Mona Zaki

Mona Ali Mohamed Zaki (; born 18 November 1977) is an Egyptian actress. she briefly attended the Institute of Dramatic Arts before enrolling at the Faculty of Mass Communication, Cairo University.

Career

1990s In 1989, when she was 13, Zaki landed her first acting role in Mohamed Sobhi's play Bel Araby El Faseeh (In Formal Arabic) after answering a casting call. The production ran for a year-a-half. Her next role came in 1994 while a student at Cairo University, in her TV debut in El A'elah, (The Family), a Ramadan television series. She appeared in a succession of popular TV series in the '90s including Al Helmeya Nights in 1995; Zizinia (1997–2000); Ahalina (Our Kin) in 1997 and El Daw' El Sharid (The Stray Light) in 1998. Other films followed including Idhak El Soura Titla' Hilwa (Smile, the Photo Comes about Better) (1998); That same year she starred in the comedy Africano which was a box office success, grossing 8 million EGP and her second in a series of collaborations with co-star Ahmad Al-Sakka. They starred again in the action film Mafia (2002) which was another commercial hit bringing in about 13 million EGP at the box office In 2003 Zaki appeared in Hani Khalifa's feature debut Sleepless Nights (2003), a commercial and critical success, that pushed Egyptian social boundaries in addressing sex and marital issues. It has since become a cult classic in contemporary Egyptian cinema. Khalifa and Zaki would again collaborate in the 2024 box office hit Flight 404.

In 2007 she starred in Taymour and Shafika, once again opposite Al-Sakka, playing childhood sweethearts whose love is put to test when her character is appointed a minister and he is charged as her bodyguard. While a romantic comedy, the film aimed to show the serious challenges faced by modern-Egyptian women in balancing career ambitions with love and marriage.

The 2010s In 2016, starred in the Ramadan TV series Afrah El-Qoba (The Ooba Weddings) adapted from a novel by Naguib Mahfouz which garnered Zaki the Best Actress Murex D'Or.

The 2020s In April 2021, Zaki appeared in the mega hit Ramadan drama series Newton's Cradle playing a pregnant woman whose plans go awry when she travels to the United States to have her child born on American soil. Egypt's most watched television series of the year, it became a global hit after it was picked up by Netflix and released in January 2022.

In 2022, Zaki appeared in Netflix's first ever Arabic language film Perfect Strangers, a huge hit in North Africa and Middle East. A remake of the 2016 Italian film, the film proved controversial with many Egyptians in light of its depictions of sexuality, including homosexuality, and cursing. Particularly strong criticism was directed at Zaki, the sole Egyptian cast member and with the long-held image of "the girl next door."

In February 2023, Zaki appeared in the Ramadan series Taht El Wesaya (Under Guardianship), in the role of a widow with two children whose struggles after her husband’s death are amplified by the Egyptian Guardianship Law that privileges the parental grandfather or guardian rights over those of the mother. The popular series prompted calls for reforming Egyptian family law.

In January 2024 Flight 404 was released in Egyptian theaters with Zaki in the starring role. The film was a regional box office hit and broke Egyptian box office records for a female-led film. In October of that year the film was selected as the Egyptian submission for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.

Also in 2024, Zaki appeared in Aserb: The Squadron, an Egyptian action film based on the actual events of the massacre of 21 Egyptian Copts in Libya and the ensuing Egyptian military operations against the responsible terrorists.

In December 2025, El Sett (The Lady), a biopic of the iconic Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum with Zaki in the title role, had its world premier at the Marrakech International Film Festival. Directed by Marwan Hamed with a screenplay by Ahmed Mourad, the film was released in Egyptian cinemas on December 10th. Zaki described the role as the most challenging of her career. Made for an estimated 8 million dollars, it reportedly grossed less than 2 million dollars and was considered a commercial and critical flop.

Production company In January 2024 Zaki co-founded the production company, Her Story, with publishing entrepreneur May Abdel-Azim. The incubator program is aimed at supporting female Egyptian and Arab filmmakers. Its inaugural program funded 20 short films, and in late 2024, they established a sister chapter in Bahrain with the support of the Bahrain Ministry of Information and the Bahrain Film Festival. In March of 2025 Her Story's Egypt chapter opened applications for its second edition.

Personal life Mona is married to Egyptian actor Ahmed Helmy. They have three children: Lilly (born 2003), Selim (born 2014), and Younis (born 2016).

Philanthropy Zaki has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2009 and in that capacity has appealed for donations surrounding regional events impacting children such as the 2020 Beirut explosion and the Gaza war. In 2010 she was a spokesperson for the Egyptian Springs of Life blood donation campaign conducted in cooperation with the World Health Organization.

Filmography Film

Series

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Awards and Distinctios

2017: Murex D’Or Best Actress (for the 2016 TV series Afrah El Qoba) 2020: Faten Hamama Award of Excellence, Cairo International Film Festival 2023: Best Actress Award (for Tahet El Wesaya series), Cairo Drama Festival