Female Disruptors: Sue Obeidi is breaking sterotypes about Islam and Muslims on TV and in film

I had the pleasure of interviewing Sue Obeidi, Director of the Hollywood Bureau at the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)

Sue has blended the love of her faith with her film and television admiration to help change and expand the narrative of Islam and Muslims in the entertainment industry.

As Director of the Hollywood Bureau at MPAC, Sue consults on TV and film projects and is a thought leader on Islam and Muslims. Additionally, Sue connects Muslim talent to decision-makers and creatives to improve the quality and number of authentic, nuanced, and inclusive presentations of Islam and Muslims in movies and TV shows, so that audiences can see these people as vital contributors toward creating social and cultural change in America, and around the world.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! What is your “backstory”?

I was not born in the United States, but I moved to Los Angeles when I was 5 years old. Looking different and feeling different, all I wanted was to assimilate. My sister and I were the only Muslims/Arabs in our elementary, middle and high schools.

To give you an example of how much pop culture impacted my thinking, one year when I was in elementary school, I had to…