Annual award ceremony in Riyadh is one of the biggest events of its kind in the region
Singers Assala Nasri and Ayed, television series AlRawabi School for Girls and Nema El Avoccato and the film Welad Al Rizk: El Qadia were among the big winners of the 2025 Joy Awards.
Held in Riyadh on Saturday, the star-studded event showcased the creme de la creme of the Arab world’s music and film talents, alongside internationally renowned figures. Actors Nelly Karim and Ahmed Ezz graced the lavender carpet alongside Hollywood greats such as actor Morgan Freeman and film composer Hans Zimmer, both of whom were honoured with lifetime achievement awards for their outstanding career contributions. Two-time Academy Award-winning actor Anthony Hopkins, who was honoured at last year’s event, was also among the attendees.
Now in its fourth year and organised by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, the Joy Awards has grown to become one of the region’s most prestigious industry events – a Middle Eastern counterpart to the Grammy, Emmy and Academy Awards combined. This ambitious approach ensures the ceremony regularly gathers the largest number of Arab talents under one roof for a glittering evening broadcast live on MBC channels and the streaming platform Shahid.
Here is the full list of winners for the 2025 Joy Awards.
Best Film
WINNER: Welad Rizk 3: El Qadia
From the Ashes
Rehla 404
Shabab Al Bomb
Best Actress in a Film
WINNER: Hannah El-Zahed (Fasel Men El Lahazat El Lazeeza)
Khairiah Abulaban (From the Ashes)
Nour AlGhandour (Honeymoonish)
Yasmine Sabri (Abo Nasab)
Best Actor in a Film
WINNER: Hesham Maged (Ex Merati)
Ahmed Ezz (Welad Rizk 3: El Qadia)
Sohayb Godus (Ahlam Al Asr)
Faisal Al Essa (Shabab Al Bomb)
Best Gulf Series
WINNER: Shabab El Bomb 12
Thanawiyyat Al Naseem
Zawja Waheda La Takfi
Mathaf Yeddi
Best Egyptian Series
WINNER: Nema El Avoccato
Al Atawla
Ashghal Shaqa
Kamel El Addad +1
Best Levant Series
WINNER: AlRawabi School for Girls season two
Alameel
Lo’bat Hob
Wlad Badee’a
Best Actress in a Series
WINNER: Huda Hussein (Zawja Waheda La Takfi)
Elham Ali (Sondos 2)
Sulafa Mimar (Wlad Badee’a)
Nour Ali (Lo’bat Hob)
Best Actor in a Series
WINNER: Samer Ismail (Al Ameel)
Ayman Zidan (Al Ameel)
Abdulaziz Alshehri (Forsan Graih)
Moatasem Al Nahar (Lo’bat Hob)
Best Song
WINNER: El Jaw by Majid Al-Mohandes
Lammah by Ayed
Haygely Mawgow3 by Tamer Ashour
Wein by Al-Shami
Best Female Artist
WINNER: Assala Nasri
Elissa
Angham
Sherine Abdelwahab
Best Male Artist
WINNER: Ayed
Al-Shami
Tamer Ashour
Silawi
Most Popular Song
WINNER: Howa Enta Meen by Angham
WINNER: Hegeli Mojoua by Tamer Ashour
Best New Artist
WINNER: Rakan Al Sa’ed
TUL8TE
Khaled AlSarraf
Wijdane Said
Best Male Athlete
WINNER: Salem Al Dawsari
Yassine Bounou
Ayman Hussein
Houssem Aouar
Best Female Athlete
WINNER: Hattan Alsaif
Dunya Aboutaleb
Samaher Kurdi
Hana Goda
Best Male Influencer
WINNER: Shoong Boong (Ahmad Al Qahtani)
Abo Flah (Hassan Suleiman)
Osama Marwah
Naif Hamdan
Best Female Influencer
WINNER: Narin Amara (Narin’s Beauty)
Sara Al Wari
Douha Laribi
Kadi AlJuraisi
Best Rising Star
WINNER: Al-Anoud Abdulhakim (Beyt Al Ankaboot)
Rasel Al-Otaibi (Sondos 2)
Mohammed Al-Harbi (Sondos 2)
Nayef Albahar (Thanawiyyat Al Naseem)
Best TV Series Director
WINNER: Rasha Sharbatji (Wlad Badee’a)
Ahmed Khaled Mousa (Al Atawla)
Ali Al-Ali (Zawja Waheda La Takfi)
Mohammed Sami (Nema El Avoccato)
Best Film Director
WINNER: Tarek Al-Eryan (Welad Rizk 3: El Qadia)
Ali Al-Kalthami (Night Courier)
Fatima Al-Banawi (Basma)
Moataz Al-Touni (Ex Merati)
Lifetime Achievement Award Winners
Yasser Al Azma
Morgan Freeman
Hanz Zimmer
Andrea Bocelli
Abdullah Al Muhaisen
Abdullah Al Ruwaished
JK Youn
Personality of the Year
Mather McConaughey
Joy Honoraries
Guy Ritchie
Hrithik Roshan
Mohamed Abdel Aziz
Saad Khedr
Abdul Rahman Al Aql
Ibrahim Al Sallal
Mariam Al Saleh
Ali Ibrahim
Abdel Rahman Al Khateeb
Diamond Entertainment Industry Award
Poet Badr bin Abdulmohsen
TunisianMonitorOnline (NejiMed-Joy Awards 2025)
