Marie-Lou Nahhas


Marie-Lou Nahhas is a Lebanese American actress, model, and activist best known for playing Egyptian-born inmate Shani Abboud on Season 7 of Orange Is the New Black. Season 7 aired on Netflix in July 2019. She was a finalist for Miss Lebanon 2012.

Personal life

Nahhas was born in Beirut on Sept. 7. As a teen, she moved with her family to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She eventually attended the University of Pittsburgh where she earned her undergraduate degree in biology. She then attended Duquesne University, where she earned a Master's degree in public health while completing her acting studies in addition to working on various movie sets. She then moved to NYC to pursue her acting career professionally in the theatre and Cinema Nahhas speaks four languages: English, French, Spanish, and Arabic.

Activism

Films

TV Series

YearTitleRole
2018The Looming TowerMuslim woman
2018Madam SecretaryInterpreter
2019Orange Is the New BlackShani Abboud