Dare to be Different

Jay Abdo

(Born 1962)

Jay was one of the biggest actors in the Middle East. Millions of people in the Arabic-speaking world knew him from his films. But life wasn’t easy. In Syria, where Jay is from, it was growing increasingly difficult to criticize the people in charge. Jay was asked to speak out in support of the government on TV. When he refused, they started to harass and threaten him. Jay secretly met up with a journalist from America and explained to her what was going on in Syria. The publication of the article put Jay’s life in danger. He fled to America, where his wife and children were already living. In America, nobody knew who he was. He hadn’t been able to bring any of his money with him when he moved, so he took a job delivering pizza just to make enough to cover the bills. Jay didn’t give up on acting. He went to every audition he could, determined to find even the smallest part. Eventually, his hard work paid off, and he was given a big role in a film called Queen of the Desert. How did he do it? “Patience, patience, patience. And focus. I came from being in the top of my league as an actor in my country, to a place where nobody knew me. I started with any parts I could get by auditioning, even for a two-line part. You have to have a ‘Do whatever it takes’ attitude.”