“Don't try to emulate someone else's work. Stay true to your own voice and the stories you want to tell. And it's okay if it takes you a while to find your voice, you will.
— Dina Najjar
The Interview Q&A
Where are you based out of?
“Orlando, FL”
What role do you typically play on set?
“Actor, writer, director, & producer.”
How long have you been working in the film industry? Where did you get your start?
“Over 10 years now. I starting out doing student and independent films.”
Who is your biggest inspiration? What have they taught you?
“Mindy Kaling. She taught me to make my own way. "Write your own part. It is the only way I’ve gotten anywhere. It’s much harder work, but sometimes you have to take destiny into your own hands. It forces you to think about what your strengths really are, and once you find them, you can showcase them, and no one can stop you."
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
“My life, my experiences, and the experiences of others I know. I strive to portray and write interesting and multifaceted female characters. I want to see people depicted as multidimensional characters, not as predetermined stereotypes of an ethnicity. My through line is belonging, and I always want to leave my viewers with a sense of hope. I have never felt like I truly belong, so telling the stories of the underdog that perseveres, the traumas that shape us, and searching for our place in the world -- those are the stories I connect to and wish to tell.”
What are some of the biggest things you’ve accomplished in your career so far?
“Some of the roles I'm proudest of include: playing Maya, a Syrian refugee searching for her place in America, in the short film Maya which earned me the Best Actress Award at the 2018 University of Miami Canes Film Festival; playing alluring assassin Nadja Shah in season 2 of The Family Business on BET Plus and BET; and portraying troubled, rideshare passenger, Raven, in The Christmas Ride streaming on Amazon Prime Video for which I won Best Supporting Actress at the 2020 Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival. As a filmmaker, my short films have screened at numerous festivals and won awards. "Thursday Night Downtown" (my first film) and "Sasha & Clark" are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. My comedy pilot, "Casting Josie", was a semifinalist in the 2020 ScreenCraft TV Pilot Competition.”
Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now? (No dream is too big!)
“Writing and starring in my own TV shows and films like my girls Mindy and Issa.”
If you had one piece of advice for a woman who wants to get started in the film industry what it would be?
“Write what you know and share your own stories. Write multi-faceted characters, not stereotypes. Don't try to emulate someone else's work. Stay true to your own voice and the stories you want to tell. You are enough and only you can tell your stories. And it's okay if it takes you a while to find your voice, you will.”