Helana Sawires

Helana Sawires is an Australian actress best known for portraying the lead role of Dianne, a medical student, in the first Australian Muslim romantic comedy film, Ali's Wedding (2017).[1][2] She also appeared in 2016 short film Banana Boy, directed by Steven Woodburn.[3]

She lives in Marrickville where she grew up in a large Egyptian family with five siblings.[4] She went to Sydney's Newtown High School of the Performing Arts. She is also a drummer and Egyptian tabla player.

Her role as Dianne in Ali's Wedding brought her a nomination for Best Actress at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards.[5]

  1. ^ "Australia's first Muslim rom-com movie, Ali's Wedding, hopes to disarm haters as it hits big screen". The Sydney Morning Herald. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  2. ^ "Ali's Wedding: Australia's first Muslim romantic comedy goes global on Netflix". The National. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  3. ^ "BANANA BOY by Steven Woodburn". Pozible. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Screen NSW". screen.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  5. ^ Maddox, Garry (29 October 2017). "Helana Sawires goes from drummer to best actress nominee at AACTA Awards". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 June 2018.