From a pioneering Emirati actress who helped lay the foundations of national television and theatre, to a Lebanese composer who soundtracked the social and political pulse of his homeland and a Moroccan singer hailed as “the Lady of tarab”, the Arab cultural scene has been etched by significant loss in 2025.
Spanning music, film, television, literature and visual arts, these artists not only shaped the creative landscape in their own country, but also brought Arab creativity to the global stage.
1. Mahmoud Saeed: January 28
The Iraqi novelist died, aged 87, in Chicago where he had lived since 1999 after fleeing Baghdad and spending several years in Dubai. An influential figure in the development of modern Iraqi literature, Saeed authored more than 20 novels, many of which were banned in Iraq for their portrayals of Saddam Hussein’s repressive regime. His most well-known work is the 2004 English translation of the autobiographical novel Saddam City, based on his experiences in Iraqi prisons – a powerful reflection of the country’s brutal history.
2. Mohammed Al Tawayan: January 31
The Saudi actor and playwright passed away at the age of 79. Renowned for blending deft social commentary into his theatre and television works, particularly in the series Awdat Asweed and Tabeeb Bil‑Misha’ab, Al-Tawayan is credited with raising the bar when it comes to domestic Saudi stories being told on stage and screen.
3. Maha Bayrakdar Al Khal: February 22
The Syrian‑Lebanese poet, visual artist, children’s book author and TV presenter passed away at the age of 77, in Lebanon, reportedly after a long illness. Born in Damascus, she released poetry collections, illustrated children’s stories, and curated arts and cultural events in Beirut. She was the wife of the late influential poet Yusuf al‑Khal, and mother to actors Ward and Youssef al-Khal.
4. Naima Samih: March 8
Hailed in her homeland as “the Lady of tarab”, the veteran Moroccan singer died in Rabat at the age of 72. A defining voice in Arab music since the 1970s, Samih rose to fame with hits such as Jrit Ou Jarit and Wagif Aala Babkom, and reportedly became the third Arab singer – after Egypt’s Umm Kulthum and Lebanon’s Fairuz – to perform at Paris’s Olympia theatre in 1978.
5. Abdulrahman Al‑Saleh: March 11
The Emirati actor, writer and cultural pioneer was a key early figure in Gulf cinema. Al-Saleh was best known for writing the screenplay for landmark Kuwaiti feature Bas Ya Bahr (1972) and the 1978 television series Hababa. His career also spanned theatre, where he is credited in laying some of the industry through his work with the Sharjah Culture Centre.
6. Abdul Karim Al Orrayed: March 25
The Bahraini artist and gallerist died, aged 91, in Manama. A pioneer of his country's modern arts scene, he was a founding member of the Arts Amateurs Association and Bahrain Contemporary Arts Association. In 1960, he reportedly opened Bahrain’s first private art gallery, showcasing his own abstract and landscape paintings inspired by the country’s diverse environments. Behind the scenes, he was widely credited as a mentor to generations of Bahraini artists and a quiet force in advancing the kingdom’s cultural life.
7. Inas Al Najjar: March 31
The Tunisian actress died in a Cairo hospital after developing sepsis caused by a ruptured gallbladder. She was 41. Best known for her debut in Mido Mashakel (2003) and her appearance in this year's Ramadan series El Halangy.
8. Subhy Otry: April 18
The Syrian television presenter and entertainment columnist died of a heart attack in Germany, aged 48. At ease both in the studio and on the red carpet, Otry was a leading anchor of the entertainment programmes ET Bil Arabi and Trending.
9. Suliman Eid: April 18
The Egyptian actor and comedian died in Cairo from a reported heart attack – aged 63. A graduate of Egypt’s Higher Institute of Theatrical Arts, Eid appeared in more than 300 productions – films, television series and stage plays – earning a reputation as a seasoned character actor in hits such as El Nazer and Hammam in Amsterdam.
10. Naeem Issa: May 5
The veteran Egyptian actor died aged 92. A long-standing figure on the Egyptian stage and screen, Issa was known for his work in films such as El-Zaeem and Ahlam Al Saeed, and for a career that spanned decades across theatre, cinema and television drama.
11. Fakhri Odeh: May 6
The Kuwaiti actor, who died aged 75, was revered for his work across theatre, radio, television and children’s programming. Odeh brought warmth and gravitas to Gulf media – from dramas such as Al Alkdar and Darb Al Zalik to the children’s show Salamtak – in a career spanning more than five decades. His range and enduring presence made him a fixture on the Gulf cultural scene.
12. Ahmed Reda Daheeb: May 21
The Sudanese playwright was regarded as a key figure in modern Sudanese theatre, with a career spanning more than five decades across stage, television and film. His work was rooted in socially precise storytelling, often engaging directly with Sudanese public life and political realities. Widely respected as a mentor, Daheeb played an important role in nurturing a new generation of playwrights and performers.
13. Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina: May 23
The influential Algerian director died in Algiers at the age of 91. His film Chronicle of the Years of Fire was the first – and remains the only – Arab and African film to win the Palme d’Or at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival. His body of work – including The Winds of the Aures and Sandstorm – cemented his status as a cinematic chronicler of postcolonial struggle and North African identity.
