Aya and yusuf
Aya and Yusuf is a short visually compelling animated series for young children. The show features Aya and Yusuf, two adorable and adventurous 6-year-old twins with a passion for exploring the world around them. The series is rooted in modern Arabic heritage and chronicles Aya and Yusuf as they spend their days discovering all that the lush countryside they live in has to offer, while learning valuable life lessons drawn from the Holy Qur’an.
The animation series will focus on embracing family values such as helping those in need, accountability, honesty, gratitude, protecting the environment, and celebrating God’s creations.
Meet some of our English Voiceover Actors for Season 1 of Aya and Yusuf
Omar Offendum as ‘Baba’
Omar is a Syrian-American hip-hop artist, designer, poet and peace activist. He is bringing his magnetic stage presence and rhetoric as “Baba” in the Aya and Yusuf series. A father himself, Omar adds a special charm to his work with us and we are delighted to have him on board.
Omar is known for his unique blend of Hip-Hop & Arabic poetry, he’s been featured on prominent world news outlets, lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions, collaborated with major museums & cultural organizations, and helped raise millions of dollars for various humanitarian relief groups. A graduate of the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture, he’s been able to carve a distinct path for himself as a thoughtful entertainer / activist able to speak to a multitude of relevant issues & diverse global audiences over the course of his decade-long career. Offendum was recently named a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow for 2018-2019.
Nora Hawari as ‘Mama’
Perfectly suited to play “Mama” in Aya and Yusuf, Nora Hawari is a sweet, fun and talented Arab-American actor and producer. She joins the team as the voice over actor for Aya and Yusuf’s mother, channeling her charisma into the character.
Nora brings over ten years of musical theatre to AYA Animations, as well as her experience in creating and producing her own original content. Nora produced shorts, web series, and pilots, even starting a production company with friends called “The Dirty Laundry Co.”
Waleed Zuaiter as ‘Grandpa’
Grandfathers are loved, charming and kind, making Waleed the perfect voice over actor for ‘grandpa’ in the upcoming Aya and Yusuf series. We are delighted to have someone as talented, experienced and charismatic as Waleed join our team. His personal flair on the character brings ‘grandpa’ to life.
Waleed’s talent and work has not gone unnoticed. He was the producer and co-star of Omar, an Oscar-nominated film listed at the 86th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. An industry pioneer, Zuaiter is also the producer of the annual New York Arab-American Comedy Festival and a member of the Arab-American theater collective NIBRAS.
Mariya as ‘Aya’
Mariya is the darling voice behind our strong and curious ‘Aya’. We strive for authenticity and looked far and wide to find the perfect voice for our protagonist; and when we met Mariya, we knew we found just the one!
Hadi as ‘Yusuf’'
Hadi is the vibrant 11-year old talent behind the voice of ‘Yusuf’, the inquisitive and endearing twin brother in the Aya and Yusuf series. We knew “Yusuf” needed a unique and animated voice and Hadi is the perfect fit.