Once again, Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, affirmed on Saturday its position as one of the top and best entertainment destinations globally. This was highlighted at the fourth edition of the “Joy Awards” organized by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority in partnership with MBC Group as part of the Riyadh Season festivities.
The ceremony, attended by Turki Al Al-Sheikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, witnessed the presence of an elite of stars from the Arab world in fields such as art, cinema, drama, sports, and Social media. International stars also graced the occasion, alongside numerous Arab and international media outlets, public figures, and distinguished guests.
The event shone with the presence of numerous global stars who specially came to Riyadh, including Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Costner (via video recording), Mark Wahlberg, Jean Reno, Eva Longoria, Salman Khan, Martin Lawrence, Quincy Jones Jr., Lang Lang, Alia Bhatt, Georgina Rodriguez, Anthony Anderson, Sam Worthington, Paul Anderson, producer Tony Mazzarati, directors Zack Snyder and Doug Liman, and sports stars such as heavyweight boxing world champion Tyson Fury, WWE superstar and actor John Cena, and MMA and boxing champion Francis Ngannou.
The ceremony, hosted by Wissam Breidy and Carmen Bsaibes, featured announcements of award winners in various categories, including stars and works. The winners were chosen by the public through the award's application. The list of award recipients is as follows:
Favourite Feature film: Sattar
Favourite Actress in Film: Nelly Karim (Voy! Voy! Voy!)
Favourite Actor in film: Karim Abdel Aziz (Beit El Ruby)
Favourite Series: Crystal
Favourite Actress in a series: Rahaf Mohammed (Bi rouhhom fi albeit)
Favourite Actor in a series: Saad Aziz (Sekket Safar)
Rising talent in a series: Walid Qashran (Studio 23)
Favourite song: Ya Leil W Yal Ein – Al Shami
Favourite Female Musical Artist: Assala Nasri
Favourite Male Musical Artist: Ayed
Rising Talent in Music: Talal Sam
Favourite Male Influencer: Ahmed Al-Qahtani (Shongxbong)
Favourite Female Influencer: Bibi Alabdulmohsen
Distinguished Athlete: Abdullah Alrabiah
Favourite Athlete: Ons Jaber
Personality of the Year: Eva Longoria
Diamond Entertainment Makers Award: Elie Saab
Lifetime Achievement Award Winners:Essad Youniss, Anthony Hopkins, Muna Wassef, Ali Al-Midfa, Quincy Jones, Kevin Costner, Rabeh Saqer
Honorary Entertainment Makers Awards: Lang Lang, Walid Fayed, Alia Bhatt, Zack Snyder, Martin Lawrence, Team behind the series “Taht El Wesaya” (Mohammed Al-Mansour, Mohamed Abdel-Al, Najwa Karam).
The esteemed Arab art icon, Adel Imam, was awarded the Arab Art Leader Award, presented only once during the Joy Awards ceremony. The renowned star addressed the audience with a voice message, and his sons, director Rami and artist Mohamed Imam, accepted the award on his behalf.
In addition to the award presentations and recognitions, the ceremony featured diverse artistic, musical, and entertainment performances on stage, delivered by a selection of prominent artists from the Arab and international worlds.