14. Samiha Ayoub: June 3
The Egyptian actress died in Cairo aged 93, ending a celebrated six-decade career across stage, film, radio and television. Popular roles include the films Bein el-Atlal (1959) and El Resala (1976), as well as the television drama El Mesaya (2012). Ayoub has also been described as a mentor to younger generations of actors, including Hanan Motawie and Ahmed Helmy.
15. Hassouna Mosbahi: June 4
The Tunisian author and literary critic died, aged 75, in Tunis. His body of work – including the novels A Tunisian Tale and Solo in the Darkness, as well as essays for Arabic and German literary magazines – focused on the lives of North African political exiles, exploring themes of alienation and cultural dislocation.
16. Raziqa Al Taresh: July 4
The Emirati theatre and television pioneer died aged 71 following a prolonged battle with cancer. Starting her career as a child, she rose to prominence in the 1970s with the comedy Ish’hafan and went on to shape Emirati entertainment across decades. Her passing prompted tributes across the Gulf, acknowledging her foundational role in national television drama.
17. Ziad Rahbani: July 26
The Lebanese composer, playwright and political commentator died aged 69. The son of singer Fairuz and the late composer Assi Rahbani, he was widely regarded as one of the most distinctive creative voices to emerge from Lebanon in the past five decades. He rose to prominence during the Lebanese Civil War with a series of groundbreaking plays and musicals that blended jazz, classical Arabic music, and colloquial dialogue with biting political and social commentary.
18. Lotfy Labib: July 30
The Egyptian actor died in Cairo, aged 84. A familiar face in Egyptian cinema and television since the 1980s, Labib was celebrated for his versatility across drama and comedy. Trained at the Academy of Arts, he brought a steady presence to films such as Terrorism and Kebab (1992) and series like Ragel wa Set Sittat. He was also a respected stage performer and, in later years, became a mentor to younger actors, even as health issues limited his screen appearances.
19. Ahmed Reda Daheeb: May 21
The Sudanese playwright was regarded as a key figure in modern Sudanese theatre, with a career spanning more than five decades across stage, television and film. His work was rooted in socially precise storytelling, often engaging directly with Sudanese public life and political realities. Widely respected as a mentor, Daheeb played an important role in nurturing a new generation of playwrights and performers.
20. Hamad Al Muzaini: September 21
The Saudi actor died aged 80. A pioneer of the kingdom’s television industry whose career stretched five decades, Al-Muzaini was known for his roles in satirical local comedy series such as Tash Ma Tash and Shabab Al-Bomb, as well as the period drama, Al Asouf.
21. Fawzi Khadr: December 4
The Egyptian poet, radio broadcaster and cultural figure died aged 75. Known for his poetry and cultural writing, Khadr authored works including the novel The Poet of Tortured Love and presenting the Egyptian radio program An Arab Book, Knowledge of the World.
22. Abu Marda’ Al-Qahtani: December 11
The Saudi social-media comedian died aged 27 following a road accident in Saudi Arabia. Known for short-form comedy videos circulated widely across platforms, Al-Qahtani built a large following through sketches that drew on everyday Saudi life and colloquial humour.
His online presence reflected the rise of social media as a primary space for comedy and youth expression in the kingdom.
23. Abdel Qader Salem: December 16
The Sudanese composer and singer died at the age of 79. Salem was known for songs including Ya Baladi, Zaman Al-Nas and Sama‘a Al-Kalam, which became staples of modern Sudanese song through their blend of folk melodies and contemporary arrangement.
His work positioned him among the generation of musicians who carried Sudanese popular music from local listeners to a regional audience.
24. Mohamed Abdelhamid: December 23
The veteran Egyptian film and television make-up artist died after a long-standing health issue. Abdelhamid worked on films including Mugrim Ma‘a Martabat Al-Sharaf and Rihlat Hob, collaborating with actors such as Mohamed Ramadan, Hend Sabry and Yasmine Abdel Aziz.
25. Mohammad Bakri: December 24
The Palestinian actor and filmmaker died aged 72. Over a five-decade career, Bakri became known for works including Wedding in Galilee and Haifa, as well as directing the documentary Jenin, Jenin.
His career unfolded alongside the development of Palestinian filmmaking, from the margins to major international festivals, and his final major screen role came in All That’s Left of You, which was shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film category for the 2026 Academy Awards.
26. Tarek El Amir: December 24
The Egyptian actor and screenwriter passed away from heart failure. He was recognised for his roles in Asal Eswed (2010) and the Umm Kulthum television series (1999), and for writing comedies such as Matab Senai, which marked a star-making role for Ahmed Helmy, and Katkoot, starring Mohamed Saad, both released in 2007.
27. Najeh Al Mamouri: December 24
The Iraqi writer, novelist and researcher died aged 81. Al Mamouri authored books including Moses and the Myths of the East, Myth and the Torah and Unpeeling the Myth, works that historically and comparatively examined mythology and religious texts through history.
