Aya Samaha

Ayah Samaha grew up in Cairo, though her roots stretch back to Lebanon. She’s the kind of actress who doesn’t just show up on set—she owns it. Seriously, you’ve probably seen her face if you’ve watched “Paranormal,” the first-ever Egyptian Netflix original. That’s not nothing. Acting’s almost in her DNA, too. Her dad did film production, her grandmother sang and painted—so, yeah, she basically marinated in art her whole life. She didn’t just wing it, either. Ayah hustled through acting workshops, working with big shots like Marwa Gebreel and Gerald James. Her big break? That would be “Hepta: The Last Lecture” in 2016, which scored huge at the box office. And she didn’t stop there—jumped straight into TV with “Grand Hotel” the same year, and just kept racking up credits. “Haza Al Masa’a,” “Kaeno Embareh,” “Qabeel,” and of course, “Paranormal”—that last one really put her on the map, not just in Egypt, but everywhere Netflix reaches. She’s popped up in a bunch of other hits, too, like “Khareg El Saytara” and “Qamar Hady,” plus Ramadan favorites “Rania W Skeena” and “Ragreen Ya Hawa.” Audiences love her—can’t blame them, she brings something fresh every time. And let’s not skip the fashion bit. Ayah’s got style for days, whether she’s hitting the red carpet or turning heads in a magazine spread. No wonder fashion mags chase her down for beauty and style tips. This woman’s got range—on-screen and off.