Arabs making headway in Hollywood but not just as actors

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Updated 13 October 2023
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Arabs making headway in Hollywood but not just as actors

  • Directing, casting, producing, writing are key positions being taken up
  • Mico Saad and Hamzah Saman say change needed to alter how Hollywood portrays Arabs, people of different cultures

CHICAGO: More Arabs are entering the moviemaking industry, not just as actors but also as entrepreneurs, and are increasingly involved in writing, producing, casting and directing.

This is according to Egyptian-American Mico Saad, an actor and filmmaker and member of the Golden Globes Jury, and Lebanese-American Hamzah Saman, the president of his own casting company.

They told Arab News changes were necessary to push open the doors of Hollywood filmmaking which plays a major role in defining how the world sees people of different cultures.

Saad immigrated to England from Alexandria, Egypt, where he discovered a robust filmmaking industry. And then in 2018 he immigrated to America which he calls “the entertainment capital of the world,” where he carved out a career as an actor and producer  of several TV shows.

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“Back in the day, all the people wanted was to just be actors ... Nowadays, it has changed drastically because people want to do these blockbuster films. They want to write. They want to direct. They want to create,” said Saad during an interview on The Ray Hanania Radio Show sponsored by Arab News.

“There (are) more creators now than actors, which is kind of like, strange because back in the day everyone wanted to be an actor. It’s like how many producers do you know? A few. How many actors do you know? A lot. So, it’s kind of changed now thanks also to the streaming platforms which allows more people — and the film festival — allows more people to create their own stuff and talk about the stuff that really matters to them. Storytelling in the industry that we are in, it is fantastic that we have more filmmakers in the Middle East than ever. We have more filmmakers than actors. Back in the day everyone wanted to be an actor.”

Saad added: “There are many Arabs in so many ways, not just as actors. There is producers, directors, set designers, animation. We are everywhere. Arabs are everywhere in the industry but not in the way that they would want. Not the way they desire.”

Saad said the move by Arabs into filmmaking has resulted in a more effective means of countering anti-Arab stereotypes that have dominated the vast majority of Hollywood movies that have Middle East themes and Arab characters.

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“The new villain is not the Arabs. The new villain now is the virus. The virus is going to take over hopefully from the Arab kind of thing in the future. And it is going to mean getting in movies,” Saad said.

The more the public and audiences see Arabs in different roles, the more it will undermine endemic stereotyping, he said.

“There always has to be a villain whether it is Arab or non-Arabs. There always has to be a villain. And unluckily for Arabs, they were the villains for the past 20 years or more and this is because of what happened on the international stage. Which is kind of like generalized (for) everybody to be put in this category. If you are an Arab or you look like an Arab. If you are an actor and you come in here, you don’t want to be stereotyped for any political reason.”

He added: “The goal is always (for) us to entertain. But now I want to kind of do something where I get the hand of everyone next to me and we go up together. That would be the ultimate goal to make something that deletes the stereotype. ‘Hey, this is Mico, he is from Egypt. And he is fine, he is like us.’”

Saad has worked with Ricky Gervais, Anthony Hopkins, and other notable actors, and produced several short films. He was recognized with a Best Actor Award and Best Short Film Award by the Action on Film International Film Festival for “Al-Masry Life,” which he wrote, directed, and starred in alongside prominent Hollywood Egyptian-American actor Sayed Badreya. The film was described as “a gem” by the Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Farrelly.

Saad said that the pursuit of an acting and production career was motivated by his life in Egypt which he called “the Hollywood for Arabs.”

 

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“I was born in Alexandria, Egypt, luckily. I didn’t choose to, I was just lucky. Being born in Egypt has such an impact on you artistically, because in Egypt we have been doing movies for over 100 years. Egypt is the Hollywood of the Arabs, pretty much. We have a lot of people there who create, make music, make movies,” Saad said.

“And it’s been like there ever since. Growing up seeing all of this has kind of equipped me with a taste, equipped me with wanting to be part of the entertainment industry at such a young age and I started at a young age, as young as at 5 years old. I started with a few things like dancing for the National Team of Egypt Troupe which is very famous in the Arab world and started acting at a young age. And, it kind of (saw) love, kind of growing in me day by day. I am very lucky to experience such a thing.”

Filmmaking has expanded from Egypt into many Arab countries over the past century including Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Morocco and Saudi Arabia, Saad noted.

