Mia Khalifa - A Lebanese porn star is causing outrage in the Middle East after a popular website ranked her as one of the most famous actresses in the adult film industry.
21-year-old Mia Khalifa was born in Lebanon, but moved to the Maryland as a teenager to study at the University of Texas as a history major at El Paso.
Reports indicate that she has been receiving death threats after becoming ranked as the most searched actress on PornHub, an adult movie-sharing site.
Mia Khalifa, who now lives in Miami, has only been part of the adult film industry for three months, but her quick rise to fame continues to attract harsh criticisms from her home country and other Muslims.
On social media, where she has been particularly active, Mia Khalifa describes herself on Twitter as the "Unofficial mascot of the Florida State Seminoles and a porn star in the off-season."
According to reports, Mia Khalifa is very proud of her Middle Eastern roots and posts pictures on Twitter and Instagram about her country. She also posts pictures from her work, which has enraged many conservative Muslims.
Some of Mia Khalifa's critics have chided her for covertly disrespecting Islam by wearing the hijab, a religious attire, while performing in some of the videos that has fueled her notoriety.
She has been also critized for posting photos of her Arabic tattoos. One which reads "Koullouna lil-watan, lil'oula liI-'alam," - the first line of the Lebanese national anthem. She also has crest of the Lebanese Armed Forces on her wrist.
Despite the harsh criticisms from her home country where she still has relatives living, Mia Khalifa is still upbeat about her career and is witty in her response to applauds and threats.
"Doesn't the Middle East have more important things to worry about besides me? How about finding a president? Or containing ISIS?" Mia Khalifa tweeted in response to her critics."I was born and raised there, I'm entitled to an opinion on the politics just like everyone else."
