After revealing the region’s first ever Top 100 Arab Celebrities list, Forbes Middle East cuts down the top 10 Arab actors, using the same research methodology that was used in our celebrities’ list. Judging an actor’s influence in this digital age naturally involves looking at their personal brands, their notoriety and the scope of their reach on social media. The advent of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube have opened a new world to the entertainment industry—one where celebrities can connect directly with their consumers, and fans can build relationships with their idols that need never switch off. This means people in the public eye can wield greater influence and monetize on their fame more so now than ever before. At number one came Egypt’s and the Arab world’s mega-superstar Adel Emam, as he and his fellow Egyptians totally dominated the top 10 list. METHODOLOGY We looked at over 500 Arab celebrities’ social media platforms and took forward those with a total number of over 3 million followers. We gave the most weight to social media, but we also calculated the length of the celebrity’s showbiz career, and we explored their activities outside of their dominant field, such as whether they are employed as goodwill ambassadors for the UN and other points.

Social media followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube

Years active in the industry

Other influential activities and editorial points