Marwan Kenzari

Marwan Kenzari is a Dutch actor of Tunisian heritage who has achieved recognition in both Dutch and English-language film and television productions. He initially gained prominence in his native country through his performance in the 2013 crime drama Wolf before transitioning into international Hollywood releases. He is best known to global audiences for his performances in major studio features such as Aladdin, The Old Guard, and Black Adam.

Kenzari was born and raised in The Hague, Netherlands, within a Tunisian family. His father worked in construction and his mother was a housewife. During his teenage years, his primary focus was on football, but his interest shifted toward performing arts after auditioning for a Dutch stage production of the musical Chicago alongside a girl he was dating. He pursued formal drama training at the Maastricht Academy of Dramatic Arts, graduating in 2009. Following his studies, he joined Toneelgroep Amsterdam, performing in theatrical tours across cities including London, Vienna, Moscow, and New York City.

His screen career began in 2008 with appearances in Dutch television series and feature films. Kenzari achieved a major breakthrough in 2013 when he starred as the kickboxer Majid in the Dutch film Wolf. To prepare for the role, he underwent intensive physical training for over a year, an effort that earned him a cover feature on Dutch Men's Health magazine. His acclaimed performance in Wolf earned him the Golden Calf for Best Actor at the Netherlands Film Festival, and he was named an International Star You Should Know by Variety, followed by a Shooting Stars Award at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2014.

In 2016, Kenzari began expanding into English-language cinema with roles in feature films such as Ben-Hur, Collide, and The Promise. His work that year led to his inclusion on a list of international breakout talents published by The Hollywood Reporter. Broad international fame arrived in 2019 when he portrayed the antagonist Jafar in the live-action remake of Disney's Aladdin, a performance that attracted significant global media attention.

Following his success in Aladdin, Kenzari secured major roles in high-profile streaming and theatrical releases. In 2020, he starred as one of the lead protagonists in the action feature The Old Guard and portrayed historical officer Raymond Westerling in the Dutch drama The East. He subsequently joined the DC Extended Universe film Black Adam, released in 2022, playing the dual character Ishmael Gregor and Sabbac. His recent work includes a minor role in the second season of the series The Night Agent. Outside of his acting work, Kenzari is multilingual, speaking Arabic, Dutch, English, and French.