Biography
Who is Mena Massoud?
Early life and education
Mena Mansour Massoud was born in Cairo, Egypt, on September 17, 1991. His parents, Gorgit and Mansour Massoud, are Coptic Orthodox Christians. The family moved to Canada when Mena was three and a half years old, settling in the Toronto area. He grew up with two older sisters, Marian and Margaret, who pursued careers in the medical field.
During his time at St. Brother André Catholic High School, he led the improv team. He initially enrolled at the University of Toronto to study neuroscience with the goal of becoming a doctor or psychologist. However, he left that program to pursue acting. He later attended Ryerson University, graduating from their theatre performance program in 2014.
Acting career and breakthrough
Mena Massoud began his acting career in 2011 with guest appearances on the television shows Nikita and Combat Hospital. In 2015, he played the character Jared Malik in the Canadian drama series Open Heart. By 2017, he appeared in the film Ordinary Days and later secured a recurring role as Tarek Kassar in the Amazon Prime series Jack Ryan in 2018.
His major career breakthrough occurred in 2019 when he portrayed the titular character in the live-action Disney film Aladdin. This role earned him nominations for a Teen Choice Award and two National Film & TV Awards. Following this project, he appeared in the Hulu series Reprisal, the Netflix film The Royal Treatment, and the horror film The Sacrifice Game, which he also executive produced.
Advocacy and other ventures
In 2019, Mena Massoud launched the Ethnically Diverse Artists Foundation, a non-profit organization designed to assist artists from underrepresented groups in Canada. The foundation provides training, mentorship, and professional resources to help actors, musicians, and visual artists advance their careers. He has frequently advocated for better representation and fair casting practices for artists of color within the entertainment industry.
Outside of acting, he is a vegan and created the Evolving Vegan cookbook and television series. In 2019, Egypt's Ministry of Migration appointed him as an ambassador for the Speak Egyptian initiative to support Egyptians living abroad. Also, in 2022, he introduced a gin brand called Dharma Indian Dry Gin, which he developed alongside Emily Shah and Prashant Shah.
Personal life and marriage
Mena Massoud is a Coptic Orthodox Christian. In 2024, he announced his engagement to actress Emily Shah. The couple married in 2025. Throughout his career, he has cited Egyptian comedy films and actors like Ismail Yassine and Adel Emam as significant influences on his comedic style. He has also noted the impact of Robin Williams on his approach to acting, specifically praising the performance in the film Mrs. Doubtfire.
Birthday and age
Mena Massoud was born on September 17, 1991, which makes Mena 35 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Mena shares the date with 24 other famous people.
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