Mo Amer and Ramy Youssef: Crafting ‘Mo’ Amidst Turmoil in Palestine and Israel

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“I’m finding it very, very hard to function,” says Mo Amer.

Today, Amer, who has lived in Houston since he was nine, is spending his day at Hermann Park. It’s late March, and there’s a chill in the air. Toddlers are being led by their parents over tangled tree roots, while ducks can be heard quacking off in the distance. A small yet focused TV crew is with Amer, 43, as they help him bring to life his dream: producing and starring in the first Palestinian-led series ever made in American history. However, recent global events have made it increasingly challenging to publicly embrace his heritage.

The first season of the Netflix series “Mo,” released in August 2022, showcased a fictionalized account of Amer’s journey as an undocumented refugee seeking asylum in the U.S., based on his real-life experiences as a stand-up comedian. This series significantly boosted his popularity, making him one of the most recognized Palestinians in the entertainment industry, following DJ Khaled and the Hadid sisters, Gigi and Bella. In 2022, he also appeared in the DC film “Black Adam,” alongside Dwayne Johnson, portraying a character from the fictional Middle Eastern nation of Kahndaq. Later this year, he’ll embark on a Live Nation-produced comedy tour titled “El Oso Palestino.” By continually ascending in his career, Amer has been shining a light on his culture, aiming to rectify decades of under- and misrepresentation of Arabs in Hollywood. Despite Netflix renewing the series for a second season, which will be its last, Amer is confident that he’ll have more opportunities: “The season I’ve created, I know, is exceptional. Let the cards fall as they may.

Despite the complexity of the decision possibly being beyond his grasp, Amer’s self-promotion isn’t misguided. “Mo” stands out uniquely on television screens, featuring characters exchanging quick-witted, thoughtful humor laced with darkness in English, Spanish, and Arabic, while sharing meals rich in Middle Eastern flavors with affection. The visual appeal is undeniable: “Mo” garnered universal acclaim and a Peabody Award without relying on an illustrious cast or a lavish budget.

Initially, the triumph was more delightful to savor. The writers’ room for Season 2 commenced on October 1, 2023, merely days following the end of the writers’ strike. However, by the close of that week, the world had undergone a transformation. Amer has been preoccupied with this new reality ever since.

He explains that his family is currently residing under a restrictive regime, where movement is severely limited. Since Hamas carried out attacks on Israel on October 7, resulting in the death of 1,200 people and the capture of 251 hostages, Israel’s counterattack has reportedly resulted in the deaths of between 46,000 to 70,000 people or more in Gaza, according to various sources. Furthermore, there has been an escalation in violence by Israeli settlers and the presence of the Israeli military in the West Bank, where Amer’s family originates. “My aunts have needed medical attention for over a year now, but they haven’t been able to go,” he laments. “What used to be a seven-minute drive has become an arduous journey lasting hours.

As a movie lover who’s witnessed countless stories of conflict and resolution, I can only hope that the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, announced on Jan 15th, marks a turning point. However, I must confess, I remain deeply skeptical.

On one side, I see a ceasefire as the most crucial step – it signifies the protection of innocent lives, the release of hostages, and potentially, an end to senseless violence. The prospect of peace and true freedom for all is something I ardently wish for. But, I also understand that this is just the beginning.

There’s much more work to be done. The hope we have now lies in the idea that human life is sacred and should never be taken lightly. I can only pray that this ceasefire leads to lasting peace, where every individual’s right to live freely is respected.

Amer asks, ‘What becomes of the multitudes residing in overcrowded tents in southern Gaza? Where do they return to?’ He also expresses doubt about his relatives’ situation: ‘The circumstances in the West Bank are distinct. There’s no resolution for the West Bank, so they remain subject to apartheid regulations.’

When “Mo” first aired, Amer felt a sense of pride at exposing American audiences to a culture they were largely unfamiliar with. However, after October 7th, he found himself confronted with the realization that Season 2 would be released amidst a world brimming with various new and frequently uninformed opinions about his community.

Hollywood contributes to the issue at hand. It’s disappointing to witness celebrities react so aggressively without empathy, as expressed by him. It appears that they live a miserable life, constantly producing videos filled with anger and hatred. It’s baffling to consider that this is their main role – to create divisive content. The use of derogatory terms such as “animals” towards Palestinians leaves one questioning the mentality behind such statements.

Instead of accusing others, I choose not to engage in blame games. Let’s break bread together instead. Despite the pain and sorrow I carry within me, I am ready to set those feelings aside for a productive discussion that will help us progress. This is who I am.

Adhering to that belief, the writers of “Mo” decided they weren’t interested in writing about the war. Instead, they wanted to pay tribute to the foundations they had established in Season 1. Ramy Youssef, the Egyptian American comedian who co-created “Mo” and is famous for his self-titled Hulu series, explained this by saying, “We felt like it could go up to October 6…

The first season concluded with a suspenseful ending where Mo was unintentionally taken to Mexico in the trunk of a thieves’ vehicle, leaving him stuck and without any travel documents. The second season resumes approximately six months later, specifically in September 2022, and finishes just one day before the Hamas attacks occur.

Nevertheless, the authors delved deeply into the topic of the war, an exploration Amer found educational. It provided him with a means of dealing with it that he’s unsure he would have managed without it. He attributes this understanding to the variety within his team.

One of the voices among them is writer and executive producer Harris Danow. “I’m Jewish,” he states, “and I was raised in a family that was strongly pro-Israel, with some rather prejudiced opinions about the situation as a whole.” Danow explains how over time he underwent a significant change. Upon joining the writers’ room for Season 1, Danow shared with Amer his past exposure to a narrative that portrayed Palestinians as nothing more than terrorists. However, Danow believed that this background could potentially contribute positively to the series. As it turns out, Amer, or Mo, as he is referred to, was open to and embraced this perspective.

