Hend Sabry
| Birth Place | Kebili, Tunisia |
|---|---|
| Education | Law degree (2001) and master's in intellectual property law (2004), University of Tunis |
| Ethnicity | Tunisian |
| Relationship Status | Married to Ahmad El Sherif |
Biography
Hend Sabry is a Tunisian actress and producer, born in 1979 in Kebili, Tunisia. She is one of the best-known actresses in the Arab world and has worked mainly in Egyptian film and television since the early 2000s.
Sabry was 13 when she made her screen debut in Moufida Tlatli's The Silences of the Palace (1994). Her later credits include The Yacoubian Building, Asmaa, The Flower of Aleppo, Blue Elephant 2, Kira and El Gin and the Oscar-shortlisted documentary Four Daughters. Netflix viewers know her as Ola in Finding Ola, which she also executive-produces; the first season came out in 2022 and the second in 2024.
Sabry was 13 when she made her screen debut in Moufida Tlatli's The Silences of the Palace (1994). Her later credits include The Yacoubian Building, Asmaa, The Flower of Aleppo, Blue Elephant 2, Kira and El Gin and the Oscar-shortlisted documentary Four Daughters. Netflix viewers know her as Ola in Finding Ola, which she also executive-produces; the first season came out in 2022 and the second in 2024.
Early Life
Sabry was born in Kebili in southern Tunisia. Her first film role came at 13, after which she stepped back from acting to concentrate on school.
She studied law at the University of Tunis, earning a law degree in 2001 and a master's in intellectual property and copyright law in 2004. She had considered a career in the Tunisian foreign service before choosing to act full-time.
She studied law at the University of Tunis, earning a law degree in 2001 and a master's in intellectual property and copyright law in 2004. She had considered a career in the Tunisian foreign service before choosing to act full-time.
Career
The Silences of the Palace won the Camera d'Or at Cannes and earned Sabry the best actress award at the Carthage Film Festival. She returned to Tlatli's work with The Season of Men (2000), then made her Egyptian debut in Inas El-Degheidy's Diary of a Teenager (2001), which caused controversy but was a box-office hit. Her first blockbuster was Marwan Hamed's The Yacoubian Building (2006).
The 2010 comedy series I Want to Get Married made her a regional television star, and Asmaa (2011), about a woman living with HIV, won her the Murex d'Or for best Arab actress. In 2015 she set up Salam Production, whose first film was The Flower of Aleppo (2016). She received the Faten Hamama Award for Excellence at the Cairo International Film Festival in 2017 and, in 2019, the Starlight Cinema Award at the Venice Film Festival, the first Arab woman to do so.
Netflix and Sabry developed Finding Ola as a follow-up to I Want to Get Married. Season one (February 2022) follows Ola, now a mother of two, after her husband asks for a separation, and it reached Netflix's global top 10. Season two, released on 26 September 2024 and directed by Hadi El Bagoury, pairs her with Dhafer L'Abidine. In 2024 she also starred in Crossroads (Moftaraq Toroq), the Arabic version of The Good Wife.
The 2010 comedy series I Want to Get Married made her a regional television star, and Asmaa (2011), about a woman living with HIV, won her the Murex d'Or for best Arab actress. In 2015 she set up Salam Production, whose first film was The Flower of Aleppo (2016). She received the Faten Hamama Award for Excellence at the Cairo International Film Festival in 2017 and, in 2019, the Starlight Cinema Award at the Venice Film Festival, the first Arab woman to do so.
Netflix and Sabry developed Finding Ola as a follow-up to I Want to Get Married. Season one (February 2022) follows Ola, now a mother of two, after her husband asks for a separation, and it reached Netflix's global top 10. Season two, released on 26 September 2024 and directed by Hadi El Bagoury, pairs her with Dhafer L'Abidine. In 2024 she also starred in Crossroads (Moftaraq Toroq), the Arabic version of The Good Wife.
Hend Sabry: Quick Facts
Where is Hend Sabry from?
Hend Sabry was born in Kebili, Tunisia. The exact date of birth has not been made public.
What is Hend Sabry's ethnicity?
Hend Sabry's ethnicity is Tunisian.
What is Hend Sabry known for?
Hend Sabry is best known for appearing in Finding Ola (Netflix).
Is Hend Sabry married?
Hend Sabry's relationship status: Married to Ahmad El Sherif.
