Mozaffar Shafeie Leaves Lasting Legacy in Kurdish Theatre and Culture

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Veteran Kurdish actor, director, broadcaster, and cultural advocate Mozaffar Shafeie has died at the age of 70 after battling pancreatic cancer, his family announced. Shafeie passed away peacefully on Tuesday in Ankara, surrounded by his family.

Born on April 26, 1956, in Mahabad, Shafeie developed a passion for acting from an early age after watching his first film as a child. He later studied theatre in London, graduating from Dartington College of Arts in 1982, before embarking on a distinguished career spanning theatre, television, film, radio, and cultural activism.

Shafeie became one of the most prominent figures in the Kurdish diaspora in the United Kingdom. In 1986, he co-founded the Kurdish Cultural Centre in London, where he played a leading role in promoting Kurdish arts, theatre, and cultural identity through festivals, performances, and community initiatives.

Alongside his artistic achievements, Shafeie spent three decades working for the BBC World Service's Persian Section as a broadcaster, translator, and presenter. Although widely respected for his journalism, he often described acting and directing as his lifelong passion.

In 1990, Shafeie made history as the first Kurdish actor to perform at Britain's Royal National Theatre, a milestone recognized in The Cambridge History of the Kurds. Throughout his acting career, he appeared in numerous international productions, including HBO's House of Saddam, the film Triage alongside Colin Farrell, Son of the Pink Panther, and productions for the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4.

He also became widely known among Persian-speaking audiences as the voice of Jeremy Clarkson in Takhte Gaz, the BBC Persian adaptation of Top Gear, earning widespread popularity for his humor and distinctive performance.

Shafeie's career also took him to Japan, where he worked with NHK World Radio Japan's Persian Service and later founded Intrigue Theatre in Tokyo, bringing together international performers and introducing audiences to diverse theatrical traditions.

In recent years, Shafeie had settled in Erbil with his family after leaving Washington in 2023. He hoped to contribute to the development of a national theatre that would reflect Kurdistan's rich artistic heritage.

He was married to Kurdish journalist Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, a former Kurdistan Regional Government representative to the United Kingdom and the United States. The couple welcomed their son, Ramyar, in 2012.

Shafeie was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2025. Despite undergoing treatment, his condition worsened after the cancer returned in July 2026.

In a statement, the family expressed gratitude to Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and his office for their support during Shafeie's illness. They also thanked President Masoud Barzani, President Nechirvan Barzani, the Turkish Consulate General in Erbil, and the medical teams at the American Hospital in Istanbul and Live Hospital in Ankara for their care and assistance.

Remembered as a gifted storyteller and tireless advocate for Kurdish culture, Mozaffar Shafeie leaves behind a legacy that spans decades of artistic achievement and cultural service across Kurdistan, Europe, Japan, and beyond.