Loading ...Sponsored Post: TV Shows and Movies with Arab American Representation
The Arab-American community, like many minorities in Hollywood, has faced a challenging history when it comes to respectful and authentic portrayals in film and television. Older movies often show Arab culture through the lens of harem girls and rough men with many wives, while many action films tend to stereotype Arabs as terrorists. It seems like there are plenty of negative portrayals of the Arab-American community in mainstream media, but what about the positive ones?
Over the last twenty years, we’ve seen more honest portrayals of the Arab-American community than ever before, which points to a brighter future for representing the roughly 3 million Arab Americans in the United States.
If you’re part of the community or just looking to find a new flick or series that thoughtfully represents the Arab-American experience, we’ve curated a list of our favorite television shows and movies with Arab-American representation below:
Anything with Ramy Youssef Casted In
Instead of singling out one specific movie or television show, we’ll start by making it very simple: Just watch anything in which Ramy Youssef has been cast, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Ramy Youssef is a talented stand-up comedian and actor. He was born in New York City and spent his childhood in New Jersey. The Egyptian-American is likely most recognized as the creator, writer, producer, and star of one of A24’s top shows, Ramy. The series centers around Youssef, the main character, as he navigates his faith while balancing his life between his Muslim community and his millennial friends, who believe that “life has no consequences,” according to Hulu’s synopsis of the show.
Following two seasons of Ramy, Youssef’s career really started to soar. He directed an episode of The Bear in Season 2, executive produced the Netflix series Mo and lent his voice to a character in Disney’s Wish.
Interestingly, he was also a member of the ensemble for the highly regarded film Poor Things. The film by Yorgos Lanthimos, featuring Youssef as the man Emma Stone’s Bella Baxter is engaged to, ended up snagging four Oscars, which really captured everyone’s hearts.
Following the film’s release, the comedian produced Ramy Youssef: More Feelings, his latest stand-up special, and he became one of the hosts of Saturday Night Live for Season 49.
Caramel (2007) – Comedy/Romance
While technically, Caramel (2007) doesn’t stem from Hollywood, this film’s ability to capture Westernized audiences gives it a deserving position on our list.
Caramel might remind you a bit of Sex and The City. It tells the story of five women who are connected through their shared support of the same salon in Beirut.
Each woman deals with their own issues. As the camera moves from one woman to the next, we get a glimpse into their challenges. The fast-paced life, vibrant parties, and the roulette tables (Find this with a Ding-dong casino promo code) in Beirut’s buzzing nightlife are mixed with moments of sadness, while also delivering the perfect touch of comedy.
Caramel offers a fresh perspective on the daily experiences of women in Beirut. The show really gives a glimpse into life in this part of the world and clears up many misconceptions about women in the Middle East.
Search Party (2016-2022) – Drama/Comedy
There’s another big series featuring an Arab-American actor called Search Party. And honestly, its one of the most under-appreciated drama/comedy series in recent years. It did however, with it’s core fan base, survive for six years with plenty of seasons!
The black comedy series that wrapped up last year features Alia Shawkat, who has Iraqi roots, in the lead role. She plays Dory Seif, one of a group of friends in their twenties. Search Party is full of twists and turns! In the first season, we see Dory take it upon herself to dig into the mystery of a college acquaintance who has gone missing. After spending years in Hollywood and taking on supporting roles, like her part as Maeby in Arrested Development, she really shone in Search Party, which offered her the spotlight in a well-received and unique dramedy.
Breaking Fast (2020) – Romance/Comedy
When discussing broken stereotypes, Breaking Fast leads the way!
Mike Mosallam, a Lebanese-American writer and director, created this queer romantic comedy titled Breaking Fast. The film follows an Arab-American and practicing Muslim, portrayed by Haaz Sleiman, as he navigates a single life in Los Angeles following a recent breakup. So, he runs into Michael Cassidy’s Kal, who suggests they fast together during the holy month of Ramadan.
The filmmaker shared with ET that he drew inspiration from Julia Roberts’ romantic comedies while crafting a story that uniquely brings together the LGBTQ+ and Arab-American communities in a film.
Mo (2022) – Comedy
Mo Amer is definitely one of the most exciting voices in comedy these days. He really dives into topics that Arab-Americans can relate to in his standup specials, even touching on the little things, like making hummus. Last year, he teamed up to co-create, produce, and star in a Netflix comedy inspired by his own life. It touches on his experiences growing up in Texas after his family moved from Palestine when he was a kid, and it also explores his interracial relationship as an adult, among other things.
The series scored a perfect rating on Rotten Tomatoes (which is near-impossible), and better yet, Netflix has just released the second season!
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