In Midterm, Yasmina El Abd introduces us to Tia, her first lead role, and a character who refuses to be read at face value. At first glance, Tia comes off as manipulative, chaotic, and even deliberately cruel. But the deeper the story unfolds, the clearer it becomes: this isn’t evil, it’s illness.
Tia is mentally struggling, caught in cycles of lying, exaggeration, and manufactured drama as a way to escape responsibility and avoid confronting herself. Yasmina explains that Tia’s behavior reflects a real Gen Z struggle, where attention becomes a coping mechanism, and truth feels harder than performance. She’s not seeking harm as much as she’s seeking relevance, validation, and control over her narrative.
Yasmina also opened up about how demanding Midterm was for her, especially as her first experience carrying a series as the main character. The emotional weight of Tia contrasted sharply with how people perceive Yasmina in real life, often mistaking her intensity on screen for seriousness off it, when she describes herself as naturally fun and easygoing.
Watch the full Ta7t El-Spotlight episode with Yasmina now on our YouTube: ElShai, or on our website, El-Shai.com
