In his new Netflix series, aptly title Mo, Palestinian American comedian and actor Mo Amer plays a fictionalized version of himself as “Mo Najjar” and his life story in Houston, TX.

The first season explores the various joys and hardships of the Palestinian Najjar family (Farah Bsieso, Omar Elba, Cherien Dabis), Mo’s girlfriend Maria (Teresa Ruiz) and friends Nick (Tobe Nwigwe), Mustafa (Mohammad Hindi), Chien (Michael Y. Kim), and others. Not only is it a rousing comedy-drama on Netflix, but provides a first in its depiction of a Palestinian American family at the center of its story, virtually unheard of in American media until now.

---

We at The Nerds of Color were able to speak with co-creator and star of the series, Mo Amer himself. We discussed how he and the creative team conceived of the series, how he and his fellow Palestinian actors came together to create this fictional yet very real family, and what went into creating this fundamental human story that all audiences can relate to, while remaining specifically Palestinian.

You can watch all of Mo Season 1 on Netflix