Reem Kadem
- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Ms. Kadem portrays the recurring role of Shamira on the television series The Promised Land, which has been described as "The Chosen" meets "The Office." "The world needs to see a show like this. Seriously," stated Dallas Jenkins, creator of The Chosen.
Throughout her career, she has brought to life a wide range of characters: from the blistering emotional portrayal of Naseeka on Paramount+'s SEAL Team, to the compassionate All-American case worker in the nationwide theatrical release No Address, to the tough biker Nona in Amazon Prime's Revenge Ride, and as a recurring sketch comedy performer on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Ms. Kadem has garnered critical acclaim and international recognition for her work in film, most notably for her tour-de-force performance in the title role of Nawal the Jewel. The film, inspired by the true story of Reyhaneh Jabbari, who was sentenced to death in Iran after defending herself from an attempted assault by an officer, resonated across global media outlets from the BBC to U.S. and Middle Eastern networks. Amnesty International, the UN, and countless others advocated to save Jabbari's life, gathering thousands of signatures, though tragically unsuccessfully.
She prepared extensively for the role, learning Malayalam (the language of Kerala, India) to perform the film bilingually in both English and Malayalam - a rare undertaking for a non-native speaker in Mollywood cinema. Nawal the Jewel made its festival debut in 2018, earning her the Best Actress Award at the Boston International Film Festival, along with Best Feature Film, surpassing films starring Jeff Daniels and Elaine Hendrix. Her performance also brought nominations at the London International Film Festival, the North Europe International Film Festival, and the South Europe International Film Festival in Valencia, Spain.
Her accolades further include recognition at the Amsterdam International Filmmaker Festival, the Milan International Film Festival of World Cinema, and the Multicultural Film Festival in California.
Beginning her training in theater at age 14, Ms. Kadem has studied with some of the industry's most celebrated talents, including BAFTA and Emmy-nominated actor Alfred Molina (Chocolat, Raiders of the Lost Ark); Juilliard alumnus and SAG-nominated actor Jack Stehlin (Weeds, General Hospital); Academy Award-winning writer/director Bobby Moresco (Crash, Million Dollar Baby); veteran method acting teacher Carey Scott, a protégé of Stella Adler and former classmate of Sean Penn, Meg Ryan, Mark Ruffalo, and Salma Hayek; Gregory Berger-Sobeck of The Berg Studios; acting coach Shawn Nelson; comedy coaches Lesly Kahn and Todd Sherry; and booking coach Amy Lyndon, author of The Lyndon Technique and mentor to over 50 series regulars.
In addition to her acting career, she is also an award-winning screenwriter. She earned her BFA in screenwriting and has worked as a writer-for-hire, optioned material, and served as a consultant on numerous projects. As a producer and screenwriter, she has multiple projects in active development with top-tier industry professionals, including Academy Award-winning and Golden Globe-nominated talent. She has also been endorsed as a script consultant, having previously worked as a coverage reader for some of Hollywood's most elite producers, including Academy Award and Emmy-nominated executives.
Throughout her career, she has brought to life a wide range of characters: from the blistering emotional portrayal of Naseeka on Paramount+'s SEAL Team, to the compassionate All-American case worker in the nationwide theatrical release No Address, to the tough biker Nona in Amazon Prime's Revenge Ride, and as a recurring sketch comedy performer on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Ms. Kadem has garnered critical acclaim and international recognition for her work in film, most notably for her tour-de-force performance in the title role of Nawal the Jewel. The film, inspired by the true story of Reyhaneh Jabbari, who was sentenced to death in Iran after defending herself from an attempted assault by an officer, resonated across global media outlets from the BBC to U.S. and Middle Eastern networks. Amnesty International, the UN, and countless others advocated to save Jabbari's life, gathering thousands of signatures, though tragically unsuccessfully.
She prepared extensively for the role, learning Malayalam (the language of Kerala, India) to perform the film bilingually in both English and Malayalam - a rare undertaking for a non-native speaker in Mollywood cinema. Nawal the Jewel made its festival debut in 2018, earning her the Best Actress Award at the Boston International Film Festival, along with Best Feature Film, surpassing films starring Jeff Daniels and Elaine Hendrix. Her performance also brought nominations at the London International Film Festival, the North Europe International Film Festival, and the South Europe International Film Festival in Valencia, Spain.
Her accolades further include recognition at the Amsterdam International Filmmaker Festival, the Milan International Film Festival of World Cinema, and the Multicultural Film Festival in California.
Beginning her training in theater at age 14, Ms. Kadem has studied with some of the industry's most celebrated talents, including BAFTA and Emmy-nominated actor Alfred Molina (Chocolat, Raiders of the Lost Ark); Juilliard alumnus and SAG-nominated actor Jack Stehlin (Weeds, General Hospital); Academy Award-winning writer/director Bobby Moresco (Crash, Million Dollar Baby); veteran method acting teacher Carey Scott, a protégé of Stella Adler and former classmate of Sean Penn, Meg Ryan, Mark Ruffalo, and Salma Hayek; Gregory Berger-Sobeck of The Berg Studios; acting coach Shawn Nelson; comedy coaches Lesly Kahn and Todd Sherry; and booking coach Amy Lyndon, author of The Lyndon Technique and mentor to over 50 series regulars.
In addition to her acting career, she is also an award-winning screenwriter. She earned her BFA in screenwriting and has worked as a writer-for-hire, optioned material, and served as a consultant on numerous projects. As a producer and screenwriter, she has multiple projects in active development with top-tier industry professionals, including Academy Award-winning and Golden Globe-nominated talent. She has also been endorsed as a script consultant, having previously worked as a coverage reader for some of Hollywood's most elite producers, including Academy Award and Emmy-nominated executives.
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