Lucy Liu shines in Zuhair Murad on Berlin red carpet

Lucy Liu wore a black velvet dress from Zuhair Murad’s fall/winter 2024 couture collection. (Getty Images)
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Updated 05 November 2024
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Lucy Liu shines in Zuhair Murad on Berlin red carpet

DUBAI: Actress Lucy Liu cut a striking figure at the Berlin premiere of her film “Red One,” wearing a head-turning gown by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad.

Liu dazzled in a black velvet dress from Murad’s fall/winter couture collection, which featured a crystal-encrusted bodice adorned with looped net detailing.

She completed the look with Tamara Mellon heels and Roxanne Assoulin jewelry. Her hair was styled in a sleek chignon with delicate floral details.

Liu walked the red carpet alongside her fellow cast members, including Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, J.K. Simmons, and director Jake Kasdan.

“Red One” is an action-comedy film which sees Santa Claus (Simmons) go missing in mysterious circumstances. Tasked with saving Christmas, the North Pole’s head of security (Johnson) teams up with the world’s most notorious bounty hunter (Evans). Together, they embark on a globe-trotting adventure to locate and rescue Santa.

The film is set to premiere in Saudi Arabia on Nov. 7.

The unveiling of Murad’s fall/winter collection at Paris Fashion Week in June drew notable guests including Avril Lavigne and Ellie Goulding.

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The designs emphasize his signature craftsmanship with luxurious fabrics like velvet, silk and lace, with pieces featuring intricate beadwork, sequins and embroidery.

With a color palette of bold blacks, deep reds, and metallic tones, accented by warm shades of bronze and copper, they exude a sense of sophistication and drama.

Silhouettes range from voluminous, sweeping gowns to sleek, form-fitting dresses, incorporating daring cutouts and striking necklines. One highlight on the runway was a shoulder-baring gown in powder red, with sequins on the bodice transforming into cascading feathers on the skirt.

Murad has dressed an impressive roster of A-list celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Celine Dion, Zendaya and Katy Perry.

Earlier this week, at the premiere of Netflix’s “Time Cut,” US actress and singer Madison Bailey wore a black off-the-shoulder sequined long-sleeved midi dress with cut-out detail from the designer’s ready-to-wear Fall 2024 collection.


May Calamawy heads to Egypt for acting workshop with Ivana Chubbuck

Updated 15 December 2025
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May Calamawy heads to Egypt for acting workshop with Ivana Chubbuck

DUBAI: Egyptian-Palestinian Hollywood star May Calamawy is reportedly heading to Cairo this week to take part in a panel talk alongside renowned acting coach Ivana Chubbuck.

Chubbuck — who has worked with Halle Berry, Charlize Theron, Brad Pitt, James Franco, Gerard Butler, and Eva Mendes — will be joined by “Moon Knight” actress Calamawy and Egyptian actor Nour El-Nabawy, who will share insights on their careers.

The industry experts will take to the stage at the Ghurnata Community Space in Cairo on Dec. 18.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Calamawy is known for her roles in US Netflix series “Ramy” and “Moon Knight” (2022), where she plays dual characters Layla El-Faouly  and the Scarlet Scarab.

She made headlines in late 2024 when almost all her scenes were cut from Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II,” with fans taking to social media to complain.

Her casting in the film was first announced in May 2023.

At the time, Deadline reported that Scott had cast Calamawy after a lengthy search, writing: “While many of the leading roles were straight offers, Scott wanted to do a similar search he did for the (Paul) Mescal part for the role that Calamawy ultimately landed.”

Calamawy is also known for her activism, and regularly takes to social media to support charity initiatives raising money and awareness for Gaza.

This week, she promoted newly released song “Lullaby,” which the Together for Palestine charity is trying to propel to the Christmas No. 1 spot in the UK chart to raise money for the people of Palestine.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Palestinian singer Nai Barghouti, Celeste, Dan Smith from Bastille, Lana Lubany, the London Community Gospel Choir, Mabel, Nadine Shah, Neneh Cherry, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock are all featured on the track.

The song is an adaptation of a Palestinian lullaby called “Yamma Mwel El-Hawa” and it carries a message about demanding dignity.

The song “Lullaby” is produced by Kieran Brunt, Benji B and Henri Davies and features a mix of the original Arabic lyrics with English additions written by Peter Gabriel.

Earlier this year, Calamawy took to Instagram to promote Palestinian film “To A Land Unknown,” telling her 359,000 followers the movie was on a 40-screen cinema run in North America in July.

Distributed by Watermelon Pictures, the film was directed by Mahdi Fleifel and stars Angeliki Papoulia, Mahmoud Bakri, Manal Awad and Aram Sabbah.

The film’s logline reads: “Reda and Chatila are two Palestinian cousins hustling their way through the underbelly of Athens pursuing their dream of making it to Germany.

“But as their hardship grows, so too does their desperation. When Chatila hatches a reckless all-or-nothing plan, it strains their bond and pushes the limits of what they will do for freedom.”