Talleen Abu Hanna (born 30 July 1994) is an Israeli-Arab beauty pageant winner, model, actress, and television personality. In 2016, she was crowned the first-ever Miss Trans Israel and placed first runner-up at Miss Star International. She was a contestant on the Israeli reality television series Big Brother and the reality series Goalstar. In 2018, she competed in Miss Israel.
Talleen Abu Hanna | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 30 July 1994 |
| Occupation(s) | model, actress, beauty pageant winner, television personality |
| Height | 180 c"m |
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Title | Miss Trans Israel 2016 |
| Hair color | Brown |
| Eye color | Green[1] |
| Major competition(s) | Miss Trans Israel 2016 (Winner) Miss Star International 2016 (1st Runner-Up) Miss Israel 2018 (4th place) |
Early life
editAbu Hanna was born in Nazareth to a Catholic Israeli Arab family.[1] She has two sisters.[2] Abu Hanna grew up in Nazareth and identifies as both Israeli and Palestinian.[1]
Abu Hanna studied dance and theatre as a child.[2] She came out as a transgender woman when she was fourteen years old.[2] Following her coming out, she moved to Tel Aviv in order to transition.[2]
Career
editIn 2016, she won the first-ever Miss Trans Israel pageant, the first transgender beauty competition in Israel.[1][3] Abu Hanna was crowned Miss Trans Israel at Habima Theater, Israel's national theater.[4] She went on to represent Israel at Miss Star International in Barcelona in August 2016.[2][5] She placed first runner-up in the international competition.[6] Following the pageant, she appeared as a contestant on the reality television show Big Brother and on the reality show Goalstar.[7][8]
On 8 May 2017, Abu Hanna attended a reception at Beit HaNassi in Jerusalem and met with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.[7] In June 2017, she gave an address at a Pride Month event hosted at the Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C..[7] She has spoken to transgender youth at shelters in Tel Aviv and at Casa Ruby, an LGBTQ community center in Washington, D.C.[7]
She modeled in an advertisement campaign for the Spanish fashion label Desigual.[6]
In 2018, Abu Hanna competed in the Miss Israel pageant.
On 17 May 2024 Abu Hanna participated in the Cannes International Film Festival. she got a starring role in the film The Belle from Gaza directed by the French director Yolande Zauberman. Abu Hanna became the first trans-Israeli actress in history to star and walk on the red carpet at the Cannes International Film Festival.
Abu Hanna works as a model and actress and teaches dance classes.[1][9]
Personal life
editOn 10 October 2016, Abu Hanna underwent gender-affirming surgery at Kamol Cosmetic Hospital in Thailand.[1]
Abu Hanna is a practicing Catholic.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f "Meet the Arab Woman Who Has Just Become the First Miss Trans Israel". TIME. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Miss Trans Israel Talleen Abu Hanna addresses The Israel Summit Fall 2021". Retrieved 26 January 2024 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Catholic Arab Named 1st 'Miss Trans Israel'". Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Israeli Christian wins first 'Miss Trans Israel' pageant". AP News. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Israeli Arab Catholic ballerina wins Israel's first transgender beauty pageant". SBS News. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Arab-Israeli wins second place at 'Miss Trans,' says she 'found peace'". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 20 September 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Israel's Christian-Arab Transgender Beauty Queen Opens Up: 'I'm Lucky to Be an Israeli'". Retrieved 26 January 2024 – via Haaretz.
- ^ "Israeli Arab transgender star reconciles with estranged father on reality TV set | The Times of Israel". Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Miss Trans Israel talks about title, work - Windy City Times News". Windy City Times. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Arab Catholic wins first 'Miss Trans Israel' pageant". 28 May 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2024.