Remember the movies we watched as kids and still love to this day? Nostalgia is deeply intertwined with movies, particularly when it means watching child stars that we related to as kids grow up before our very eyes.
Having starred in some of the most memorable cult classic films in Arabic cinema, child actors are known for their on point acting skills and charming charisma. Stealing the hearts of audiences across the globe, not only in the Arabic world and becoming permanent household names despite the years gone by.
From Menna Arafa to Hady Khafaga, here are 5 Arab child stars now, who are forever etched in our hearts.
Arab child stars: Then and now
Menna Arafa
Forever a ⭐: Best known for her roles in Matab Sinay (Life’s Speed Bump, 2006) alongside Ahmed Helmy, Love is Like that (2007), and Ragel Wa Sitt Settat (2007) – among other highly successful projects – Menna Arafa is a household name across the Arab world. Renowned for her powerful acting skills, charming charisma, and beauty, the 25-year-old Egyptian actress continues to star in movies, TV series, and plays and is particularly known for her beauty and fashion collaborations with 3 million followers on Instagram.
Nohad Nour
Forever a ⭐: This blue-eyed cutie first rose to fame after starring in Zaky Chan (2005) alongside Ahmed Helmy and Yasmin Abdelaziz, in addition to Love Is Like That (2007) and The Game (2020). Today, the 27-year-old actor and cinematographer is a multifaceted artist, known for his passion for art, photography, film, and music. His latest film TETA recently premiered at the 45th Cairo International Film Festival.
Hady Khafaga
Forever a ⭐: Born in 1995 in Cairo, Hady began acting at the tender age of three. Most notably, he rose to fame through his adorable roles in iconic Egyptian TV series The Family of Hajj Metwally (2001) and comedy movie Abu Ali (2005). Since then, the 29-year-old actor has participated in a few cinematic projects, but we need to see more of Hady on the big screen. In 2024, he made an Instagram comeback with two posts including a brand new photo of himself, alongside an old video compilation of the iconic child roles which he played throughout the years, captioned “The good old days.”
Laila Zaher and Malak Zaher
Forever ⭐s: Laila and Malak Zaher, daughters of prominent Egyptian actor Ahmed Zaher, are Egyptian household names who got their big break after starring in the world-renowned Egyptian trilogy Omar & Salma – alongside legendary actors Tamer Hosny and Mai Ezz Eldin.
Today, 21-year-old Laila is set to wed Hisham Gamal and has recently announced a collaborative project with her hubby-to-be – who is also an artist and actor – titled Simple Matters. In 2024, she starred in TV series Highest Viewing Rate.
The highly altruistic 22-year-old Malak is the Ambassador of the sign language literacy initiative in Egypt and regularly partakes in philanthropic projects across Egypt, seeking to make a positive impact in her community.
Youssef Othman
Forever a ⭐: The handsome Egyptian actor turned 30 last year and rose to fame after starring in the classic Egyptian film I Love Cinema (2004), stealing our hearts with his innocence, adorable demeanor, and impeccable acting skills even as a child. Most recently, Youssef starred in Al Asly (2023) and has graced the cover of some of the most prestigious magazines, and attended numerous red carpet events. We can’t wait to see what else the actor has up his sleeve.
Click here to learn more about Laila Zaher’s engagement, and here for a list of Palestinian influencers you absolutely *need* to follow.