Lebanese actress and comedian Maya Akra has spent years building her career in both Beirut and New York. This year, she reached a major milestone when the film Anora, in which she has a role, won five Oscars, including Best Picture.
But for Akra, the recognition is just one part of a much longer story.
“I was raised by ‘Comedy Central’ ‘The Nanny.’ Fran Drescher was my hero,” Akra told a newspaper. Her early love of performance was sparked at home, where her father, a filmmaker, recorded endless hours of her childhood on VHS. “Being in front of the camera has been my reality since I was a baby. I have hours of footage from my childhood, sometimes just talking endlessly like I was the host of my own show. Somehow that early lens shaped me,” she said.
She began performing on stage at a young age, often drawing from real-life experiences marked by grief, resilience and reinvention. After building her career in Lebanon – working behind the scenes at MTV, acting in student films and her comedy sketches going viral – Akra moved to New York to pursue acting and stand-up full-time.
Now part of the city’s vibrant improv and comedy scene, she has performed at venues such as The Stand, Stand up NY and Broadway Comedy Club.
Her acting work includes short films, commercials and theatre, often centered around stories of identity and migration. “I’m drawn to stories that spotlight the emotional and cultural struggles of Arab immigrants,” she said.
Akra is passionate about breaking the mold for Arab characters onscreen. “Arab talent is slowly gaining more visibility in Western media… the industry still has a long way to go. Too often, the roles offered to Arab actors are still limited to certain tropes, like the villain, the terrorist or the oppressed woman.
“We have so many untold stories that reflect the diversity and success of Arabs in America,” she added.
While “Anora” was not an Arab story, being part of an indie project that defied expectations – and that went on to sweep the Oscars – was a powerful moment for Akra. She had been invited to the ceremony but did not attend.
“I didn’t even watch the ceremony. I had just moved into my apartment. I was in a really emotional place. I had just lost my aunt,” she recalled. “Then suddenly, I got a message: ‘You’re featured in the Best Picture of 2024!’ I was stunned. It felt completely surreal. I was so happy and I couldn’t stop smiling.”
Looking ahead, Akra is focused on continuing to tell real, layered stories through both comedy and drama. “I carry Lebanon with me into every room,” she said. “I’ll be at the Oscars when I win my own one day. I’m claiming that.”