Who is Golshifteh Farahani? Iranian actress linked to French President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron’s viral slap-gate controversy in a new book

Golshifteh Farahani is an Iranian-French actress known internationally for films such as Extraction, Body of Lies, and the TV series Invasion. Born in Iran, she left the country after facing backlash over her international film career and later settled in France. Farahani has recently been linked to controversy surrounding French President Emmanuel Macron after a political book claimed the two exchanged private messages described as a 'platonic relationship'. New claims about the marriage of French President and First Lady Brigitte Macron have sparked widespread online discussion following the release of a controversial book. The allegations revisit a viral video from May last year that showed Brigitte appearing to push Macron in the face as the couple prepared to exit a plane during a visit to Vietnam.

According to the book, the reported disagreement may have been triggered after Brigitte allegedly saw a message on Macron’s phone from Iranian actress Farahani. The claims have fueled fresh speculation online, although no evidence has been publicly presented to confirm the allegations.



French journalist Florian Tardif, in his new book 'An (Almost) Perfect Couple', says he explores the 'forbidden zones' surrounding the marriage of the French President and First Lady.

In an interview with RTL radio on Wednesday, while promoting the book, Tardif described the viral 'slap' incident involving the couple as a typical 'couple’s scene', suggesting it was a private marital moment that drew massive public attention after spreading online.

"What happened is that she [Brigitte Macron], saw a message from a well-known figure. An Iranian actress: Golshifteh Farahani," he said, as quoted by Daily Mail.

"I find you very pretty,” President Macron told Farahani, in one of the messages, according to Tardif as quoted by British outlet.

A video that spread widely online in May 2025 showed Emmanuel appearing to be shoved or struck in the face by wife Brigitte as the couple arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam. The clip quickly became a major topic on social media, sparking intense public discussion and speculation about the interaction between the French president and his wife. The relationship between Emmanuel and Brigitte has often attracted public attention, particularly because of the significant age difference between them.

Brigitte, now in her seventies, first met Emmanuel when he was a teenager attending a Catholic school in Amiens in northern France, where she taught drama classes. Their relationship later developed into a romance that drew widespread attention in France and internationally.

Despite years of scrutiny and debate surrounding their unconventional love story, the couple has remained one of the most closely watched political partnerships in Europe.