Mohammad Bakri, Beloved Actor of ‘Homeland’ and Director of ‘Jenin, Jenin,’ Passes Away at 72

Mohammad Bakri, Renowned Palestinian Actor and Director, Dies at 72

Mohammad Bakri, a prominent Palestinian actor and director, passed away on December 24 due to heart and lung issues at a hospital in Nahariya, Israel. He was 72 years old. This news was confirmed by local news outlet Al-Jarmaq and reported by the Associated Press.

Bakri was recognized for his efforts to illuminate the complexities of Palestinian identity through his diverse body of work in both Arabic and Hebrew. He gained international recognition for directing the controversial 2003 documentary Jenin, Jenin, which depicted the aftermath of a 2002 Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank city of Jenin. The film, highlighting significant destruction, was ultimately banned in Israel.

In his last cinematic endeavor, Bakri starred in the 2025 film All That’s Left of You, which tells the story of a Palestinian family and features his sons, Adam and Saleh Bakri. The film has been shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film Oscar.

Born in northern Israel, Bakri initiated his career with a one-man show in 1986 titled The Pessoptimist, exploring the dual identities of individuals amidst the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Throughout the late 1980s, he featured in several films including Beyond the Walls, Death Before Dishonor, and Foreign Nights.

Despite a successful acting career, it was Jenin, Jenin that molded Bakri’s international profile, leading to legal challenges stemming from accusations that the film defamed Israeli soldiers. In 2022, Israel’s Supreme Court upheld a ban on the documentary and mandated Bakri to pay significant damages to an Israeli military officer for defamation.

Bakri’s extensive film and television credits also include the 2022 film Boy From Heaven, HBO’s The Night Of, and the 2017 action film American Assassin featuring Michael Keaton. In the eighth season of Homeland, he portrayed Abdu Qadir G’ulom, the vice president of Afghanistan.

One of his final roles was that of “Older Sharif” in Cherien Dabis’ All That’s Left of You, which represented Jordan for the Best International Feature Film Oscar. Nominations are set to be announced on January 22.

Bakri is survived by his wife, Leila, and their six children, including actor sons Adam, Ziad, and Saleh Bakri.