(She/Her)

Helen Al-Janabi

About me

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(She/Her)

Helen Al-Janabi

About me

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I am an Arabic-speaking actress living in Sweden. I received my education as an actor at the Syrian Academy of Theater from 2001-2005 and was born and raised in Damascus. I am an Arabic-speaking actresses with an academic theatre education from the Middle East who is now living and working in Europe. 2023 I was an actor at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm. I am acting in five TV and film productions in 2023-2024, with two lead roles.

Although my first years in Sweden, from 2009, were dedicated to building a new life and family, I remained committed to my passion for acting. It took me six years to restart my artistic work in Europe.

One of my achievements has been the founding the Arabiska Teatern/ The Arabic Theatre in Sweden, the only professional Arabic-speaking theatre group in Sweden, one of few in Europe. We have performed for over twenty thousand people in more than 400 shows and have produced more than sex theatre productions, some short movies etc.

I wrote and directed “Survivors” 2022, the first play ever in Arabic about the Holocaust, a play which we tour now.

I received the Swedish National Artists' Committee's ten-year work scholarship 2018. In 2022, I received the UNESCO – Sharjah Prize for Arabic Culture for my work.

I have a Swedish passport and can travel everywhere. I speak Arabic fluently and can speak different Arabic dialects. I can of course also read Arabic. I speak Swedish and English.

Actor33-55 yearsSwedish
Place of residence Stockholm (SE)
Genderfemale
Year of birth1979 (45 years)
Place of birthDamascus, Syria
Working permitsEuropean Union (EU-27)
AssociationsScen & Film - The Swedish Union for Performing Arts and Film
SpecializationsTheater
Eye colordark brown
Hair colorblack
Height (cm)156
Weight (in kg)58
LanguagesArabic(native)EnglishSwedish
DialectsArabic - EgyptianArabic - GulfArabic - Levantine(native dialect)Iraqi Arabic
AccentsArabic
DanceBelly danceFolk dance
Training
Primary professional training
Television
2023 – 2025
Breakthrough / Genombrottet (Drama) In development
Supporting role
FLX Netflix Oskar Söderlund
2023 – 2025
"Half, Half" aka "Home in You" / Halva, Halva picture
"Half, Half" aka "Home in You" / Halva, Halva (Drama) In development
Main role
Alexander Abdullah, Mustafa Al-Mashhadani, Julia Lindström Viaplay Alexander Abdullah, Mustafa Al-Mashhadani
2024
From Inside / Från insidan picture
From Inside / Från insidan (Drama)
Bilals Mother (SR)
(2024). Director: Filip Iversen. TV series. SVT Drama SVT Malmö (Swedish National Television) SVT SVT (Swedish National Television) Sanne Övermark
Theater
2023
 picture
(Drama)
Mohammad Al Attar Royal Dramatic Theatre Dramaten Mohammad Al Attar