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Dhafer L'Abidine

Dhafer L'Abidine

Actor, also director, producer and writer · Born February 29, 1972 (54) · tunis, Tunisie

He is a Tunisian actor and former professional soccer player. Dhaffer made his acting debut in the UK after graduating from Birmingham school of Acting. He starred in Sky One's Dream Team, BBC's Spooks and ITV's The Bill. He also starred in The Mark of Cain as Omar Abdullah and in A Hologram for the King. He became famous in Tunisia after he played the role of "Dali" in a Tunisian series called "Maktoub". He later went on to participate in dramas in the Arab world, notably in Egypt, the UAE and Lebanon including shows and series such as Taht Al Saytara, Prince of Poets, and Arous Beirut.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 29, 1972 (54)
From
tunis, Tunisie
Works as
Actor, also director, producer and writer
Titles
18 on MovieCove · 48 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 21% in 30 days

What are Dhafer L'Abidine's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 16th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Thriller2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Thriller movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
39%
Survival
17%
Power
15%
Bonds
12%
Self
12%
Society
5%
Justice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 0 · Dark 6

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 7 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 3 · Intense 4

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 4

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 4 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

1 analyzed role
  • Shadowas Habib in Ghodwa (2021)

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Melancholic
5
Joyful
2
Dread
2
Warm
2
Other
4

How their films linger

Thought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet5
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Dhafer L'Abidine's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 18 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Dhafer L'Abidine's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

48 credits, 18 with a MovieCove page.

  • Maybe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Show 21 episodes · Actor

  • Sophia(2025)

    Director · Producer · Writer · Actor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Snakes and Ladders: Childish Actions(2025)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Palestine 36(2025)

    as Amir

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • A Nose and Three Eyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Actor

  • To My Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director · Writer · Actor

  • The Spider (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Adam Gubran's

  • Ghodwa(2021)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Habib

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The Masked Singer Arabia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Blood Line (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Nader

  • The Eddy(2020)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Bride of Beirut (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 220 episodes · as Fares Al-Daher

  • Eugenie Nights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 30 episodes · Actor

  • Drop Dead Diva (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 45 episodes · Actor

  • Habbet Caramel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as رجا

  • Caramel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 30 episodes · as Raja

  • Halawet El-Donia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 30 episodes · as Sleim

  • Haza El-Masa' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 30 episodes · Actor

  • Abu Shanab(2016)

    as حسن أبو دقن

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Exit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 30 episodes · as المقدم عمر فاروق

  • A Hologram for the King(2016)

    as Hasan

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Saturday Night Live Arabia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Under Control (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 30 episodes · as Hatem

  • أريد رجلًا (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Khaled

  • Bad Timing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 30 episodes · as سميح

  • Whose empire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 30 episodes · Actor

  • Friendly Fire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 30 episodes · Actor

  • The Transporter(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · as Olivier Dassin

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Vertigo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 30 episodes · Actor

  • Fausse Note (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • Black Forest(2012)

    as Saxon

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Kingdom of Dust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Shakir

  • Late December (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Actor

  • Memory in the Flesh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Ziad

  • Sex and the City 2(2010)

    as Mahmud

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Centurion(2010)

    as Arm Wrestling Opponent

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • 31 North 62 East(2009)

    as Thierry Leroy

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Buried Secrets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Ali

  • Tunis 2025 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show Actor

  • Fated (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 98 episodes · Actor

  • The Mark of Cain(2007)

    as Abdullah Omar

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Benidorm(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Mohammed

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Forget Me Not (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Son

  • Children of Men(2006)

    as Dhafer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Stone Merchant(2006)

    as 1st Egyptian (as Dhaffer Labidine)

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • MI-5(2002)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sharaf

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • A Touch of Frost(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Roman Cassell

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Kundalini (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 82nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 48 titles, 47 of them dated from 1992 to 2026; peak year 2011.

Biggest box office

Palestine 36 (2025)

$2.6M worldwide

Highest rated

Palestine 36 (2025)

Midcredits 91st

Film career

19922026

Peak 2011 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting48 of 48: 45 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score51stDirecting3 of 48: 0 only directing, 3 with another roleWriting2 of 48: 0 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing2 of 48: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

48 titles, 3 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1990s1 · acting2000s10 · acting2010s25 · acting2020s11 · 11 acting · 3 crew

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% of 6 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Dhafer L'Abidine's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 39th percentile, the median of all 13; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 27th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

27thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

26thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 18 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 18 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

Palestine 36 (2025)

88th percentile spread · 16% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Children of Men (2006)

Midcredits 97th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 53/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 27. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Dhafer L'Abidine work with?

People who share at least 2 of Dhafer L'Abidine's MovieCove titles; Hafedh Laridhi shares the most, 2.