Salim Daw

Salim Daw
سليم ضو
Daw onstage at Haifa Theatre in 2011
Born	(1950-09-01) September 1, 1950 (age 74) Bi'ina, Israel[1]
Education	Beit Zvi School for the Performing Arts L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq
Occupation	Actor

Salim Daw (also spelled Salim Dau, Arabic: سليم ضو; born 1950) is an Israel-born^[1][2] Palestinian actor. With appearances in more than 60 works of stage, television and film, he is perhaps best known for portraying Mohamed Al-Fayed on seasons 5 and 6 of Netflix's The Crown.^[3]

Early life and education

Daw was born in Bi'ina in 1950.^[1] He identifies as Palestinian.^[2]

As a young child, his father's friends would often ask him to entertain them with impressions. “I was an expert even at five, and the funny thing was that they used to reward me with fruits, sweets, and a little money," he told Al-Ahram in 2021. "So being an actor was the thing for me at a very early stage in my life."^[3]

In 1972, Daw enrolled at the Beit Zvi School for the Performing Arts in Ramat Gan. He went on to study at the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris, graduating in 1979.^[3]

Career

Daw had a recurring role as Sheikh Awadalla in the 2015 Israeli political TV drama Fauda.^[4] He starred as Issa in the 2020 international drama film Gaza mon amour.^[1]

In 2021, Daw was cast as the Egyptian billionaire and Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed for The Crown's fifth season.^[5] The role earned him a 2023 BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor.^[6] He also played Tarek, the protagonist's father, in the Palestinian film Let It Be Morning, and PLO minister Ahmed Qurei in HBO's adaptation of the play Oslo.^[7][8]

Daw reprised the role of Al-Fayed in The Crown's sixth season. He expressed "deep sadness" and a connection to Al-Fayed upon the businessman's 2023 death.^[9]

Personal life

Daw lives in Haifa with his wife.^[1] His daughter, Maysa Daw, is a musician.^[10]

Awards and nominations

Year	Awards	Category	Project	Result	Ref.
2023	BAFTA Television Awards	Best Supporting Actor	The Crown	Nominated	[11]
2024	Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series		Nominated	[12]
	BAFTA Television Awards	Best Supporting Actor		Nominated	[13]

References

1. Allfree, Claire (14 November 2022). "The Crown star Salim Daw on finding Mohamed Al-Fayed's humanity: 'I love him with all my heart'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
2. "Salim Dau to play Mohamed Al-Fayed in Netflix's 'The Crown'". The Times of Israel. 25 September 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
3. Nasr, Nahed (9 March 2021). "Oslo calling: Palestinian actor Salim Dau talks about his career and latest film". Al-Ahram. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
4. "Arab Israeli actor Salim Dau cast in Netflix's 'The Crown'". Israel Hayom. 26 September 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
5. Yossman, K. J. (23 September 2021). "'The Crown' Casts Khalid Abdalla as Dodi Fayed, Princess Diana's Tragic Boyfriend; Salim Daw to Play His Father (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
6. "2023 Television Supporting Actor". BAFTA Awards. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
7. Jenkins, Mark (6 February 2023). "'Let It Be Morning': A slice of Palestinian life, inside Israel". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
8. Lowry, Brian (28 May 2021). "'Oslo' brings the Tony-winning play about Israeli-Palestinian peace to timely life on HBO". CNN. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
9. McLaughlin, Charlotte (3 September 2023). "The Crown actor Salim Daw speaks of deep sadness at Al-Fayed's death". The Independent. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
10. Singh, Amrita (6 November 2018). "Palestinian Musician Maysa Daw on Music and Politics". About Her. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
11. Ritman, Alex (22 March 2023). "BAFTA TV Awards: 'This is Going to Hurt,' 'The Responder' Lead Pack of Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
12. "Nominations Announced for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®" (Press release). Screen Actors Guild. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
13. Szalai, Georg (20 March 2024). "BAFTA TV Awards: 'The Crown,' 'Black Mirror' Lead Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 20 March 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2024.

External links

• Salim Daw at IMDb