Salameh, Nadine (1979–)

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Salameh, Nadine
(1979–)

Palestinian-Syrian actor Nadine Salameh is a popular figure in Syrian and other Arab television and cinema. She is perhaps best known for her work in television miniseries and soap operas (musalsalat). The daughter of a Palestinian resistance leader, Salameh is prominent as a spokesperson and activist on Palestinian issues.

PERSONAL HISTORY

Nadine Salameh (also Nadine, Nadeen Salama) was born in Beirut, Lebanon, on 9 August 1979, where her father, Nabil Salameh, was an active member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Her family originally came from the port city of Acre in northern Palestine, before becoming refugees during the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. Salameh's early life was affected by the disappearance of her father, apparently captured by Israeli troops during the 1982 invasion of Beirut (as of mid-2007, he has not been seen since). Having spent her early childhood in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, she and her family fled to Syria after the events of 1982. She began her professional career after her secondary education, and during her theater studies at university. She began first with theater work, quickly finding work in television serials that eventually led in 2003 to her first cinematic role.

INFLUENCES AND CONTRIBUTIONS

Salameh's career as an actor began while she was still a student at Damascus's Higher Academy of Theatrical Arts in 1998; she was given her first role at the age of eighteen, acting in the television historical period drama al-Kawasir for Syrian television. She gained prominence with Arab audiences across the world through the broadcast of the popular series on satellite television. In the public attention that resulted from this and her subsequent television roles, she distinguished herself from the mainstream of television stars of her generation by speaking out on political and social issues, in particular those relating to Palestine. Her first film role was in Ru'ya Halima (Dreamer's Vision, 2003), directed by Waha al-Rahib; more recent film works have included al-Batrik (2005) and Ratl Kamil min al-Ashjar (2006).

THE WORLD'S PERSPECTIVE

Across the Arab world, Nadine Salameh has gained fame for her acting, largely for her roles in highly popular television serials. She is perhaps one of the most famous Palestinian actors of her generation across the region. Her work in cinema has also attracted the attention of Arab filmgoers. Her political commitment to Palestinian nationalist issues and other topics has also focused attention upon her, as well as her compelling family history.

LEGACY

Salameh's legacy as an actor has so far been largely defined by her status as a popular star of television programs, although her work is perhaps distinguished by the roles she has chosen—such as that of Zumurruda, the mythical warrior heroine of the television serial al-Kawasim, or the role of Jamila, the rebellious protagonist of the film Ru'ya Halima, who escapes her patriarchal family in the early 1980s by traveling to Lebanon to join the military resistance against the Israeli invasion of that country. By choosing roles of strong, brave, and politically active women, Salameh has developed a public persona in line with her own political commitments.

BIOGRAPHICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Name: Nadine Salameh

Birth: 1979, Beirut, Lebanon

Family: Single

Nationality: Syrian/Palestinian

Education: Damascus's Higher Academy of Theatrical Arts

PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY:

1982: Father detained by Israeli forces during invasion of Lebanon
1982: Relocates to Damascus with family
1998: Begins studying acting at Damascus's Higher Academy of Theatrical Arts
1998: First role in television drama al-Kawasir
2003: First cinematic role in Ru'ya Halima