Ghazwa Al-Khalidi, veteran Iraqi actress, dies at 82

BAGHDAD,— Ghazwa Al-Khalidi, a veteran actress and prominent figure in Iraq’s cultural scene, died on Friday at the age of 82, the Iraqi Artists Syndicate announced.

“We mourn the passing of Ghazwa Al-Khalidi, a prominent figure in Iraqi arts,” the syndicate said in a statement. Further details about her death were not provided.

Al-Khalidi began her artistic career in 1965 while studying at the Institute of Fine Arts. She made her first stage appearance in the play Al-Toufan (“The Flood”), marking the beginning of a wide-ranging career that spanned theater, television, film, radio, and writing.

Her voice became a fixture on Iraqi radio starting in 1972, and her performances in dramatic and televised works made her a household name.

According to the syndicate, she is regarded as one of the pioneers of Iraqi theater, credited with helping shape the nation’s performing arts landscape.

Al-Khalidi left Iraq after facing threats under the regime of Saddam Hussein.

In exile, she continued to write and produce content for both radio and television, often addressing issues faced by the Iraqi diaspora, including alienation and cultural displacement. She also worked with U.S.-funded Radio Sawa.

Iraqi actress Ghazwa Al-Khalidi dies at 82, June 6, 2025. Photo: Creative Commons/wikimedia

She collaborated early in her career with influential figures such as director Sabri Al-Rumahi and Professor Hamid Mohammed Jawad, the latter involving her in a local adaptation of Hamlet.

Her later stage work included The Sun Rises from There, a musical-style production directed by Dr. Abdul-Muttalib Al-Sanid, featuring artist Fuad Salem.

In addition to her creative roles, Al-Khalidi served as station director for Alsumaria TV in Amman, where she presented the program Kunna Hunak (“We Were There”).

She is survived by her daughter, Dalia Al-Aqidi, an Iraqi broadcaster. The name “Ghazwa” was given to her by her mother while reading about the Battle of Badr—an association that inspired the nickname “Ghazwat Badr” among colleagues.

(With files from Agencies | wikimedia)