Dina Najjar

Hi, I'm Dina!
I am a first generation Arab American (Palestinian/Jordanian) born on 8 Mile to immigrant parents. I proudly speak fluent Arabic and can belly dance (also with a sword on my head). I'm your real life Princess Jasmine with an edge. I used to put on variety shows and plays for my parents in our living room with my little brother, Jack. In my senior year of high school, I won the Best Actress award (the prestigious Golden Mitten award -- which is basically a Tony) for my portrayal of Renfield, the lunatic asylum inmate, in Dracula. I remember the feeling of being unrecognizable, to lose myself in a character, so much so that the audience members did not even know it was me. That feeling ignited a passion in me that I had never known before.  

Some of the roles I'm proudest of include: playing Maya, a Syrian refugee searching for her place in America, in the short film "Maya" which earned me the Best Actress Award at the 2018 University of Miami Canes Film Festival; playing recurring as alluring assassin Nadja Shah in season 2 of "The Family Business" on BET & Netflix (debuted in the top 10); and portraying troubled, rideshare passenger, Raven, in the mumblecore feature "The Christmas Ride" streaming on Prime Video for which I won Best Supporting Actress at the 2020 Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival.

I think this quote from filmmaker Stephen Stull sums me up perfectly as an actor: "Dina Najjar is an unstoppable force. She has a titanic screen presence that belies her diminutive physical form. The source of her power — and the reason I would be delighted to work with her again on any project — is her unflinching commitment to the role. No matter the scope of the part, Dina will inhabit it completely and breathe a sincerity into the performance that is incredible to behold. She has an auspicious career ahead of her, and I feel honored to have been able to work with her."

In 2015, in an effort to start creating opportunities for myself and my fellow actors, I started making my own films. My mission is to bring diversity without stereotypes to the screen and stage and to tell important stories that inspire, empower, and include. I strive to portray and write interesting and multifaceted female characters who overcome adversity and trauma while infusing it with humor. I want to see people depicted as multidimensional characters. not as predetermined stereotypes of an ethnicity. My through line is belonging, and I always aim to leave my viewers with a sense of hope. I have never felt like I truly belong, so telling the stories of the underdog that perseveres, the traumas that shape us, and searching for our place in the world -- those are the stories I connect to and wish to tell. I truly believe it's important to create what you want to be a part of. To learn more about my projects and production company, just click the TN Productions Flow Page below, under my websites.

I absolutely love comedy and appreciate how it has gotten me through the toughest times in my life. That's why I study aspects of it from stand-up to improv to sketch. I have a deep appreciation for stand-up comedians and the vulnerability that comes with this art form. You can check out my 5 minute set on my Flow Page link below.

In 2020, I became a mom! A dog mom that is. Scarlett Rose is my very best friend, and I really don't remember what life was like without her. She's my sassy 8 pound dog counterpart. She also loves being on camera. In 2022, I added another member to the family: My Siberian kitty, Amira Moon. Her and Scarlett are becoming besties. I don't know who of the three of us is the sassiest!

That's a little about me. Feel free to send me a message if you'd like to connect. And let's create together!