Joy Awards 2024 unveil winners in star-studded event in Riyadh
The vibrant city of Riyadh once again set the stage for the biggest event on its annual entertainment calendar as the highly anticipated Joy Awards returned for its fourth edition on Saturday 20 January.
Part of Riyadh Season and presented by the General Entertainment Authority (GeA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Joy Awards 2024 recognised and honoured some of the biggest names in music, cinema, television, sports, and more from the Arab world and beyond.
The star-studded event, co-organised by MBC GROUP, was graced by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the GeA, alongside a host of regional and global celebrities.
Special guests honoured and/or attended included Sir Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Costner, Mark Wahlberg, Jean Reno, Eva Longoria, Salman Khan, Martin Lawrence, Quincy Jones, Lang Lang, Alia Bhatt, Georgina Rodriguez, Anthony Anderson, Sam Worthington, Paul Anderson, directors Zach Schneider and Doug Liman, and the global sports stars Tyson Fury, John Cena, and Francis Ngannou.
Joining in attendance were prominent Arab and international journalists and media personalities, as well as notable figures and distinguished invitees.
Supported by the Saudi Vision 2030’s Quality of Life Program, the Joy Awards 2024 began with arrivals on the lavender carpet, with proceedings broadcast live on MBC1, MBC MASR, MBC IRAQ, and MBC5, in addition to via Shahid, the world’s leading Arabic streaming platform.
The event featured a star opening with Wissam Breidy and Carmen Bsaibes, followed by the duo presenting segments to unveil the names of the Joy Awards 2024 winners, spanning both individual and production categories. The stage, meanwhile, lit up thanks to a number of performances by artists including Abdul Majeed Abdullah, Amr Diab, Assala, Sherine, the legendary Gloria Gaynor, Lang Lang, Bebe Rexha, and legendary artist Nagat El-Sagheera.
Furthermore, acclaimed international music composer Claudio Constantini delivered a captivating musical composition as part of a poignant short film entitled “Message to Those Departed”. The piece served as a heartfelt tribute to those in art, culture, and media within the Arab world who left us over the past year.
The evening concluded with the winners and performers gathering on stage to capture a commemorative photo with HE Alalshikh.
AND THE WINNERS ARE…
CINEMA
Best Film
Sattar
Best Actress (Film)
Nelly Karim (Voy! Voy! Voy)
Best Actor (Film)
Karim Abdelaziz (Beit El-Ruby)
—
TELEVSION
Best TV Series
Crystal
Best Actress (TV Series)
Rahaf Mohammad (Brahim Fe El-Beit)
Best Actor (TV Series)
Saad Aziz (Sikkat Safar)
Best Newcomer (TV Series)
Walid Qashran (Studio 23)
—
MUSIC
Best Song
Ya Leil W Yal Ein (Al-Shami)
Best Female Artist
Assala Nasri
Best Male Artist
Ayed
Best Newcomer
Talal Sam
—
DIGITAL
Best Social Media Influencer (Female)
Bibi Alabdulmohsen
Best Social Media Influencer (Male)
Ahmed Al-Qahtani (ShoNgxBoNg)
—
SPORT
Best Female Sports Personality
Ons Jabeur
Best Male Sports Personality
Abdullah Al-Rubaie
—
HONORARY AWARDS
HE Alalshikh granted a number of recipients a special Entertainment Industry Honorary Award. They include esteemed maestro and music arranger Walid Fayed, Bollywood star Alia Bhatt, renowned pianist Lang Lang, director Zach Schneider, US actor and comedian Martin Lawrence, the production team behind “Taht-El-Wesaya” (TV series starring Mona Zaki), legendary Kuwaiti actor Mohammed Al-Mansor, Lebanese singer Najwa Karam, Mohamed Abdel Motaal (General Manager for MBC MASR), Fadel Zahreddine (Group Director of Emerging Media at MBC GROUP), and Zaki Hassanien (CEO of Benchmark).
The Joy Awards 2024 Lifetime Achievement honour was presented to several recipients. They are Hollywood star Sir Anthony Hopkins and Kevin Costner, music producer Quincy Jones (whose son accepted the award on his behalf), Saudi singing legend Rabeh Saqer, renowned Saudi actor Ali Al-Mdfa, Egyptian actress Essad Youniss, and Syrian actress Muna Wassef. An award was also granted to the legendary Egyptian singer and actress Nagat El-Sagheera.
The internationally acclaimed Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab received the Diamond Entertainment Industry Award, while Hollywood’s Eva Longoria was awarded Personality of the Year.
Last but not least, the highly coveted Leader of Arab Art honour – awarded only once in the Joy Awards – was presented to the acclaimed Egyptian actor Adel Emam, who addressed the audience with a recorded message. The award was received on his behalf by his sons, director Rami Imam and actor Mohamed Emam.
What sets the Joy Awards apart from others is that the audience/viewer chooses the winners from a number of categories and subcategories via the official app. Each user is allowed one vote per category.
The Joy Awards are brought to you by the General Entertainment Authority (GeA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and are co-hosted by MBC GROUP.
MBC GROUP is the largest and leading media company in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
[Source: MBC press release]