Enjoy a 30-minute virtual meeting with Maha Dakhil from the comfort of your home!
Co-Head of the Motion Picture Group and Co-Head of the agency’s International Film Group, Maha Dakhil also serves on the CAA board that is responsible for the day-to-day management of the agency. Additionally, she represents some of the world’s most successful actors and actresses, moving seamlessly between such talent and literary clients as Tom Cruise, Ava DuVernay, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Madonna, Sam Mendes, Natalie Portman, Melina Matsoukas, Juan Antonio Bayona, Yorgos Lanthimos, Olivia Wilde, Daniel Kaluuya, Aaron Sorkin, Denis Villeneuve, Steve McQueen, Lenny Abrahamson, Danny Strong, Johan Renck, H.E.R., and Anne Hathaway, among others.
A 17-year veteran of the agency, Dakhil has long been at the forefront of cultivating opportunities for diverse talent and championing underserved voices and their stories. She has brokered a bevy of deals for client Olivia Wilde of late (BOOKSMART), including a female-led comedy for Universal, which Wilde will produce and direct; DON’T WORRY DARLING, which New Line acquired after beating out 17 other bids in a competitive auction for Wilde to star in and direct; PERFECT for Wilde to direct and executive produce; and most recently a new Marvel movie.
In addition, Dakhil has guided client Reese Witherspoon on building out her production company, Hello Sunshine, which focuses on female-driven content across multiple platforms. Hello Sunshine most recently was sold to a venture backed by private-equity giant Blackstone Group. Their projects include such films as GONE GIRL and WILD, as well as television series The Morning Show with Jennifer Aniston for Apple TV+ and Big Little Lies for HBO. It also has the popular Reese’s Book Club.
Client highlights include a deal for Mindy Kaling to co-write LEGALLY BLONDE 3, with Witherspoon set to reprise her iconic role as “Elle Woods” and Hello Sunshine producing; Denis Villeneuve to direct a sequel to DUNE following the film’s record-breaking opening weekend; Danny Strong serving as the creator, showrunner, and director of Dopesick, marking his first limited series; and a deal for Madonna to co-write an original screenplay based on her life, which she will direct. As Co-Head of CAA’s International Film Group, Dakhil plays an integral role in building the Motion Picture department’s global footprint, opening doors for talent regardless of geographic location.
Her roster of global filmmakers continues to grow, signing Jasmila Žbanić, whose film QUO VADIS, AIDA? was nominated for the Best International Feature at the 93rd Academy Awards; Kornél Mundruczó, director of the acclaimed film PIECES OF A WOMAN, which premiered at the 77th Venice International Film Festival; Mohamad Diab, whose film AMIRA received strong critical praise at the 2021 Venice International Film Festival; Ali Abbasi, winner of the Un Certain Regard prize for BORDER at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival; Justin Kurzel, director of NITRAM, which premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival; Lukas Dhont, director of GIRL, which won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes for best first feature film, along with the Queer Palm, awarded for best LGBT-themed film; and Rungano Nyoni, whose film I AM NOT A WITCH won a 2018 BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.
In her role on the CAA Board, Dakhil focuses on the agency’s diversity and inclusion initiatives. She also plays a leadership role in CAA Amplify, an annual invitation-only summit convening diverse leading artists and executives from the most impactful organizations in entertainment, sports, media, brands, technology, and social justice. In addition, Dakhil is a founding member of Time’s Up, an initiative that addresses systemic inequality and injustice in the workplace. She is a champion for underrepresented storytellers, creating opportunities for them to transition into the global marketplace. Dakhil also serves on the board of Baby2Baby.
Dakhil began her career at Genesis, a literary agency. She joined CAA in 2004. Dakhil graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in sociology.