Shereen Mitwalli has the inside scoop on celeb visits to the UAE

Shereen Mitwalli with Liam Neeson at the Taken 3 premiere in Dubai. Sarah Dea / The National

Shereen Mitwalli, 33, has a job that many of us would envy. As a celebrity host and international presenter with the speaker and celebrity agency On Stage International, she gets to rub shoulders with the stars who visit Dubai. The Egyptian-Australian has hob-nobbed with A-listers including Nicholas Cage, Will Smith and Katy Perry, both on and off camera. Here, she reveals what celebs visiting Dubai get up to outside of work hours.

Making an impression

“Celebrities all speak to one ­another, and social media has really brought everyone ­together, so they get more of a chance to see images of the region before they arrive. They tend to be very ­respectful in terms of culture and want to make sure that they’re not caught doing anything wrong or offensive. They really try – harder than anybody else, in fact.”

Dressing the part

“A lot of them come dressing very modestly – more than they should do, really. Zendaya had a concert at Mall of the Emirates and was completely covered from head to toe with the long-sleeved top and long pants she’d selected. I’m assuming she’d worked closely with costume designers to select an outfit that went way beyond respecting the culture. When we did the live interview, she was wearing a suit, not showing anything.

When I interviewed Nicole Richie, she wore a dress that looked like an abaya, that just happened to be in her wardrobe – she told me the dress was perfect because she wanted to be respectful.”

Blending in

“Celebrities find Dubai very relaxed. If they do get recognised, fans come and ask for an autograph, sure, but it’s not hundreds approaching them as they get in the States. They can actually walk around The Dubai Mall without being recognised by every person. They can go around their hotels and not worry about too much security. Katie Perry was staying at the One and Only on the Palm and it was fine – people weren’t stalking her, and there were no paparazzi.”

Out on the town

“I socialise with some celebrities, of course. Gerard Butler is single and likes to get out and about. He’s been here many times. I’ve been to Zuma with him. It is the most popular restaurant – celebrities definitely love going there while they’re in town. It’s a recognised international brand. The people hosting them will suggest going because they know it’s got good food and a cool vibe.

Will Smith spent New Year’s in Barasti, because one of his friends (Jazzy Jeff) was DJing there. Tyrese liked Riva and Okku.

Those celebrities who are married usually don’t go out. When Nicholas Cage was here for an engagement with Audi, I worked really closely with him and we offered to take him out but he said no. He just wanted to spend time at the Armani Hotel, where he was staying.”

Bollywood

“Indian stars are always here. I’ve interviewed Hrithik Roshan several times. He has a house here. Most of them have houses on the Palm. They see Dubai as their second home, because there’s such a huge Indian community here. They get a bit of privacy here, whereas in India they get mobbed. They have a different style of living here. It’s a base for them to do various things.”