Like many minorities in Hollywood, the Arab-American community has a troubled history with respectful and genuine depictions across film and television. From older movies presenting Arab culture with harem girls and grimey men with numerous wives, or the popular stereotyping of Arabs as terrorists across countless action movies, it’s much easier to find harmful examples of the Arab-American community in popular entertainment.
However, in the past twenty years, more instances than ever with honest portrayals of the Arab-American community signal a brighter future for the representation of the estimated three million Arab Americans in the United States. Whether you’re part of the community or simply want to discover a new movie or TV show that is considerate to the Arab-American experience, check out our best picks below:
