Casting Call TV Comedy Pilot "Ajnabiyeh"

Ajnabiyeh, an award-winning comedy pilot that won 2nd place at the Mosquers Film Festival x Rifelion pitch contest.

Casting Call "Ajnabiyeh"(meaning "foreigner" in Arabic).

Format: 

A half-hour, non-union comedy pilot.

Shoot Schedule: 

4-5 day shoot in the last week of November.

Location: 

NYC Tristate area only. There is no budget for travel or lodging—local hires.  

Casting Information: Ajnabiyeh

We are casting a half-hour period comedy pilot, Ajnabiyeh, set to shoot in NYC this November. The series follows Australian-raised teenagers in 1998 who move with their families to their ancestral homeland of Israeli-occupied Southern Lebanon. Despite the drought setting, in this slice-of-life comedy, they prove that nothing—not even war—is as explosive as the daily minutiae of the average teenage girl.

Main Ensemble Roles

Seeking: Female-identifying actors of Middle Eastern/North African descent, ages 18-25, who can believably play teenagers. Non-union. The sisters are hijabi characters, part of the wardrobe, so actors who wear a hijab are strongly encouraged to apply.

Lead roles:

Mary Em Saab (16 yrs old): A lovable menace with Bart Simpson energy. She's hot-headed and impulsive. She splits her real name—Maryem—in half as her controlled form of rebellion. Mary Em's angry that they're not in Australia, and her righteous indignation knows no bounds. Beneath her fiery exterior, Mary Em has a big heart and an unshakable sense of justice. Able to do an Aussie accent.

Layal Saab (16 yrs old): Mary Em's fraternal twin sister. Quieter and savvier than Mary Em. Avoids vulnerability, hustles for survival, and always looks out for herself first. Able to do an Aussie accent.

Sumaya/Sue Saab (13 yrs old): Bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, sweet-natured, and, for a Saab sister, surprisingly beloved by the whole community. Able to do an Australian accent.

Nour Hussein (16 yrs old): Their friend, who took moving to Lebanon as a chance to rebrand herself. She's a self-proclaimed "born-again Muslim" after a history of teenage troublemaking. She tries to be the voice of reason, but is always dragged into her friend's shamelessness. Able to do an Aussie accent.

Supporting Roles:

Fatima Saab (late 30s/40s): Mary Em, Layal, and Sue's mom. A loud, intense, and blunt conspiracy theorist. Able to do an Arabic accent.

Mohammad Saab (late 30s/40s): Mary Em, Layal, and Sue's dad. Mohammad decided his life's purpose is to liberate his people, which is unfortunate for his people because this man can't even liberate himself from a revolving door. Think of an eccentric Frank Costanza. Able to do an Arabic accent.

Youssef Jabar (16 years old): A pushed-around, slightly pathetic, Charlie Brown-esque boy next door, lovable and only slightly pathetic. He is a sensitive, bookish kid. A source of earnestness and sincerity, but also a recurring punching bag in the story. Able to do an Australian accent.

Mohammad Jabar (late 30s/40s): Youssef's father. He is in a tumultuous on-again-off-again marriage with Youssef's mom. The Saabs are straight out of a slapstick comedy; the Jabars are straight out of an Arab soap opera. Very dramatic. The actor should be okay with being in an intimate (hugging, maybe kissing) scene with another actor on screen. Able to do an Arabic accent.

Joumana Jabar (late 30s/40s): Youssef's mother. She is in a tumultuous on-again-off-again marriage with Youssef's father. The Saabs are straight out of a slapstick comedy; the Jabars are straight out of an Arab soap opera. Very dramatic. The actor should be okay with being in an intimate (hugging, maybe kissing) scene with another actor on screen. Able to do an Arabic accent.

Compensation & Commitment

Compensation: Paid, non-union, Union welcome to work.

Compensation: $250 stipend for the 4-5 day shoot. (Contract includes a series option for all lead roles.) 

Main Ensemble Roles: 

$250 stipend.

Supporting Roles: 

$100 stipend.

Commitment: 

A 4-5 day shoot last week of November 2025  

Submission Instructions

To submit, please send a resume and a short self-tape (1-2 minute contemporary comedic monologue or scene) to info@ArabActors.com 

In the subject line, please write: "Ajnabiyeh Casting - [Role Name]".

Hamzah Saman, CSA Casting Director

Arab American Casting

Casting call for "Ajnabiyeh," an upcoming TV comedy pilot.

Casting Note

Hijab-wearing actors are strongly encouraged to apply for the roles of Nour, the Saab sisters, and Fatima the Mom.

Age Requirement

We are seeking actors who are 18 years of age or older to play roles that are between 13 and 16 years old. This is a standard industry practice to ensure all cast members are legal adults on set.

Please Note: The roles of Mohammad and Joumana Jabar are very physical and dramatic, with little to no dialogue in the pilot. The director is looking for actors who are comfortable with intimate on-screen scenes (hugging, kissing) to convey their tumultuous "on-again-off-again" relationship.