May Calamawy

Biography

May Calamawy is an Egyptian-Palestinian actress who began in independent short films before moving into television and features, at first credited as May El Calamawy. Born in Bahrain, she was raised mostly there and also lived in Qatar and Texas. She earned a theater studies degree at Emerson College, then continued her acting education in New York at the William Esper Studio. Her feature debut came in Thursday (2006), and she later had a recurring part as Dena Hassan on the Hulu comedy-drama Ramy. Recognition arrived with Moon Knight (2022), the Disney+ miniseries where she played Layla El-Faouly, an Egyptian archeologist who becomes the Scarlet Scarab, described as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first Egyptian and Arab superhero. Her other screen credits include the comedy Together Together (2021), Duke Johnson's thriller The Actor (2025) and Lee Cronin's horror film The Mummy (2026).

40years old

Turns 41 on October 28in 352 days

Born October 28, 1986Bahrain
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
May El Calamawy (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 4
Career span: 5 years2021 to 2026

Every film, newest first

2026Lee Cronin's The MummyIMDb rating 6.1
2025The ActorIMDb rating 5.4
2022Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Moon KnightIMDb rating 7.7
2021Together TogetherIMDb rating 6.4

Genres

Did you know?!

A role that slipped away
In May 2023, Calamawy was added to the cast of Ridley Scott's Gladiator II, with an important character announced for her. Her scenes ended up cut, leaving her in a few scenes as an uncredited, non-speaking background companion of Denzel Washington's character.
A first
Calamawy landed her first big movie part in Djinn, a 2013 supernatural horror film directed by Tobe Hooper. It was the first horror movie ever made in the United Arab Emirates.

May Calamawy movies on Netflix

Lee Cronin's The Mummy2026IMDb rating 6.1as Detective Dalia Zaki
The Actor2025IMDb rating 5.4as May / Benny's Girl / Mattie / Rita / Karen / Lady
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Moon Knight2022IMDb rating 7.7as Self - Layla El-Faouly
Together Together2021IMDb rating 6.4as Carly

Worked with

May Calamawy made one film with each of them. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Ethan Hawke

Toby Jones

Oscar Isaac

Nora Dunn

Ed Helms

Simon McBurneyLee CroninDirector, 1 film Nikole BeckwithDirector, 1 film Duke JohnsonDirector, 1 film

Films together

Ethan Hawke1 film together, 2022
Ethan Hawke's page
- Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Moon Knight2022IMDb rating 7.7Calamawy as Self - Layla El-FaoulyHawke as Self - Arthur Harrow
Toby Jones1 film together, 2025
Toby Jones's page
- The Actor2025IMDb rating 5.4Calamawy as May / Benny's Girl / Mattie / Rita / Karen / LadyJones as Lieutenant Murray / Artie Bellman / Cabbie / Arnold
Oscar Isaac1 film together, 2022
Oscar Isaac's page
- Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Moon Knight2022IMDb rating 7.7Calamawy as Self - Layla El-FaoulyIsaac as Self - Marc Spector / Steven Grant / Moon Knight / Mr. Knight
Nora Dunn1 film together, 2021
Nora Dunn's page
- Together Together2021IMDb rating 6.4Calamawy as CarlyDunn as Adele
Ed Helms1 film together, 2021
Ed Helms's page
- Together Together2021IMDb rating 6.4Calamawy as CarlyHelms as Matt
Simon McBurney1 film together, 2025
Simon McBurney's page
- The Actor2025IMDb rating 5.4Calamawy as May / Benny's Girl / Mattie / Rita / Karen / LadyMcBurney as Doctor Croft / Doctor Edgarton
Lee CroninDirector, 1 film, 2026
All films by Lee Cronin
- Lee Cronin's The Mummy2026IMDb rating 6.1Calamawy as Detective Dalia Zaki
Nikole BeckwithDirector, 1 film, 2021
All films by Nikole Beckwith
- Together Together2021IMDb rating 6.4Calamawy as Carly
Duke JohnsonDirector, 1 film, 2025
All films by Duke Johnson
- The Actor2025IMDb rating 5.4Calamawy as May / Benny's Girl / Mattie / Rita / Karen / Lady

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

Top