 

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“This is what we need. We need more creators. Instead of sitting here and criticizing Hollywood and criticizing people for not: ‘Oh why are you not representing me right?’ Because he doesn’t know. Why don’t I do, make something, that represents me right. And then if it is good, and if it is kind of in the entertaining way, they will take it. Everybody will take it. It’s kind of, I urge everybody instead of complaining about not being represented right, do your own thing ... We need more creators,” Saad said.

Meanwhile Saman, who began acting in 2006, shifted to casting and launched a company Arab American Casting. He is a member of the prestigious Casting Society of America.

Born in Beirut, Saman was young when he lost his father during one of the wars in Lebanon. He was raised by a grandmother who loved to watch soap operas and movies, which influenced him to pursue acting. 

Saman said he eventually recognized that there were not enough Arab actors in Hollywood and he shifted his focus to casting. He initially worked in the LA Casting Unit on the documentary “He Named Me Malala” (2015) with the Oscar-winning director Davis Guggenheim. He also helped with casting for the film “Argo” (2012).

Saman has been working to change the perception of Arab and Middle Eastern artists in Hollywood through his work, including casting Malek Rahbani in a leading role in the 2022 film “Jacir” alongside Lorraine Bracco and Darius Tutwiler. The film tells the story of a poor Syrian refugee who pursues the American dream on the streets of Memphis.

As a casting director, Saman has worked on more than 40 feature, and short films, commercials, and television shows. His website is ArabActors.com.

Saad and Saman made the comments during appearances on The Ray Hanania Radio Show broadcast Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, on the US Arab Radio Network sponsored by Arab News newspaper.

You can listen to the radio show’s podcast by visiting ArabNews.com/rayradioshow.


Hundreds of media figures accuse BBC of acting as ‘PR’ for Israel, urge removal of board member

Updated 02 July 2025
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Hundreds of media figures accuse BBC of acting as ‘PR’ for Israel, urge removal of board member

  • Open letter by media professionals, BBC staff say Gaza coverage ‘falls short’ of editorial standards
  • Sir Robbie Gibb, former chief of Jewish Chronicle, accused of ‘ideological allegiances’ to Israel

LONDON: Hundreds of media professionals, including over 100 current BBC staff, have signed an open letter accusing the broadcaster of acting as “PR for the Israeli government,” and called for the removal of BBC board member Sir Robbie Gibb over alleged conflicts of interest.

The letter, sent to BBC Director-General Tim Davie and the broadcaster’s board, follows a string of controversies — including the BBC’s live broadcast of anti-Israel chants by the punk-rap duo Bob Vylan at Glastonbury, and the decision to pull a commissioned documentary on Gaza.

“All too often it has felt that the BBC has been performing PR for the Israeli government and military. This should be a cause of great shame and concern for everyone at the BBC,” the letter stated.

The signatories — which include actress Miriam Margolyes, filmmaker Mike Leigh, actor Charles Dance, and historian William Dalrymple — claim the BBC’s coverage of Gaza “falls short” of its editorial standards and fails to reflect the reality on the ground.

The letter also raises concerns over the BBC’s decision to withdraw from airing “Gaza: Doctors Under Attack,” a documentary it originally commissioned, which will now be broadcast by Channel 4.

The BBC said it pulled the film because it “risked creating a perception of partiality.”

“This appears to be a political decision and is not reflective of the journalism in the film,” the letter stated. “This illustrates precisely what many of us have experienced first hand: an organisation that is crippled by fear of being perceived as critical of the Israeli government.”

Much of the criticism focuses on Gibb, a former head of the BBC’s Westminster political team and ex-spin doctor for Prime Minister Theresa May.

Gibb helped lead the consortium that purchased The Jewish Chronicle in 2020 and served as a director until August 2024.

The letter describes his position on the BBC board — including on the editorial standards committee —  as “untenable,” citing the Jewish Chronicle’s alleged history of publishing “anti-Palestinian and often racist content.”

The letter accuses Gibb of a conflict of interest and highlights what it sees as a double standard: “For many of us, our efforts have been frustrated by opaque decisions made at senior levels of the BBC without discussion or explanation. Our failures impact audiences.

“As an organisation we have not offered any significant analysis of the UK government’s involvement in the war on Palestinians. We have failed to report on weapons sales or their legal implications. These stories have instead been broken by the BBC’s competitors.”

