This weekend, the 2025 Joy Awards took center stage in Riyadh, drawing a mix of Hollywood and regional stars to celebrate the best in entertainment. Held at Riyadh’s ANB Arena, the fifth edition of the annual award ceremony spotlighted achievements in film, television, and music, with 19 awards up for grabs this year.
Launched in 2019, the awards were established to recognize and celebrate exceptional talents in the entertainment industry—both from the Arab world and internationally—focusing on achievements in film, television, music, and sports.
Since its first edition, the Joy Awards has seen its fair share of unforgettable moments—and this weekend was no different. This year’s star-studded ceremony, which is part of Riyadh Season, was packed with memorable moments that lit up social media, showcasing the true spirit of the Joy Awards and their celebration of creative excellence. Read on to discover the top highlights from the 2025 Joy Awards.
Tamer Hosny and Nelly Karim performance
Nelly Karim and Tamer Hosny are the duo we never expected but also didn’t realize we absolutely needed. The Egyptian singer and actor lit the stage on fire with a dazzling performance that we won’t soon forget.
Karim Abdelaziz presents Honorary Award to his father Mohamed Abdelaziz
Egyptian superstar Karim Abdelaziz presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to his father, renowned Egyptian director Mohamed Abdelaziz.
Hattan Alsaif accepts her award barefoot
The Saudi boxer and first female to join the Kingdom’s mixed martial arts team accepted the Favorite Female Athlete Award wearing no shoes.
Hannah El-Zahed wins Favorite Actress Award
Hannah El Zahed dazzled as she scooped up the “Favorite Actress” award, presented by Hollywood legend Matthew McConaughey. Her star-struck reaction was priceless—a truly star-powered triumph!
Tuba Büyüküstün speaking Arabic
Tuba speaking Arabic 😍😊#TubaBüyüküstün pic.twitter.com/0DiwQBKraE
— Tuba B Army 🦂 (@buyukustun_t) January 18, 2025
Omar Khairat presents Lifetime Achievement Award to Hans Zimmer
In a legendary crossover, two of the world’s greatest composers shared the stage when Egyptian musician Omar Khairat presented German music producer and composer Hans Zimmer with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Narin’s Beauty’s emotional speech
Narin’s Beauty received the “Favorite Influencer” award and in a heartfelt speech shared that self-belief, ambition, and patience are essential for realizing dreams. Emphasizing that God’s plans surpasses our own, the Kurdish influencer opened up about the suffering she’d had to endure to reach such a milestone.
‘Sabaya’ Reunion
@refresh1__ I’m so sad #fyp #foryoupage #صبايا #foryou #sabaya ♬ people you know – ☆
The cast of Sabaya had a reunion, and we were quite honestly living for it.