Daniel Zolghadri Biography

Daniel Zolghadri Biography

Quick Facts

Fact	Details
Full Name	Daniel Zolghadri
Age	26 (as of October 2026)
Birth Date	February 9, 2000
Birthplace	Not publicly confirmed
Nationality	American
Profession	Actor
Known For	Eighth Grade (2018), Low Tide (2019), Funny Pages (2022)
Marital Status	Not publicly confirmed

Who Is Daniel Zolghadri?

The Daniel Zolghadri biography traces the rise of an American actor known for standout performances in some of the most acclaimed independent films of his generation — Eighth Grade (2018), Low Tide (2019), and the black comedy Funny Pages (2022), for which he earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination. Born February 9, 2000, Zolghadri began acting as a child, built a steady resume in television and film, and has become one of the most closely watched young talents in American indie cinema, with major projects lined up through 2026.

Early Life and Education

Daniel Zolghadri was born on February 9, 2000, in the United States. He attended the Orange County School of the Arts, a well-known performing arts high school in Southern California, where he trained before launching his professional career. He began taking acting seriously as a child and made his professional debut at age 13. Little else about his family background is publicly documented; Zolghadri keeps his personal life out of the spotlight.

For another profile of a young star who broke through outside the studio system, read our Manon Bannerman biography.

Career Journey

Early roles (2013–2017). Zolghadri made his debut in 2013 at age 13 with a guest role as Mirza on the television series Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. In 2015, he played Max Killas in the television film Evil Men, directed by Gary Fleder, and he appeared in the younger version of Walter O’Brien on CBS’s Scorpion.

Breakthrough (2018). 2018 was Zolghadri’s breakout year. He appeared as Riley in Bo Burnham’s coming-of-age comedy-drama Eighth Grade, one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year, and as Dell in the Netflix romantic comedy Alex Strangelove. He also appeared in HBO’s adaptation of Fahrenheit 451.

Leading roles (2019–2022). Zolghadri co-starred with Keean Johnson, Alex Neustaedter, Kristine Froseth, and Jaeden Martell in the 2019 drama Low Tide, directed by Kevin McMullin, playing Smitty. In 2020, he played Jakob in the sci-fi drama series Tales from the Loop opposite Rebecca Hall, Paul Schneider, and Jonathan Pryce. His career-defining turn came in 2022 with the lead role of Robert, a teenage aspiring cartoonist, in Owen Kline’s coming-of-age black comedy Funny Pages, which premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. His performance earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Breakthrough Performance.

Recent and upcoming work. Zolghadri continued with supporting roles in the teen comedy Y2K (2024), which premiered at SXSW, and in the 2026 comedy-drama road film Hot Water opposite Lubna Azabal and Dale Dickey, which premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Entertainment press has reported that he replaced Charles Melton in Elijah Bynum’s crime thriller My Darling California, and upcoming projects reported include Magazine, The Temple, and Annie Baker’s Ancient History for A24.

Major Achievements

• Nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance for Funny Pages (2022).
• Starred in a Cannes-premiered film, with Funny Pages debuting at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival to positive reviews.
• Appeared in multiple landmark indie films: Eighth Grade (one of 2018’s most celebrated films), Low Tide, and Alex Strangelove.
• Sustained a decade-long career from child actor to leading man, active since 2013.

Personal Life

Daniel Zolghadri is famously private. His relationship status has not been publicly confirmed, and no relationships have been documented in reputable sources. He does not maintain a widely known public social media presence. He focuses on his craft, balancing independent film work with developing projects across television and film.

Interesting Facts

• He made his professional acting debut at just 13 years old on Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.
• He trained at the Orange County School of the Arts before establishing himself in film and television.
• His role in Eighth Grade came in a film directed by comedian Bo Burnham in his directorial debut.
• Funny Pages was produced by the Safdie brothers’ circle — Owen Kline directed it and it premiered at Cannes.
• He played the younger version of Walter O’Brien on the CBS series Scorpion.
• Some lesser-known biography sites list his birth date as February 20, 1999, but the most widely cited source, Wikipedia, gives February 9, 2000.
• Despite his growing fame, he has kept his personal life almost entirely out of the press.

FAQs

Who is Daniel Zolghadri?
Daniel Zolghadri is an American actor known for his roles in Eighth Grade, Low Tide, Funny Pages, and Tales from the Loop.

How old is Daniel Zolghadri?
He was born on February 9, 2000, making him 26 years old as of October 2026.

What is Daniel Zolghadri known for?
He is best known for playing Riley in Eighth Grade (2018), Smitty in Low Tide (2019), Jakob in Tales from the Loop (2020), and Robert in Funny Pages (2022).

When did Daniel Zolghadri start acting?
He made his professional debut at age 13 in 2013 with a guest role on Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.

Was Daniel Zolghadri nominated for an award?
Yes. He was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance for his lead role in Funny Pages.

What was Daniel Zolghadri’s role in Eighth Grade?
He played Riley, a popular high school student, in Bo Burnham’s critically acclaimed 2018 film Eighth Grade.

What are Daniel Zolghadri’s upcoming projects?
Entertainment press has reported his involvement in My Darling California (replacing Charles Melton), Magazine, The Temple, and Annie Baker’s Ancient History for A24, though release details for these were not confirmed as of October 2026.

Is Daniel Zolghadri in a relationship?
His relationship status has not been publicly confirmed. He keeps his personal life private.

Where was Daniel Zolghadri born?
His exact birthplace has not been publicly confirmed by reliable sources, though he is American and trained in Southern California.

What is Daniel Zolghadri’s net worth?
No reliable net worth figure has been published. Some entertainment sites publish estimates, but they are unverified and vary widely, so this biography does not state one as fact.

Did Daniel Zolghadri go to college?
He attended the Orange County School of the Arts. No publicly confirmed information is available about college attendance.

What is Daniel Zolghadri doing in 2026?
He appeared in the comedy-drama Hot Water, which premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, and has several reported projects in development.

Sources & Verification

This Daniel Zolghadri biography was compiled from multiple sources in October 2026. The core facts — birth date (February 9, 2000), education at the Orange County School of the Arts, career timeline, and Independent Spirit Award nomination — are verified against his Wikipedia page. Upcoming projects are reported by entertainment press coverage of casting news (reported via ComingSoon and industry outlets) and should be treated as reported rather than confirmed until releases are announced. Lesser-known sites (babynamespedia.com, thecityceleb.com, marriedbiography.com) carry some conflicting details — notably a conflicting birth date of February 20, 1999 — and are not treated as authoritative here. For more profiles of rising talents, see our Margot Bossus and Shahid Bolsen biographies.