Jay Abdo ( ar, جهاد عبدو; born Jihad Abdo or Jihad Abdou; October 21, 1962) is a
Syrian
Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indig ...
actor. He has been acting since 1988, and most recently starred in ''
Queen of the Desert'' and ''
A Hologram for the King''.
Early life
Abdo was born in
Damascus. He traveled to
Cluj-Napoca
; hu, kincses város)
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, subdivision_name1 = Cluj County
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,
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, a ...
, to study
civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewa ...
and began acting there. After his success on the stage, he returned to Damascus to study acting at the
Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts. After graduating in 1991, he became well known in the Arab world and starred in many films and television shows.
Move to America
In 2011, during a trip to
Beirut
Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
where he spoke to a reporter from the ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
'', Abdo spoke out against the Assad government and how they were "responsible for killings within their borders". After returning to Syria, Abdo received a number of threats and was generally intimidated, and was criticized for his lack of patriotism. Following this, he moved to the United States in October 2011 to escape persecution.
[ He joined his wife in ]Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...
, where she was studying as a Humphrey fellow at the Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...
.[ including delivering for ]Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza, Inc., trading as Domino's, is an American multinational pizza restaurant chain founded in 1960 and led by CEO Russell Weiner. The corporation is Delaware General Corporation Law, Delaware domiciled and headquartered at the Domino ...
,[ he landed several major roles, including '' Queen of the Desert'' and '' A Hologram for the King''.
In 2015, the ]USC School of Cinematic Arts
The University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) houses seven academic divisions: Film & Television Production; Cinema & Media Studies; John C. Hench Division of Animation + Digital Arts; John Wells Division of Writing for Sc ...
created a documentary about him titled “Jihad in Hollywood“.
Filmography
*2018 - '' 1st Born''
*2017 - '' Facing Mecca''
*2016 - '' Bon Voyage''
*2016 - '' A Hologram for the King''
* 2015–2018 - ''Patriot''
*2014 - ''Queen of the Desert''
* 2014 - ''Documenters'' (Short) (completed) — Soldier
* 2013 - ''Father's Revenge'' (Short) — Father
* 2013 - ''We've Got Balls'' — Butler
* 2012 - '' Farouk Omar (TV Series)'' — The Emporio Messenger
* 2011 - ''The Adventures of Delilah and Al Zeibaq'' (TV Series) — Al Sukary
* 2010 - ''Baed Al Sokoot'' (TV Movie) — Najy (as Jihad Abdou)
* 2008–2010 - '' Bab Al-Hara'' (TV Series) — Riyad
* 2010 - ''Sabaya'' (TV Series) — Osama
* 2008 - ''Zahret Al Nerjis'' (TV Series) — Raeed
* 2006 - '' Valley of the Wolves: Iraq'' — Kurdish leader (as Jihad Abdou)
* 2001 - '' Salah al-Din''
References
External links
*
*
*
* https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-10-05/jay-jihad-abdo-refugee-actor-syriaist
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abdo, Jay
1962 births
Living people
People from Damascus
Syrian male film actors
Syrian Muslims
Syrian male television actors
Syrian dissidents
Damascus University alumni
Syrian emigrants to the United States
Syrian exiles