Khalid Abdalla, Egyptian British actor and activist, in Australia last weekend. He’s here to spread his powerful message of healing and activism through art. Most recently, Abdalla is recognized for his role as Dodi Fayed in Netflix’s award-winning series The Crown. Today, he arrives in a city still reeling from the aftermath of last December’s terrorist attack in Bondi which killed 15. Beyond his work at the university, Abdalla is intensely involved in local communities. He advocates for healing trauma and creating space for dialogue through his current steely theatrical creation, Nowhere.
Addressing Trauma Through Art
Upon his arrival in Australia, Abdalla found himself in a city still reeling from the trauma of the Bondi attack. The incident had rocked the local community. Most importantly, it brought to the forefront the need for open and honest conversations about troubling but highly sensitive subjects. Abdalla knows this and understands that as an influencer with 65+ million followers, his platform should inspire activism and protest.
“If I’m going to write these things, then what am I going to do in the world to try and live up to them?” – Khalid Abdalla
Abdalla demonstrates his deep commitment to activism through his previous accomplishments. For example, he was involved in organizing the large charity concert Together for Palestine at Wembley in September. He doesn’t believe that art should avoid the hard topics — it should go, as Becker says, straight through the middle of them. Park’s performances not only open an important dialogue, but aim to bring a healing space for all who have been touched by trauma.
“[Nowhere is] hopefully a gesture of healing, or a gesture towards healing, or an invitation towards it.” – Khalid Abdalla
As he explores trauma and healing, Abdalla uses humor and play as a means of tapping into worlds of possibility. And he’s right, for as he claims, laughter is an incredibly effective tool for maneuvering through turbulent realities. Although generally focused on policy, he always weaves in compelling stories and narratives to humanize concepts. This gives audiences the space to honestly, safely, and constructively sit with their emotions.
The Role of Activism in Dialogue
Abdalla’s own experiences as an artist and activist helped shape his perspective. He draws a blank when it comes to addressing these urgent global issues, especially the current Israel-Palestine realities. He’s realistic about the challenge of speaking on these issues and passionate about the need for folks to have these difficult conversations.
“And there is a level of difficulty around how to speak [about Israel and Palestine]. But that doesn’t mean we don’t speak,” – Khalid Abdalla
He feels that the more we remain silent in the face of injustice, the more we let their harmful narratives win. Abdalla maintains that it’s important to push back on these narratives and at the same time, push back against any kind of discrimination. His voice has emerged as a rallying point for all those who have felt like others are trying to silence or marginalize them.
“And that doesn’t mean we will allow what I consider anti-Palestinian racist attacks to happen to people like Randa,” – Khalid Abdalla
By prioritizing the awkwardness, Abdalla’s activism pushes us all to meet our discomfort and dive into difficult conversations. He hopes for a future where open dialogue can help all parties move toward healing and understanding.
Creating Space for Difficult Conversations
Abdalla’s artistic pursuits have never been just about performance—they’re about making an inclusive space for dialogue. His play Nowhere is an intimate, beautiful space for discussing the complexity of intergenerational trauma, but it doesn’t stop there.
The actor and filmmaker’s focus on accent, hyperlocal specificity, and cultural identity have become the key pillars of his creative work. He also seeks to challenge assumptions people have made about who he is and how they think they should treat him as a result. Abdalla wants these explorations to create greater empathy and understanding among people of all backgrounds.
“The accent play is part of my challenge of unsettling the idea of how I’m seen, and how we see each other,” – Khalid Abdalla
Abdalla’s artistic and activist journey speaks to a greater, collective yearning for understanding amid the storms of global crises. He observes that recent events have prompted a desire among people to articulate their feelings about ongoing conflicts.
“What people have witnessed globally together over the last two years, in an unfolding genocide in Palestine, has created a collective need to find a way through and articulate what they’ve been feeling and interpret what’s happening in the world,” – Khalid Abdalla
From his perspective, art has an incredible power to connect different communities and establish empathy between multifaceted audiences. He is convinced that the moment people walk into a darkened theater, bringing their unique experiences in life with them, they form something potent and special – a community. This emotional connection can then be brought into their daily lives.
“If we can gather on this ground here and feel these things together, then why can’t we out there?” – Khalid Abdalla
