
Lubna Azabal is a Belgian actress, born in Brussels to a Moroccan father and a Spanish mother. After studing at the Conservatoire royal of Brussels, she began a theatrical career in Belgium. In 1997, she took her first film role when Belgian film-maker Vincent Lannoo chose her to act beside Olivier Gourmet in his short film J'adore le cinéma. She performs in both French and Arabic films. She was raised trilingual (French, Spanish and Berber). She also speaks fluent English and Arabic.
Her most widely known role is in the 2005 Golden Globe-winning Palestinian political thriller, Paradise Now. She can also be spotted in a smaller role in Ridley Scott's film Body of Lies.
Azabal won the Black Pearl Award 2010 (Abu Dhabi Film Festival) for Best Actress for her role in the film Incendies. She also won the Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role at the 31st Genie Awards.

Incendies
2010 · as Nawal

Body of Lies
2008 · as Aisha's Sister Cala

Paradise Now
2005 · as Suha

Mary Magdalene
2018 · as Susannah

Hot Water
2026 · as Layla

Above the Law
2017 · as Lucie Tesla

Coriolanus
2011 · as First Citizen (Tamora)

I Am Slave
2010 · as Haleema

Simone: Woman of the Century
2022 · as Hafsia Hamdad

Here
2011 · as Gadarine Nazarian

The Blue Caftan
2023 · as Mina

Exiles
2004 · as Naima

Hellhole
2019 · as Samira

Betelgeuse
2016 · as Sarah

Buğday
2017 · as Beatrice

Pure fiction
1998

Rock the Casbah
2013 · as Kenza

Free Men
2011 · as Warba Shlimane alias Leila