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Ahd Kamel, First Saudi Actress to Appear on Netflix

Saudi actress Ahd Kamel. (Getty Images)
Saudi actress Ahd Kamel. (Getty Images)
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Ahd Kamel, First Saudi Actress to Appear on Netflix

Saudi actress Ahd Kamel. (Getty Images)
Saudi actress Ahd Kamel. (Getty Images)

Saudi actress, writer and director Ahd Kamel rose to fame both on local and international scenes after her starring role in 2012's high profile festival favorite, the critically acclaimed BAFTA nominee, “Wadjda”, which is Saudi Arabia's first feature film.

Kamel, 36-year-old, has more ambitions in acting and directing that landed her a prominent role in a new English television mini-series, Collateral, that is produced by Netflix and aired on the BBC.

The series is created by Oscar-winning playwright David Hare and Kamel will appear alongside Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan of The Great Gatsby.

Kamel will play the role of a Syrian refugee called Fatima.

When commenting on the differences between the local Saudi film industry and that abroad, Kamel cites the history setting apart the two platforms.

In Britain, there is a huge art industry, an extended tradition of actors and actresses, and an esteemed atmosphere that holds respect for acting and art, explained Kamel.

But in Saudi Arabia, she said that she belongs to a pioneering cinematic generation.

Despite the fright of her first experience, Kamel admitted that TV series “are really fun.”

She said that to absorb the intricate details of the character, trust in the script fully and to be part of this crew of artists is a valuable experience that would help her develop and grow as an actress.

“Over ten years into my career, I felt a sense of gratitude for my work, as well as for the opportunity to join such a range of international talent,” added Kamel.

Commenting on her fellow Collateral actress, Kamel said that it is great to work with a star as generous and as humble as Mulligan.

In Collateral, Kamel plays the role of a Syrian refugee.

Asked if the role was just another stereotype of Arabs, she said that Hare and series director S. J. Clarkson wanted to break away from the mould.

“They did not want to portray the refugees in an exaggerated way. They told me that they wanted to show their human side more clearly,” Kamel added.

“This gave me a lot of space to study the character and add depth to it,” she stated.

Kamel moved to New York City in 1998 and completed her BFA in Animation and Communication from Parsons School of Design. She then further diversified her education, obtaining a Directing degree from the New York Film Academy. She then went on to study acting under William Esper at the Esper Studio.

Kamel said becoming the first Saudi actress to ever appear on Netflix is a great honor, because it has opened the door for other artists. She also remarked that it happened at the same time as many major changes taking place in Saudi Arabia.

“I think it will be important for future generations... It will take time… I'm interested in seeing what days bring. I am very enthusiastic and I think it will gradually develop," Kamel said.

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Varieties

Orca that Carried her Dead Calf for Weeks in 2018 is Doing so Once Again

In this photo provided by NOAA Fisheries, the orca known as J35 (Tahlequah) carries the carcass of her dead calf in the waters of Puget Sound off West Seattle, Wash., on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Candice Emmons/NOAA Fisheries via AP)
In this photo provided by NOAA Fisheries, the orca known as J35 (Tahlequah) carries the carcass of her dead calf in the waters of Puget Sound off West Seattle, Wash., on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Candice Emmons/NOAA Fisheries via AP)
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Orca that Carried her Dead Calf for Weeks in 2018 is Doing so Once Again

In this photo provided by NOAA Fisheries, the orca known as J35 (Tahlequah) carries the carcass of her dead calf in the waters of Puget Sound off West Seattle, Wash., on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Candice Emmons/NOAA Fisheries via AP)
In this photo provided by NOAA Fisheries, the orca known as J35 (Tahlequah) carries the carcass of her dead calf in the waters of Puget Sound off West Seattle, Wash., on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Candice Emmons/NOAA Fisheries via AP)

An endangered Pacific Northwest orca that made global headlines in 2018 for carrying her dead calf for over two weeks is doing so once again following the death of her new calf, in another sign of grief over lost offspring, researchers said.
The mother orca, known as Tahlequah or J35, has been seen carrying the body of the deceased female calf since Wednesday, the Washington state-based Center for Whale Research said in a Facebook post.
“The entire team at the Center for Whale Research is deeply saddened by this news and we will continue to provide updates when we can,” The Associated Press quoted the post as saying.
In 2018, researchers observed J35 pushing her dead calf along for 17 days, propping it up for more than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers). The calf had died shortly after it was born, and the mother and her closely knit pod of whales were seen taking turns carrying the dead body.
The research center said roughly two weeks ago that it had been made aware of the new calf. But on Christmas Eve, it said it was concerned about the calf's health based on its behavior and that of its mother.
By New Year’s Day, officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were able to confirm that J35 was carrying her calf’s dead body, said Brad Hanson, a research scientist with the federal agency.
Hanson, who was able to observe her behavior from a boat on Wednesday, said J35 was draping the dead calf across her snout or on top of her head, and that she appeared to dive for it when it sank from the surface. He said the calf was only alive for a "handful of days.”
“I think it’s fair to say that she is grieving or mourning,” Joe Gaydos, science director of SeaDoc at the University of California, Davis, said of J35. Similar behavior can also be seen in other socially cohesive animals with relatively long life spans, such as primates and dolphins, he added.
Calf mortality is high: Only about 1 in 5 orca pregnancies result in a calf that lives to its first birthday, according to the Center for Whale Research. The center's research director, Michael Weiss, estimated that only 50% of orca calves survive their first year.
The center described the death of J35's calf as particularly devastating — not only because she could have eventually grown to give birth and bolster the struggling population, but because J35 has now lost two out of four documented calves.
The population of southern resident killer whales — three pods of fish-eating orcas that frequent the waters between Washington state and British Columbia — has struggled for decades, with only 73 remaining. They must contend with a dearth of their preferred prey, Chinook salmon, as well as pollution and vessel noise, which hinders their hunting. Researchers have warned they are on the brink of extinction.
Other southern resident orcas have been observed carrying dead calves, Weiss said, “but certainly not for as long as J35 carried her calf in 2018.”
There was some good news for the J pod, however: another new calf, J62, was observed alive by officials and scientists.
Southern resident orcas are endangered, and distinct from other killer whales because they eat salmon rather than marine mammals. Individual whales are identified by unique markings or variations in their fin shapes, and each whale is given a number and name.
Traveling together in matrilineal groups, the orcas at times can be seen breaching around Puget Sound, even against the backdrop of the downtown Seattle skyline.