Dina Shihabi

Dina Shihabi (Arabic: دينا شهابي‎‎) is a Saudi actress making her mark in the United States. Born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, she relocated to Dubai at the age of six. Her artistic journey began with dance classes at a young age, and by 13, she was learning from Sharmilla Kamte, a distinguished instructor at the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre's Chaloub Studio, who is recognized as the "dancing queen" of the UAE. Shihabi also joined a professional modern dance team during this time. She attended several institutions, including Al Mawakeb School, Emirates International School, and Dubai American Academy. At the Dubai American Academy, where she studied from the eighth grade until graduation, she participated in many school productions and received encouragement from her teacher, Nancy Mock, to pursue acting professionally.

At 18, with her father's support, Dina moved to New York City to chase her acting dreams, officially starting her career in 2010. In 2011, she gained acceptance into both Juilliard and NYU Tisch School of the Arts' Graduate Acting Program. Although she did not finish a four-year Bachelor's degree, having attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts from 2008 to 2010, NYU waived this requirement, leading her to obtain an MFA in 2014. Notably, Shihabi is the first woman from the Middle East to be accepted into both prestigious programs. Her primary language is a dialect of Levantine Arabic.