The statement alleges Gibb has a “conflict of interest” which “highlights a double standard for BBC content makers who have themselves experienced censorship in the name of ‘impartiality.’”

The letter further stated: “In some instances staff have been accused of having an agenda because they have posted news articles critical of the Israeli government on their social media.

“By comparison, Gibb remains in an influential post with little transparency regarding his decisions despite his ideological leanings being well known. We can no longer ask licence fee payers to overlook Gibbs’s ideological allegiances.”

A BBC spokesperson said: “Robust discussions amongst our editorial teams about our journalism are an essential part of the editorial process.

“We have ongoing discussions about coverage and listen to feedback from staff and we think these conversations are best had internally.

“Regarding our coverage of Gaza, the BBC is fully committed to covering the conflict impartially and has produced powerful coverage from the region.”

The spokesperson added that in addition to “breaking news, ongoing analysis, and investigations,” the BBC has produced award-winning documentaries such as “Life and Death in Gaza,” and “Gaza 101.”


Paramount to pay $16 million in settlement with Trump over ‘60 Minutes’ interview

Updated 02 July 2025
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Paramount to pay $16 million in settlement with Trump over ‘60 Minutes’ interview

  • Paramount said the money will go to Trump’s future presidential library, not to the president himself

NEW YORK: In a case seen as a challenge to free speech, Paramount has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over the editing of CBS’ ” 60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in October.
Paramount told media outlets the money will go to Trump’s future presidential library, not to the president himself. It said the settlement did not involve an apology.
Trump’s lawyer said the president had suffered “mental anguish” over the editing of the interview by CBS News, while Paramount and CBS rejected his contention that it was edited to enhance how Harris sounded. They had sought to get Trump’s lawsuit dismissed.
There was no immediate word from the White House about the settlement of the case, which Trump filed in Amarillo, Texas.
The case has been closely watched by advocates for press freedom and by journalists within CBS, whose lawyers called Trump’s lawsuit “completely without merit” and promised to vigorously fight it after it was filed.
In early February, “60 Minutes” released a full, unedited transcript of the interview.
Under the settlement reached with help of a mediator, Paramount agreed that “60 Minutes” will release transcripts of future interviews of presidential candidates, “subject to redactions as required for legal and national security concerns,” CBS News cited the statement as saying.
Trump, who did not agree to be interviewed by “60 Minutes” during the campaign, protested editing where Harris is seen giving two different answers to a question by the show’s Bill Whitaker in separate clips aired on “60 Minutes” and “Face the Nation” earlier in the day. CBS said each reply came within Harris’ long-winded answer to Whitaker, but was edited to be more succinct.
The president’s lawyer, Edward Andrew Paltzik, said that caused confusion and “mental anguish,” misleading voters and causing them to pay less attention to Trump and his Truth Social platform.
Paramount and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone were seeking the settlement with Trump, whose administration must approve the company’s proposed merger with Skydance Media. CBS News President and CEO Wendy McMahon and “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, who both opposed a settlement, have resigned in recent weeks.
The Freedom of the Press Foundation, a media advocacy group that says it is a Paramount shareholder, has said that it would file a lawsuit in protest if a settlement was reached.
In December, ABC News settled a defamation lawsuit by Trump over statements made by anchor George Stephanopoulos, agreeing to pay $15 million toward Trump’s presidential library rather than engage in a public fight. Meta reportedly paid $25 million to settle Trump’s lawsuit against the company over its decision to suspend his social media accounts following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol.


Asharq to bridge US-Arab divide with new Arabic politics podcast

Updated 02 July 2025
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Asharq to bridge US-Arab divide with new Arabic politics podcast

  • America Bi Lahjetna (“America in Our Dialects”) is the first journalist-led Arabic-language political podcast produced in the US capital
  • Hosted by Hiba Nasr, Zena Ibrahim, Kareem Yousry, and Azouz Allilou, the show dives into American political developments with fresh, localized insight

RIYADH: From the heart of Washington DC, Asharq Podcasts launches America Bi Lahjetna, which translates to “America in Our Dialects”, the first journalist-led Arabic-language political podcast produced in the US capital. The show delivers weekly episodes that bring American headlines closer to home, in a voice that speaks directly to the region. 

