His next major international appearance came in Last Knights, where he shared the screen with Morgan Freeman and Clive Owen. Soon after, he appeared in Six Underground, directed by Michael Bay and starring Ryan Reynolds. These projects marked Maadi’s successful transition into big-budget international cinema without sacrificing the depth of his earlier performances.
He later made appearances in Western television as well, including a cameo in HBO’s Westworld, a critically acclaimed science fiction series known for its philosophical complexity.
Return to Iranian Grit: Collaboration with Saeed Roustaei
Despite growing success abroad, Maadi never distanced himself from Iranian socially conscious cinema. One of the most important artistic chapters of his career began with his collaboration with director Saeed Roustaei. Together, they created some of the most intense crime and social dramas in modern Iranian film.
In Eternity and a Day, Maadi delivered a harrowing performance as a struggling father entangled in addiction and poverty. The film’s raw realism shocked audiences and critics alike, earning him multiple award nominations, including a nomination for Best Actor at the Fajr Film Festival and a win at the Cinema House Festival.