Originally, ‘Mo’ wasn’t intended to mirror real-world events, such as the Israel-Palestine conflict. In fact, during Season 1, we deliberately steered clear of this topic, not out of political reasons, but because most people outside Palestine only know about Palestinians due to their connection with Israel and the occupation. Our goal for ‘Mo’ was to portray them as real human beings instead.

After accomplishing their initial objectives, the writers found themselves drawn to discussing Israel during Season 2. However, events of October 7 steered them towards exploring topics other than what they had originally intended.

After contemplating countless variations of a war-themed narrative, Amer found himself disliking the direction: “The topic was turning into an overly preachy one.” What once started as light banter and romantic spats among friends, was gradually transforming into intense political debates that seemed to stray from the main plot. “The atmosphere in the room shifted to ‘Oh my goodness, there’s so much to discuss, and we need to cover it all,'” Youssef explains. “But then it became more about ‘What are the characters’ needs?’ rather than discussing every political issue.

In Amer’s words, he chose to create something temporary yet everlasting. After October 7th, the writers felt confident that viewers would grasp fleeting Middle Eastern references previously uncommon in American television. This sparked fresh concepts. The character Mo finds himself in a complex love situation involving his ex-girlfriend (Teresa Ruiz) and her new partner, an Israeli chef named Simon Rex. A humorous incident occurs when Mo criticizes the boyfriend’s hummus, leading someone else to mistakenly believe he was referring to Hamas. This results in a season that subtly acknowledges war without explicitly mentioning it, addressing Youssef’s query during the writing process: “What can a scripted comedy accomplish that nothing else can?

The creators of the show believed omitting the war would provide a more authentic portrayal of the region’s history. As Youssef notes, the events since October 7 represent just one instance among many tragedies suffered by Palestinians. Consequently, although characters like “Mo” won’t mention that specific date because they haven’t lived it yet, they frequently reference years such as 1948 and 1967 – years marked by the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians from their homes. Amer emphasizes that focusing on the present rather than the past would have been detrimental to understanding the historical context. He states, “The Palestine-Israel conflict is not a recent development; it has a long history.

Amer was concerned that the show might appear outdated by addressing real-world events too precisely, as he couldn’t predict how the conflict would unfold between writing the season and its broadcast: “What if you get something wrong? You start on a path, but then everything changes, and it becomes obsolete. It turns into yesterday’s headlines.” The truce has demonstrated his concern.

Mo expresses its unique perspective concerning the ongoing political situation. In a particular moment, Mo’s mother, Yusra (Farah Bsieso), becomes fixated on her phone, preoccupied with a news report about a Palestinian school being demolished by Israel, rather than focusing on enjoying Thanksgiving with her loved ones. Mo’s sister, Nadia (Cherien Dabis), contends that they should strive to maintain joy in their lives as a show of solidarity for the Palestinian cause. “You can sense the emotions and thoughts in their hearts and souls, and that, to me, speaks volumes,” Amer says.

From the start of creating “Mo,” Amer harbored a desire to film in Burin, his ancestral village. With Netflix granting him just one more season, he realized it was time to make that dream a reality as soon as possible.

Instead, we can say that the central conflict of Season 2 revolves around Mo’s inability to accompany his family to Palestine due to his immigration status, and even American citizens like Amer are currently unable to travel there for safety reasons. Unfortunately, it was not feasible to relocate production to the West Bank as planned, as filming for the finale took place in May 2024, seven months into the ongoing war.

However, all wasn’t lost as there was still a chance. Somehow, with a good deal of creativity, according to Amer with a chuckle, despite the nervousness over the logistics, he managed to employ a local film crew to record exterior shots in Burin, Bethlehem, and other West Bank towns while he oversaw the production from afar.

He clearly advised them, “Should you sense even the slightest doubt, I urge you to reconsider and not proceed.” However, they proved determined, he explains. Meanwhile, the interior shots for the scenes set in Palestine were filmed in Malta. Yet, the majority of the landscapes are genuine.

Amer mentions the importance of reminding others about his hometown village and his grandparents’ house, which he treasures deeply,” he continues, “Fortunately, it has been preserved for eternity.” This implies Amer’s concern that the house may face destruction or be taken away without explicitly stating it.

Amer expresses surprise and disagreement as he states, “I can’t believe this is the last season.” In other words, he doesn’t think it should be ending. He’s critical, albeit indirectly, of Netflix’s decision to end the show “Mo” after two seasons. The phrase “second and final” about the new season grates on him. Amer believes that there is a lot more content to share, and he finds it absurd that they can only fit it into two seasons. He suggests that the love and support they received during the first season will translate into many more seasons, as there’s an extensive storyline to explore.

Netflix hasn’t shown any signs of changing its mind about the series ending, continuing to label the upcoming season as “final” in their most recent communications.

Perhaps it’s the relentless spirit and resilience that my character embodies, constantly getting thrown around the world by the higher-ups yet always managing to return home. Or maybe it’s the chuckle I can’t help but emit when someone suggests that our show might be coming to an end. “If there is a Season 3,” I remark about potential storylines for October 7th, “we could explore those themes then.” There’s definitely a lot of material we could work with.

Regardless of the specifics, Amer’s smooth and confident demeanor plays a crucial role in maintaining the comedic tone of “Mo,” a tale about a Palestinian refugee who endlessly overcomes fresh hardships.

The recipe is straightforward. Whenever Amer asserts something as fact – be it his on-screen conviction of someday returning to Palestine or his real-life belief of further “Mo” appearing – you take his word for it.

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2025-01-23 19:17