Hosted by Hiba Nasr (Bureau Chief), Zena Ibrahim (Reporter and Producer), Kareem Yousry (Reporter and Producer), and Azouz Allilou (Reporter and Producer), the show dives into American political developments with fresh, localized insight. Each episode moves beyond the headlines to draw meaningful connections to the realities, concerns, and interests of Arab audiences across the region — precisely when and where it matters most. 

In line with growing demand for content that feels less formal, simpler, and more conversational, America Bi Lahjetna moves away from traditional news delivery. Instead, it offers a smart, approachable format that reflects how today’s audiences, especially younger listeners — consume political content: through relatable voices, contextual storytelling, and accessible language. 

“This podcast isn’t about translating the news, it’s about explaining why it matters to us,” said Hiba Nasr, Asharq’s Washington Bureau Chief. 

“Every week, we unpack the headlines that dominate the American conversation and connect them to the Arab world, politically, emotionally, and strategically. From our base in Washington, we bring clarity to a chaotic media landscape and give our region both a window into and a voice within US political discourse. That’s what makes America Bi Lahjetna different. We’re not observers. We’re participants.” 

In its first episodes, the team breaks down some of the most pressing stories in US politics, offering Arab audiences’ critical context often missing from international coverage, and linking Washington’s decisions to their regional implications. 

America Bi Lahjetna is now streaming on YouTube and Asharq NOW.  


Screening of ‘Rewriting Arab News’ documentary held at EU Embassy in Riyadh

Updated 02 July 2025
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Screening of ‘Rewriting Arab News’ documentary held at EU Embassy in Riyadh

  • Film focuses on relaunch of Saudi Arabia’s first English-language daily and its coverage of the Kingdom’s reforms
  • EU Ambassador: “You are part of Vision 2030 and many of you in this room are an embodiment of this new Saudi Arabia”
  • Faisal J. Abbas: “This documentary tells a small — albeit an exciting — chapter in the history of our newspaper and the country”

RIYADH: A special screening of the documentary “Rewriting Arab News” took place at the EU Embassy in Riyadh on Tuesday as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Saudi Arabia’s first English-language newspaper.

The film, presented by the London-based Global Arab Network, sheds light on the 2018 relaunch of Arab News, at a time when the Kingdom itself was transforming.

A ceremony, held in honor of Arab News, was attended by European ambassadors to Saudi Arabia and other notable guests, including Saudi dignitaries, diplomats, policymakers, media industry professionals, and staff of the Arab News Riyadh bureau.

Speaking at the ceremony, Christophe Farnaud, the EU ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said: “It’s a great pleasure to be here with you on … the 50th anniversary of Arab News.”

He added: “You don’t just cover the news; you also analyze them. You decipher what’s going on in the world, in the Kingdom, in the region. And you also allow dialogue and comments. And you are an open space, which I think every country needs.

“And I think it comes at the very right time, right now in the Kingdom. So, when you are also part of Vision 2030 and I must say this new Saudi Arabia and many of you in this room are an embodiment of this new Saudi Arabia.

A ceremony, held in honor of Arab News, was attended by European ambassadors to Saudi Arabia and other notable guests. (AN Photo)

“It is something that we not just support, but also, admire, in a way, my European colleagues, they came tonight in numbers — I think would share what I’ve just said.

“Once again I want to congratulate you and your team at Arab News for your work.”

Also speaking at the ceremony, Arab News’ Editor-in-Chief Faisal Abbas said: “On behalf of the Arab News family, we wish to extend our gratitude to the EU ambassador in the Kingdom for hosting this screening occasion as part of our 50th anniversary celebrations this year.

“This documentary tells a small — albeit an exciting — chapter in the history of our newspaper and the country as it accounts for an exciting and transformative period in our country’s progress.

“Of course, Arab News would have not been where it is today without the hard work, passion and dedication of my predecessor editors in chief, and of course, not without our founders — the Hafez Brothers — who started the newspaper in 1975.”

Part of the documentary is narrated by Prince Turki Al-Faisal, the former Saudi ambassador to the US, who in the film delves into the paper’s origins.

Arab News’ Editor-in-Chief Faisal Abbas. (AN photo)

Arab News was established in Jeddah in 1975 by brothers Hisham and Mohammed Ali Hafiz under the slogan to give Arabs a voice in English while documenting the major transformations taking place across the Middle East.

