| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Elham Muhammad Hassan Al Fadala |
| Other Name(s) | • Ilham Al-Fadhalah • Elham Alfadalah |
| Profession(s) | • Actress • Businesswoman • TV Presenter |
| Physical Stats | |
| Height (approx.) | 5'4" (163 cm) |
| Eye Colour | Dark Brown |
| Hair Colour | Dark Brown |
| Career | |
| Debut | TV: Ali Baba (1983) Play: Al Bab Ya Shabab (2000)  |
| Awards | • Best Actress in a Leading Role award at the Mumayazoon fi Ramadan lil Ibda' al-Tilfizyuni festival for the TV series, Mouza wa Louza (2009) • Best Actress in a Leading Role award at the Mumayazoon fi Ramadan Festival for the series, Umayma fi Dar Al-Aytam (2010) • Best Actress in a Leading Role award at the Mumayazoon fi Ramadan Festival for the series, Fursa Thaniya (Second Chance) (2011) • Best Actress Award in a Leading Role award at the Mumayazoon fi Ramadan Festival for the series, Kunna Al-Sham wa Kanayen Al-Shamiya (2012) • Best Comedy Actress in the Gulf by Sayidaty Magazine Ramadan Poll (2020) • Best Actress in a Leading Role award at the Mumayazoon fi Ramadan lil Ibda' al-Tilfizyuni festival for her role in the TV show, Amina Haf (2021)  • Recognized as one of the top 50 Arab actresses in the Middle East by Moivo Awards (2023)  • Honored at the Stars of Art & Media Festival (2024)  • Personality of the Year award at the Stars of Art & Media Festival (2025)  |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 18 June 1974 (Tuesday) |
| Age (as of 2025) | 51 Years |
| Zodiac sign | Gemini |
| Nationality | Kuwaiti |
| Religion | Islam |
| Food Habit | Non-vegetarian |
| Controversies | • Criticised for sharing her daughter's abortion video In 2020, Elham Al Fadalah posted a video on Instagram showing her daughter, Mona Al-Otaibi, undergoing an abortion in a hospital. She faced widespread criticism on social media for sharing such a private moment publicly, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. • Accused of lying of getting invited in a prank show In 2020, a video went viral in which Elham Al Fadalah claimed she had been invited to a Ramadan prank show hosted by Egyptian actor Ramez Galal, but declined to participate due to the show's use of animals. Social media users accused her of lying and attempting to gain attention by falsely associating herself with the show. • Criticized for Coronavirus-Themed Birthday Cake In 2020, Elham Al Fadalah was criticised for her lack of sensitivity and downplaying the COVID-19 pandemic after she posted a video on her social media of celebrating her daughter, Mona Al-Otaibi’s birthday with a coronavirus-themed cake. • Accused of photoshopping her face on a model's photograph In 2021, Elham Al Fadalah was accused of trying to mislead her followers by posting a photoshopped image in which her face was superimposed onto a model's body. In her defense, she stated that she was not responsible for editing the image and had simply reposted it after receiving it from a fan. • Criticized for claiming a dream involving the Mahdi In 2022, Elham Al Fadalah uploaded a video on her social media claiming that she had dreamt of praying behind the Mahdi, a revered figure in Islamic eschatology. She was criticised by social media users for allegedly using religious symbolism to attract attention. • Convicted of defaming her ex-husband In January 2025, Elham Al Fadalah was convicted of verbal defamation against her ex-husband, Khalil Al-tamimi and was ordered by the courts to pay 8,253Kuwaiti dinar to him. The courts also imposed a travel ban on her. • Accused of filming and sharing images without consent In August 2023, Elham Al‑Fadalah filmed and posted a video featuring a woman without her permission while filming a medical advertisement in Turkey. The woman sued her for defamation and unauthorized use of her image. In February 2025, she was acquitted in the case. |
| Social Media | • Instagram • YouTube |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Marriage Date | • Second Marriage - Year, 2003 • Third Marriage - Year, 2021 |
| Family | |
| Husband/Spouse | • Second Husband - Khalil Al-tamimi (m.2003-div.2021; Journalist, Director) • Third Husband - Shehab Johar (m.2021-present; Actor, Businessman)  |
| Children | Son- 1 • Fadel Johar (Step-son from her marriage to Shehab Johar)  Daughter(s)- 3 • Mona Al-Otaibi (From her first marriage; Social Media Influencer, Businesswoman)  • Fajr Khalil Al Tamimi (From her marriage to Khalil Al-tamimi) • Al Noor Khalil Al Tamimi (From her marriage to Khalil Al-tamimi; Model)  |
| Parents | Father- Mohamed Hassan Al Fadalah |
| Siblings | Half-Sister- Rima Al Fadalah (Actress) |
| Style Quotient | |
| Car Collection | Mercedes-Benz G-Class |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Elham Al Fadalah
- She made her debut in acting when she was 10 years old.
- Initially, her parents were against her acting career, while her grandmother supported her.
- She married for the first time at the age of 16 to a Kuwaiti man, and had her first daughter, Mona Al-Otaibi, in Saudi Arabia due to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. After she returned to Kuwait, she divorced her husband and completed her studies.
- She initially performed under her first name, Elham, choosing to withhold her family name as she belongs to a well-known Kuwaiti family.
- However, she later began using her full name after veteran actress Hayat Al-Fahad encouraged her to do so during the filming of the series ‘The Price of My Life’ (2002), expressing a desire to see more Kuwaiti women represented in the arts.
- Throughout her career, she has appeared in several TV shows and plays, including ‘Diwan Al-Sabil’ (2001), ‘Khaitan Sniper’ (2002), ‘Five Sisters and a Hunter’ (2010), ‘Al Hareem’ (2003), ‘Amina Hafeez’ (2021), ‘London Apartment’ (2022), and ‘The Second Floor’ (2024).
Elham Al Fadalah in a still from the play, The Second Floor
- From 2003 to early 2008, Ilham Al-Fadala was under an exclusive contract with Scope Center for Artistic Production, owned by writer Fajr Al-Saeed. She later stated that while the contract helped boost her career, it also limited her by preventing her from taking part in other acting opportunities.
- In 2011, Ilham Al‑Fadala presented a cooking television program titled Matbakh Ilham (Ilham’s Kitchen).
Elham Al Fadalah in a still from her show, Matbakh Ilham
- In 2015, she launched her premium luxury fashion e-commerce store, Boutiqaat.
- She underwent a knee surgery in October 2020 and used crutches for 4–6 weeks as part of her recovery.
Elham Al Fadalah’s Snapchat story providing details about her surgery
- On 13 July 2021, she announced her marriage to Kuwaiti actor Shihab Jawhar. She talked about the cause of her divorce on her social media, hinting at domestic violence, and said,
Yes, I was once separated, and I never spoke about the reason for my divorce, nor about the tragic life I was living. If I open my heart, there will be explosions, not just in Kuwait, but around the world. I endured and endured, but thank God, the day came when I made the right decision to protect my daughters. Put two red lines under this, this message will reach the right people. If they push me further, they will learn and recall the term: domestic violence.”
- On 19 September 2024, she launched Empress Beauty Salon in Salmiya, Kuwait.
Elham Al Fadalah at her Empress Beauty Salon
