Sadness fell over the Gulf and Arab artistic community, after the announcement today, Tuesday, of the death of Kuwaiti artist Hayat Al-Fahd at the age of 78, following a career that spanned more than six decades during which she left a firm mark in the history of Arab drama. With her departure, the Gulf screen loses one of its most prominent icons, after she presented works that shaped the conscience of successive generations.
The official page of the Al-Fahd Foundation for Artistic Production announced on Instagram the news of the death, in a statement that said: “We belong to God and to Him we shall return… With hearts that believe in God’s will and destiny, we mourn the death of the esteemed artist Hayat Al-Fahd, who passed away after suffering from illness, following a career full of artistic and humanitarian giving.” The statement added that the deceased was “a symbol of Gulf drama, and left an immortal legacy that will remain in the memory of generations.”
A health crisis preceded the departure of the “Lady of the Gulf Screen”
The departure of the artist, known as “The Lady of the Gulf Screen,” came after a health crisis that began last year, when she was transferred to the hospital in August 2025 after suffering a stroke, after which she entered a delicate treatment phase that was widely followed by her fans and fans.
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Her manager, Youssef Al-Ghaith, had revealed in previous statements to Al Jazeera Net that the artist had undergone a heart catheterization shortly before that crisis, explaining that the stroke had affected her general health condition, which required her to be transferred to intensive care, with her vital functions stabilizing at that time.
In February 2026, her family revealed through her official account on the Instagram platform that she was still undergoing intensive medical care in a hospital in Kuwait, after her return from a treatment trip in London that did not achieve the desired results, stressing that her condition required careful follow-up and the prevention of visits in accordance with the recommendations of the treating team.
Farewell and widespread sadness in the artistic community
The news of Hayat Al-Fahd’s passing sparked a widespread state of sadness in the Arab artistic community, as a large number of artists and media figures rushed to mourn her and recall her long career and works that left an impact on the public’s conscience.
Emirati singer Ahlam mourned her through her account on the “X” platform, saying: “We belong to God and to Him we shall return… With hearts that believe in God’s will and destiny, we mourn the death of the esteemed artist Hayat Al-Fahd, who passed away today after suffering from illness, following a career full of artistic and humanitarian giving, and left an immortal legacy that will remain in the memory of generations. We ask God to cover her with His vast mercy and dwell her in His spacious Paradise.”
The official page of the Dubai Plus channel also mourned the late artist via Instagram, describing her as “a teacher in art and an unforgettable story in every Gulf and Arab home,” stressing that her departure does not mean the absence of her impact, which will remain “engraved in the hearts through her voice, features, and remarkable presence.”
She added in her farewell message: “She gave us works that we lived with, laughed and cried with, and she created history that will not be repeated. Today we bid farewell to a great artistic stature, but her memory will remain alive in every scene, and in every heart that loved her.”
A harsh childhood and beginnings in Al-Sabah Hospital
Hayat Al-Fahd is considered one of the most prominent names that made the history of drama in Kuwait and the Arabian Gulf, as her career extended for more than six decades since her launch in the sixties of the last century, during which she presented various works that established her position among the stars of Gulf art and contributed to shaping the features of Kuwaiti and Gulf drama across successive generations.
Hayat Al-Fahad was born in the Sharq region of Kuwait. She lived a difficult childhood after losing her father when she was five years old, before moving with her family to the Mirqab area, where she faced the harshness of life and its responsibilities early.
She did not complete her primary education, but her desire for knowledge prompted her to educate herself, so she mastered reading and writing in Arabic and English, before beginning her working life as an employee at Al-Sabah Hospital.
Her passion for art was formed early after she was influenced by watching one of Farid Al-Atrash’s films, so she began frequenting cinemas and following artistic works with increasing passion. The turning point came when the well-known Kuwaiti artist, “Abu Jasoum,” visited the hospital where she worked, and suggested that she join his theater group.
Despite her family’s rejection at first, she stuck to her dream and fought an early confrontation in defense of her artistic choice, until she succeeded in convincing the family. From there, she took her first steps on stage, relying on a strong will and the support of her brother, to later embark on a journey that made her one of the most prominent stars of Gulf drama.
