazigari Dar Ghab (Acting in Frame)
Naser o Fardin (Naser and Fardin)
Aks haye Tanhaee (Images of Loneliness)
In Mardom-e Nazanin (These Lovely People)
Ghaar-e Sevom (The Third Cave)
Television
Reza Kianian has acted in some television series as well. Perhaps his most memorable role in television has been his character 'Jamshid' in Shellike Nahayi (The Final Shot) directed by Mohsen Shahmohammadi, where 'Jamshid-style' outfits and hairstyle became popular with the youth of Iran. In The English Bag and The Rebel Years he portrayed an old clergyman and a judge respectively, which are considered his most controversial roles to date. Kianian in Mokhtarnameh the role Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr the shining.
Apartment , directed by Asghar Hashemi, 1994
Shellike Nahayi (The Final Shot), directed by Mohsen Shahmohammadi, 1996
The English Bag , directed by Ziaeddin Dorri 2000
Doran-e Sarkeshi (The Rebel Years), directed by Kamal Tabrizi, 2002
Yek Mosht Par-e Oghab (A Fistful of Eagle Feathers), directed by Asghar Hashemi, 2007-2008
Roozegar-e Gharib (Strange Times), directed by Kianoush Ayyari, 2002-2008
Mokhtarnameh directed by Davoud Mirbagheri, 2004-2008
Ghalb-e Yakhi (Frozen Heart), directed by Saman Moghadam, 2012
Rahe Toolani (Long Way), directed by Reza Mir-Karimi, 2012
Kolah Pahlavi (Pahlavi Hat), directed by Ziaeddin Dorri, 2013
Named one of top five most important actors in history of Iranian cinema by the critics and panel of the Film Monthly Magazine
Nominated Crystal Simorgh for Best Actor 34th Fajr International Film Festival
Other
Besides being an actor, Reza Kianian is also a painter, sculptor and set designer. His set design for the movie Niloofar-e Abi (The Lotus) won him an industry award at the 17th Fajr International Film Festival in 1998. Kianian's photo and paintings have been exhibited in two solo exhibits in 2008 and 2010, and in over five group exhibits. In 2007 he also held a solo sculptor exhibit. In 2012, Reza Kianian was the auctioneer for the first ever Christie's style auction in Tehran, Tehran Auction. The auction was a sold out event, making over $1 million.
