Clara Khoury (, born 29 December 1976) is a Palestinian–American actress. She works in film, television and theater. She grew up in Haifa, and now lives in California, United States.
Biography Clara Khoury was born to a family of Palestinians in Haifa, Israel. She is the daughter of the award-winning actor Makram Khoury. Her family is Greek Orthodox Christian. She studied cinema at the Open University in Tel Aviv and drama at the Beit Zvi Acting School. Her brother is an actor and composer, while her sister is an art curator.
Acting career Khoury has worked in a variety of roles on stage including the lead in Antigone by Jean Anouilh, The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams and Salome by Oscar Wilde, in Arabic as well as in Hebrew and English. Her television work includes the series Parashat Hashavua, written by Ari Folman, and Arab Labor written by Sayed Kashua.
She made her big screen debut in 2002 in Rana's Wedding by Hany Abu-Assad (director of the Oscar-nominated Paradise Now) which premiered in the International Critics' Week section at the 55th Cannes Film Festival representing Palestine.
In 2005 she gained international recognition for her role in The Syrian Bride, portraying a young Druze woman who risks losing her family by entering an arranged marriage with a Syrian national. Directed by Eran Riklis (Lemon Tree) the film won the Audience Prize at the Locarno Film Festival.
Khoury starred in Lipstikka, a British / Israeli psychological drama by Jonathan Sagall, in competition at the Berlinale 2011. At the Al-Midan Arabic Theater in Haifa she starred in Juliano Mer-Khamis's adaptation of Roman Polanski's 1994 movie Death and The Maiden after the play by Chilean playwright Ariel Dorfman.
Her film repertoire includes Hiam Abbas’s Inheritance and Susan Youssef's Marjoun and the Flying Headscarf and Amsterdam to Anatolia on Netflix.
Khoury starred in the acclaimed mini series Baghdad Central for Channel 4 and Hulu and the series Homeland for Showtime.
In 2024, Khoury starred in the award-winning Palestinian feature film Thank You for Banking with Us, directed by Leila Abbas. The film premiered at the British Film Institute (BFI) and earned Khoury the Best Actress award at the Casablanca International Film Festival for her portrayal of Maryam Casablanca Festival. In 2025, she participated in Don't Be Long Little Bird, directed by Reem Joubran.
In 2025, Khoury starred in The Voice of Hind Rajab directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, which had its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. and Sink directed by Zain Duraie, which will premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival in the Discovery section.Tiff discovery programme
Filmography Film YearFilm Notes2002Rana's Wedding2004The Syrian Bride2006Forgiveness2007Liebesleben2008Body of Lies2009Dusty Road2011Lipstikka2012The Inheritance2019Marjoun and the Flying HeadscarfAmsterdam to AnatoliaA Letter to a Friend in Gaza2020Laila in Haifa 2025SinkThe Voice of Hind Rajab
Theater Death and the Maiden—Paulina - (2010) Juliano Mer-Khamis Hebron, Khalil / Rania -- (2007) Oded Kotler Period of Adjustment—Isabel - (2006) Dedi Baron Cruel and Tender—Laela - (2005) Artur kogan Salome—Salome - (2005) Ofira Henig The Glass Menagerie—Loura - (2004) Muneer Bakri Gilgamesh, He is not Dead—Houmbaba - (2003) Francois Abuo-Salem Anigone—Antigone - (2002) Gdalya Besser Tiger at the Gate—Andromaque - (2002) Ido Ricklin
Television On Any Saturday - created by Anat Asulin, Rani Blair Kavanot Tovot - director Uri Barbash Arab Labor - written by Sayed Kashua Maktub - director Avi Mussel Papadizi - director Ori Sivan The Police Man - director Ram Levi Homeland - created by Gideon Raff, Howard Gordon, and Alex Gansa Baghdad Central - written by Stephen, director Alice Troughton
Awards and recognition Khoury won two Israeli Academy of Film and Television prizes for best actress as Bushra in the television sitcom Arab Labor. She won the Best Actress Award for her leading role in Rana's wedding at the Marrakech International Film Festival.
See also Theater of Israel Cinema of Israel Television of Israel Cinema of Palestine
References
External links Rana's Wedding Official Site Syrian Bride Official Site Forgiveness Official Site Yahoo Movies