Hayman Homer is an American actor, film producer, and co-founder of the Los Angeles–based motion picture company Gilgamax. He is best known for his portrayal of Jesus Christ in the 2024 film The Messiah, making history as the first Kurd to take on this iconic role. The film was screened at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., the world’s largest Bible museum.
In 2024, Hayman also starred as a war medic in the powerful short film Aman, a war drama shot in Georgia. These performances solidified his reputation as a rising talent committed to bold, human storytelling that resonates globally and offers a unique perspective.
Born in Erbil, an ancient city in Mesopotamia—the cradle of civilization—Hayman hails from a Kurdish family with deep roots in the historic Soran Principality. His father, Homer, served as an intelligence officer with the Kurdish Peshmerga and was captured and later killed during the Kurdish independence revolution against the former Iraqi dictatorship. Hayman was just ten years old when his father was martyred—a loss that profoundly shaped his worldview and fueled his inner drive. Raised by his single mother, Bediah, alongside seven siblings, Hayman learned the value of resilience and purpose from an early age.
His early journey took him through Greece, Italy, France, and England before ultimately settling in the United States. As an American immigrant, he bridges the ancient world with the new world—embodying the spirit of the American dream: that greatness is possible through passion, persistent discipline, and creativity. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and International Relations from Saladin University and later trained in film and drama at the Nashville Acting Studio and The 4th Wall Acting Studio.
From 2018 to 2022, Hayman worked as a male model and appeared in national commercial campaigns, including as the face of The Escape Game, featured on billboards in major U.S. malls. He also appeared in popular country and Hollywood music videos, paving the way for his transition into film.
After establishing himself through national commercials and music videos, Hayman stepped into leading film roles, including his performances in The Messiah and Aman. In the same year, he starred in a global commercial for Philip Morris International, filmed in Hollywood, and continued collaborating on multiple productions across the Middle East and the United States.
What sets Hayman apart is not just his screen presence, but his long-term creative vision.
In 2025, Hayman co-founded Gilgamax, an American film production company with a bold mission: to bring the epic and thrilling mythology of ancient Mesopotamia to global audiences through high-impact, Hollywood-caliber cinema. With Gilgamax and his visionary team, Hayman is developing an ambitious cinematic universe centered around powerful Median mythologies, high fantasy, legendary heroes, and untold histories—stories that not only shaped civilization but remain largely underrepresented in modern media. These captivating narratives are poised to resonate with audiences worldwide, who are eager for fresh, compelling stories rooted in ancient culture.
Hayman draws deep inspiration from classic Hollywood cinema and mythological epics. His influences include Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men, Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront, Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America, Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, Michael Mann’s Heat, and William Wyler’s Ben-Hur. He is particularly drawn to mythological and fantasy dramas like The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Game of Thrones, which fuel his passion for world-building and epic storytelling. A strong advocate for political cinema, Hayman is especially moved by Yol (The Road), the Palme d’Or–winning masterpiece by Kurdish filmmaker Yılmaz Güney, which powerfully depicts the Kurdish struggle for national identity and independence.
