The Journalist Behind Saudi’s Red Carpet Moments

Saudi journalist and television presenter Ajwa Aljoudi has built a career spanning journalism, international entertainment and the Kingdom’s growing film industry.

For Ajwa Aljoudi, a career in entertainment was not part of the original plan. Her professional journey began with journalism, eventually taking her from newsrooms and television studios to some of the world’s biggest entertainment events and into Saudi Arabia’s developing film industry.

Ajwa’s interest in journalism started at a young age. She studied Journalism at King Abdulaziz University before moving to the United States, where she completed a Master’s degree in Mass Communication at California State University, Northridge.

Her early career was rooted in news and broadcasting. She worked with Saudi National Television in Jeddah, reporting on women’s issues and producing news stories. After completing her studies in the United States, she returned to Saudi Arabia and worked as a news reporter for Al Arabiya.

Television eventually opened a new direction for her career. Ajwa became a presenter on MBC1’s Boulevard Talents, bringing her journalism and broadcasting experience into the world of entertainment.

Her move into entertainment, however, happened unexpectedly. In 2021, a photograph of Ajwa went viral, creating new opportunities that took her beyond traditional journalism. What followed was a growing presence at major entertainment and film events in Saudi Arabia and around the world.

Today, Ajwa is known as “Saudi’s Red Carpet Gal.” Her work has taken her to the Oscars, Golden Globes, Primetime Emmy Awards and Cannes Film Festival, where she has covered some of the biggest names and moments in global entertainment.

But her role goes beyond presenting from the red carpet. Ajwa has also become involved in the development of Saudi Arabia’s film industry, bringing together her media background with a professional understanding of the systems that support filmmaking.

Her work with the Film Commission has included involvement in film incentives and support programmes, including the Daw programme and Local Rebate initiatives. These programmes are designed to support film production and contribute to the growth of the Kingdom’s local film ecosystem.

This has created an interesting connection between the two sides of her career. As a journalist and presenter, Ajwa tells stories about film and entertainment. Through her work in film incentives, she is also involved in the infrastructure that helps those stories come to life.

Her international presence has given her another opportunity to represent Saudi Arabia on a global stage. At major film and entertainment events, she has not only covered international productions but also highlighted the changes taking place within Saudi Arabia’s own creative and film industries.

Her career reflects the changing nature of Saudi media. The traditional path from journalism to broadcasting has expanded into a much broader landscape involving entertainment, international events and the development of a national film industry.

For Ajwa, these different experiences have become connected parts of the same journey. Journalism gave her the foundation to tell stories, television developed her presence as a presenter, international events expanded her platform, and her work in film incentives brought her closer to the industry behind the screen.

From reporting the news to walking international red carpets, Ajwa Aljoudi has continued to build a career that moves with the changing media and entertainment landscape.

HerStory celebrates Ajwa Aljoudi for building a career across journalism, television and film, while representing Saudi media internationally and contributing to the Kingdom’s evolving film industry.