From radio and theater to the icon of Gulf drama
Al-Fahd’s life had a diverse and continuous career, moving between acting, radio, and writing. In her beginnings during the 1960s, she worked as a broadcaster on Kuwaiti radio for several years and presented programs that contributed to honing her presence. She also published a poetry collection entitled “Reproach,” in which she reflected human feelings and experiences in a language close to the audience.
Theater was the real starting point for her career, and she participated in early works that established her name, including “Aila Bou Jassoum,” “Me and the Days,” “Hunger,” “The Victim,” “Money and Souls,” and “The Rooster is Lost.”
At the beginning of the seventies, she turned to television and appeared in works, including “Sharbaka,” “Al-Hadbaa,” “Aladdin,” “Colors of Love,” “Mawal’s Story,” “Bint al-Badia,” and “Hababa,” which contributed to establishing her presence with the public.
In the late seventies and early eighties, she entered the stage of heroism and presented characters that touched on the reality of Gulf society, especially women’s issues and their social transformations. Among her most famous works is “My Aunt Qamsha,” along with “Marriage Without Credit,” “The Price of My Life,” “The Harem,” “The Power of a Woman,” and “Abla Noura.”
She also participated in heritage and historical works, participating in the play “Bye Bye Arabs,” and appeared in the historical work “Lion of the Island,” embodying one of the influential female characters in the history of the region.
She also performed widely acclaimed comedic roles, including “Computer Wife,” “Ruqaya and Sabika,” “A Family over a Hot Stove,” and “Children of Poverty,” confirming her ability to move between tragedy and comedy smoothly.
In the new millennium, she continued to present works that discuss issues of Gulf society and women, including “Outside the Walls,” “Ink of the Eyes,” “Rihana,” “Hal Manayer,” “Grandmother Lulwa,” “Ghanima and Spoils,” “Hissa Qalam,” “The Limits of Evil,” and “Umm Haroun.” In recent years, she returned to the comedy atmosphere through the series “The Apple of Your Eye” in 2023.
A balance of awards equals her public presence
This march was engraved in the records of official Arab honors, as Hayat Al-Fahd received a large number of awards during her artistic career. In 1989, she was crowned with the Best Actress Award from the Kuwait Theater Festival for her role in the play “If the Camel Falls,” before the following year she received an honor from the “Art Day” Festival in Iraq in appreciation of her artistic contributions.
During the 1990s, she received a certificate of appreciation from the Cairo Radio Festival in 1996 for the series “The Bird and the Storm,” then she was honored in 1998 for the series “The Father’s House.” In 1999, the League of Arab States honored her at the first “Arab Pioneers” Festival, in recognition of her contribution to the development of Gulf drama.
At the beginning of the new millennium, she received the State Encouragement Award in the field of arts for the series “Al-Dardour” during the Al-Qurain Cultural Festival. She was also honored in 2002 at the Ammon Theater Festival in Jordan, and won the Best Actress Award from the Ninth Cairo Radio and Television Festival for her role in “The Price of My Life.”
In 2007, she received a special honor from the Arab Media Festival, and she also received the Best Actress Award for the series “Al-Faria” from the Fahd Al-Ahmad Award for Television Drama in Kuwait. The following year, she received the State Appreciation Award, in addition to the Gold Award for radio and television production from the 10th Gulf Radio and Television Festival, as well as being honored at the Theater Days Festival for Youth in Kuwait.
Her honorary presence extended to the Arab world in 2009, when she was celebrated by the Gulf Film Festival, and the Arab Radio and Television Network (ART) honored her, and she received the “Jordan Award” in Jordan, in addition to honor from the Oran Film Festival in Algeria.
In 2011, the Bayader Al Salam Women’s Association in Kuwait honored her, making her name one of the most prominent artistic symbols whose path combined talent, leadership, and official and popular appreciation.
Hayat Al-Fahd’s last artistic appearance was in Ramadan 2025 through the series “My Mother’s Ideas”, concluding a career that extended for decades during which she remained one of the most prominent stars of Gulf and Arab drama, leaving a rich artistic legacy and characters that will remain present in the audience’s memory.
