May Calamawy
May Calamawy | |
---|---|
Born | 1986 (age 35–36)[1] |
Nationality | Bahraini |
Alma mater | Emerson College (BA) |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2006–present |
Notable work | Ramy |
May Calamawy (born 1986)[1] is an Egyptian-Palestinian actress.[2] She is best known for her role in the Hulu television series Ramy as Dena Hassan.[3] She will also appear in the upcoming Disney+ series Moon Knight.[3]
Early life[]
Calamawy was born in 1986 in Bahrain to a Palestinian mother from Jordan and an Egyptian father.[4] She also lived in Doha, Qatar, and Houston, Texas.[4] Calamawy is bilingual, as she speaks both English and Arabic.[4] She has alopecia areata, and first got the condition when she was 22.[5]
Calamawy completed high school in Bahrain, and moved to Boston, Massachusetts to study industrial design because her father wanted her to.[4] However, she applied to Emerson College, and told her parents "if I get in, I'm going." She was accepted and has a B.A. in theatre studies from Emerson College. Calamawy has also studied at the William Esper Studio in New York City.[5]
Career[]
Calamawy started her career acting in short films.[4] After attending college, she participated in the New York Arab American Comedy Festival.[4] Her first major film role was in 2013, when she starred in Tobe Hooper's film Djinn, which was the first horror film to be produced in the United Arab Emirates.[2][4] In 2017, she had a recurring role in the National Geographic miniseries The Long Road Home, as well as guest-starring roles in The Brave and Madam Secretary.[6] The following year, she guest-starred in the CBS crime drama television series FBI.[6] In October 2018, it was announced that she would have a recurring role in the Hulu comedy-drama series Ramy, playing Ramy's sister, Dena Hassan.[6] In 2020, she had a voice role as Ellie Malik in the video game NBA 2K21.[7] In 2021, she appeared in the film Together Together with Ed Helms and Patti Harrison.[3][8] In January of the same year, it was announced she would appear in the upcoming Disney+ miniseries Moon Knight, which is expected to premiere in 2022.[3][9]
Filmography[]
Films[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2006 | Thursday | Kelly Spencer | |
2007 | Temperance | Leila | Short film |
2008 | Santa Claus in Baghdad | Hala | Short film |
2011 | Hassad Al Möta | Tunnel Zombie | Short film |
Paradise Falls | Jenny | Short film | |
2012 | A Genie Called Gin | Lucy | Short film |
2013 | Djinn | Aisha | Main role |
Moi aussi je t'aime | Short film | ||
2019 | The Bed | Woman | Short film |
Passerby | Saba | Short film | |
1 Out of 30 | Fatimah | Short film | |
Saeed | Sue | Short film | |
2021 | Together Together | Carly |
Television[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Checking In | Raya | Episode: "Sneak Peek" |
2017 | Madam Secretary | Mona Alsnany | Episode: "Off The Record" |
The Brave | Mina Bayoud | Episode: "It's All Personal" | |
The Long Road Home | Faiza | National Geographic miniseries | |
BKPI | Ameena | Episode: "Mister Flasher" | |
2018 | FBI | Nita Kayali | Episode: "Green Birds" |
2019–present | Ramy | Dena Hassan | Main role |
2022 | Moon Knight | Layla | Post-production, upcoming Disney+ miniseries |
Video games[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | NBA 2K21 | Ellie Malik | Voice role |
References[]
- ^ a b Phillips, Olivia (November 5, 2020). "May Calamawy On Dena Hassan, Double-Standards and Her Dedication To Sharing Real Female Arab Stories". Harper's Bazaar Arabia. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Hamad, Marwa (May 6, 2021). "31 actors in Hollywood with Arab roots: From Ariana Grande and Rami Malek to Jerry Seinfeld and Zoe Saldana". Gulf News. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d Kit, Borys (January 13, 2021). "Marvel's 'Moon Knight': May Calamawy Joins Oscar Isaac in Disney+ Series (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d e f g Vivarelli, Nick (February 21, 2014). "International Star You Should Know: May El Calamawy". Variety. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Calamawy, May (June 11, 2020). "Sharing My Alopecia Helped Me Set New Expectations for Myself". Glamour. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c Petski, Denise (October 19, 2018). "'Ramy': May Calamawy Cast As Series Regular In Ramy Youssef Hulu Comedy". Deadline. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Carolipio, Redmond (October 12, 2020). "PS4 Review - 'NBA 2K21'". WorthPlaying. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Dent, Steve (May 28, 2021). "Oscar Isaac will star in Marvel's Moon Knight series on Disney+". Engadget. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Vary, Adam B. (April 27, 2020). "Every Marvel Studios Movie and Disney Plus Project in 2021 and Beyond". Variety. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
External links[]
- May Calamawy at IMDb
- May Calamawy on Twitter
- 21st-century actresses
- 1986 births
- Living people