Yahya Mahayni is an award-winning Syrian-Canadian-French actor.

Yahya is best known for his critically acclaimed leading role as ‘Sam Ali’ in the Oscar nominated feature film THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania.

Yahya’s performance in the film was lauded by critics, and earned him the ‘Orizzonti’ Best Actor Award at the 77th Venice Film Festival in 2020, where the film premiered. The film was subsequently nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards.

Yahya will next star in the upcoming thriller feature ZERO A.D, directed by Alejandro Monteverde, and in Annemarie Jacir’s upcoming feature film PALESTINE 36 (BBC Films/Curzon Film), alongside Jeremy Irons, Hiam Abbass, and Billy Howle. Both films are slated for release in 2026.

Yahya’s further credits include starring as ‘Mustafa’ in Brandt Andersen’s feature THE STRANGER’S CASE, which premiered at Berlinale in 2024. In the same year, Yahya  starred as one of the lead roles in Samer Barkawi’s TV series AL ZAND (Shahid/MBC) and as the leading guest role ‘John the Baptist’ in Martin Scorsese Present’s THE SAINTS, for Fox and Lionsgate. 

Yahya is fluent in four languages: Arabic, English, French and Spanish. Born in Syria, he is currently based between France and Switzerland.