Hisham Abed is an Emmy Award–winning and three-time DGA Award–nominated director working across both scripted and unscripted television. Known for his cinematic approach to storytelling, he has directed across a wide range of premium series, including High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Disney+), So You Think You Can Dance (FOX), Finding Magic Mike (HBO Max), Siesta Key (MTV), and Queer Eye (Netflix), for which he won a Primetime Emmy for directing.

A graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, Abed began his career as a cinematographer on independent features, including The Debut (Columbia TriStar) and The Natural History of Parking Lots, the latter earning a spot on the Los Angeles Times Film Critic’s Top Ten list. His early work behind the camera, combined with a formative period as a street photographer in Paris, shaped the visual style that would later define his directing.

Abed played a key role in redefining the modern reality genre, bringing a cinematic, narrative-driven lens to groundbreaking series such as Laguna Beach: The Real OC, The Hills, and The City. His work on these culturally defining shows earned widespread recognition from outlets including The New York Times, Time Magazine, and Rolling Stone, and helped establish a new visual language for unscripted television.

In addition to his directing work, Abed has received multiple honors, including an Emerging Cinematographer Award from the International Cinematographers Guild. He continues to move fluidly between large-scale competition formats, premium docuseries, and scripted projects, bringing a distinctive visual style and character-driven approach to each.

Photo (credit Katherine Kohl)