In April 2018, Arab News changed its 43-year-old logo with a new one as well as its motto to “The Voice of a Changing Region.” The newspaper relaunched with a new design and a new approach to stories that it believed was better suited to the internet age.

In June, an event hosted by the Global Arab Network at the Frontline Club in London paid tribute to Arab News and its founders by screening a preview of the documentary for leading editors, reporters, diplomats, and analysts.

Asked following Tuesday’s screening whether he believed the documentary reflected the changes that had been taking place in the region, EU Ambassador Farnaud said: “I would say even more. I mean, it’s one of the embodiments of these changes.

“The Kingdom is undergoing incredible changes. And so is Arab News. And I particularly appreciated, by the way, the historical dimension when it was created in 1975, that was also a project corresponding to the new role of the Kingdom, in a way.

“And yes, now the Kingdom has entered a new phase, a spectacular phase of transformation. And we see that Arab News, in its own ways, is also going through a huge phase of transformation and a successful one at that.

“I was really impressed.”

Also responding to the film, Saudi philanthropist Ameera Al-Taweel said: “A lot of the transformational story for Arab News reminded me of the transformation that was happening in Saudi Arabia back in 2015, 2016 to get to Vision 2030.

Arab News was established in Jeddah in 1975 by brothers Hisham and Mohammed Ali Hafiz. (AN Photo)

“It was right around that time that Arab News was also transforming. It’s very interesting how it aligned with a youthful leader (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman) who was injecting a lot of changes, believing in the younger generation, believing in keeping the legacy, but building on it.

“So a lot of what I saw in Vision 2030 and of course, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, you see it happening in the private sector or the public sector, even in the journalism sector, and the transformations that have that are happening in it.”

Although she only moved to the region in the spring, Ville Linnala, deputy head of mission at the Embassy of Finland, said the film raised pertinent issues.

“I have been in Riyadh and Saudi Arabia since May 5, so I’m very fairly fresh in the region, but I can really see these issues that were mentioned and raised in the documentary,” she said.

“For example, of course, when it comes to women’s rights and all these kinds of things, and with the Saudi Vision 2030 happening and moving forward.

“It was really, really, really interesting to see. I enjoyed this documentary a lot, so much.”

“Rewriting Arab News” is a short film about the newspaper’s relaunch and digital transformation between 2016 and 2018, presented by Global Arab Network.

 


Clashes in Istanbul over blasphemous cartoon

Updated 02 July 2025
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Clashes in Istanbul over blasphemous cartoon

  • The incident occurred after Istanbul’s chief prosecutor ordered the arrest of LeMan magazine editors

ISTANBUL: Clashes erupted in Istanbul Monday with police firing rubber bullets and tear gas to break up an angry mob after allegations that a satirical magazine had published a blasphemous cartoon, an AFP correspondent said.
The incident occurred after Istanbul’s chief prosecutor ordered the arrest of the editors at LeMan magazine on grounds it had published a cartoon which “publicly insulted religious values.”
“The chief public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into the publication of a cartoon in the June 26, 2025 issue of LeMan magazine that publicly insults religious values, and arrest warrants have been issued for those involved,” the prosecutor’s office said.
As the news broke, several dozen angry protesters attacked a bar often frequented by LeMan staffers in downtown Istanbul, provoking angry scuffles with police, an AFP correspondent said.
The scuffles quickly degenerated into clashes involving between 250 to 300 people, the correspondent said.
In several posts on X, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said police had arrested the cartoonist responsible for “this vile drawing”, the magazine's graphic designer and two other staffers.
Police had also taken over the magazine’s offices on Istiklal Avenue and arrest warrants had been issued for several other of the magazine's executives, presidential press aide Fahrettin Altin wrote on X.
In a string of posts on X, LeMan defended the cartoon and said it had been deliberately misinterpreted to cause a provocation.
“The cartoonist wanted to portray the righteousness of the oppressed Muslim people by depicting a Muslim killed by Israel, he never intended to belittle religious values,” it said.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said an investigation had been opened on grounds of “publicly insulting religious values.”
“Disrespect toward our beliefs is never acceptable,” he wrote on X.
Istanbul governor Davut Gul also lashed out at “this mentality that seeks to provoke society by attacking our sacred values.
“We will not remain silent in the face of any vile act targeting our nation's faith,” he warned.