Salem Murphy
Salem recently relocated to New York from Orlando, FL. She is happily married to her husband of 30 years with two wonderful children. She was born and raised on the Caribbean Island of Trinidad to Syrian parents. Being born in the Islands has its perks, namely, being immersed in her Arabic culture, as well as many different cultures and peoples. She credits her appreciation for music, art, languages, and culture to growing up in this culturally rich environment, which she feels gave her a keen sense of sensitivity to life and people. All of these have molded her into who she is today, and she will be the first to tell you how much she treasures being in such a varying and colorful environment through childhood.
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After moving to the US, she got her first taste for the arts playing violin, singing and theatre which was the best way to transition into the new country she would call home. She took a break from it to attend college where she earned her business degree; however, the arts were never too far from her mind. She quickly realized it was more than a way to get assimilated into a culture and find her place in America. She grew to understand the power film and television have to affect change on a wide scale.
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She enjoys acting in film and television, producing, and writing. She will be the first to tell you that you can take the girl out of the island, but you can’t take the island out of the girl. And with that island take on life, she continues to enjoy navigating life, family, and her career bringing the same openness, excitement, and acuteness to her world as from childhood.
Dina grew up in Jacksonville, FL where she discovered and fell in love with theatre in elementary school. Being daughter to a mother born in Bethlehem and a father born in Nazareth, she is 100% Middle Eastern and proudly speaks fluent Arabic. In her senior year of high school, she was part of a theatre production class where she had the opportunity to work on all aspects of putting on a play. Dina was honored with the Best Actress award for her portrayal of Renfield, the crazed lunatic asylum inmate (usually played by a man), in Dracula. She still treasures this moment as being one of the most memorable in her life.
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Dina has starred in numerous films, commercials/industrials, web series, and plays. Her other interests include: traveling on adventures to wonders of the world like Petra and the Taj Mahal, cooking, Pilates, and attending live theatre and concerts. Dina absolutely loves being a filmmaker and is extremely proud of the projects she has been a part of. She believes that creating a vision and seeing it come to life before your eyes is truly a magical experience.
Dina Najjar
