Emilio Sakraya Biography
Emilio Sakraya is a German actor, singer, and martial artist known for his performances in Warrior Nun, Tribes of Europa, Rheingold, and Those About to Die. Born on June 29, 1996, in Berlin, Germany, the 30-year-old entertainer has Moroccan and Serbian family roots and began acting when he was a child.
Sakraya attracted renewed international attention on October 15, 2026, when entertainment publications reported that he had been cast as Xaden Riorson in the upcoming television adaptation of Rebecca Yarros’ bestselling novel Fourth Wing. He is expected to star opposite Esther McGregor, who has reportedly been selected to play Violet Sorrengail.
Outside acting, Sakraya has released several music projects and has a background in competitive karate. He also has an upcoming role as Koza in the third season of Netflix’s live-action One Piece series.
Who Is Emilio Sakraya?
Emilio Sakraya, whose full name is Emilio Sakraya Moutaoukkil, is an actor and musician from Berlin, Germany.
He began appearing in screen productions at approximately nine years old and developed his career through German films and television dramas before gaining wider international recognition.
His early acting credits include the Bibi & Tina films and the German crime drama 4 Blocks. He later appeared in international productions such as Warrior Nun and Tribes of Europa.
In 2022, European Film Promotion selected him as one of its ten European Shooting Stars, recognizing his potential as an international leading actor.
Sakraya has also pursued music under the professional name Emilio, releasing albums and singles alongside his acting projects.
Fourth Wing: Is Emilio Playing Xaden Riorson?
Emilio Sakraya has reportedly been cast as Xaden Riorson in Prime Video’s television adaptation of Fourth Wing.
The casting was reported on October 15, 2026, by Variety, Deadline, and TheWrap. Esther McGregor was also reported to have secured the role of Violet Sorrengail.
Amazon declined to comment on the casting reports.
The television series is based on Fourth Wing, the first novel in Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean fantasy series.
The story follows Violet, a young woman who expects to become a scribe but is instead ordered by her mother to train as a dragon rider at Basgiath War College.
Xaden is an important character in Violet’s journey. Their relationship develops against a dangerous background of military training, political conflict, and competing loyalties.
The adaptation received an official series order in May 2026. Meredith Averill serves as showrunner, while Lisa Joy is attached to direct the first episode.
Michael B. Jordan is involved as an executive producer through his production company, Outlier Society.
As of October 16, 2026, the series has no announced premiere date.
Age and Birthday
Emilio Sakraya was born on June 29, 1996, in Berlin, Germany. He turned 30 on June 29, 2026.
He began his entertainment career during childhood, appearing in productions before he reached his teenage years.
His early exposure to acting allowed him to develop professional experience while continuing his education in Berlin.
Emilio Sakraya Parents, Family, and Ethnicity
Sakraya comes from a family with Moroccan and Serbian roots. His mother, Meryem Moutaoukkil, is an actress of Moroccan background. His father has Serbian roots, although his name has not been reliably established through the sources reviewed.
In a September 2020 interview discussed by the German Olympic Sports Confederation, Sakraya explained that his parents separated while he was young.
He was largely raised by his mother in Berlin.
The actor also spent time visiting relatives in Morocco during childhood, giving him a strong connection to his mother’s family and cultural background.
He has discussed learning Arabic and being raised within a Muslim family environment.
His Moroccan and Serbian heritage forms an important part of his personal history, although he was born and raised in Germany and holds German nationality.
Does Emilio Have Siblings?
Yes. Emilio Sakraya has several half-siblings. One of them is Ilyes Raoul, who has also pursued acting.
During his 2020 interview, Sakraya discussed growing up with his younger half-brother after his parents separated.
School and Early Life in Berlin
Emilio Sakraya grew up in Berlin’s Halensee neighborhood. He attended the Annie Heuser Waldorf School in Wilmersdorf, according to a July 8, 2018, interview with the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel.
The interview also revealed that he worked at an ice cream shop while attending school. His early working life therefore included ordinary part-time employment alongside his growing interest in entertainment.
Sakraya later moved out of his family home as a teenager and continued developing his acting career.
His childhood was not entirely straightforward. In interviews, he has discussed experiencing bullying and struggling to fit in at school.
Those experiences influenced his personality and contributed to his interest in sports, performance, and self-expression.
Karate, Martial Arts, and Sports
Emilio Sakraya developed an interest in martial arts during childhood. His sporting background includes karate, kung fu, capoeira, boxing, and other physical activities.
He also experimented with swimming, parkour, American football, and figure skating.
According to his IMDb biography, he won two German full-contact karate championships. Other published biographies specifically identify a German karate title in 2010.
In his 2020 interview, Sakraya explained that his interest in different sports was partly connected to his ambition to become an actor. He believed that learning physical skills could make him more versatile when performing demanding roles.
How Tall Is Emilio Sakraya?
Emilio Sakraya is listed at approximately 180–182 centimeters tall, or around 5 feet 11 inches to 6 feet.
The Berlin Brandenburg Film Commission’s actor database lists his height as 180 cm. Another professional acting portfolio lists him at 182 cm.
Emilio Sakraya Movies and Television Career
Emilio Sakraya began acting as a child and gradually moved into larger film and television roles. His early credits included German productions such as Zeiten ändern dich, V8 – Du willst der Beste sein, and the Bibi & Tina film series.
He portrayed Tarik Schmüll in Bibi & Tina, a role that helped introduce him to younger German audiences.
He later appeared in 4 Blocks, a crime drama centered on organized crime in Berlin. The role gave him an opportunity to portray a character substantially different from the romantic leads associated with some of his earlier projects.
His subsequent film and television work expanded into action, fantasy, historical drama, and biographical storytelling.
Warrior Nun
Sakraya played JC in the Netflix fantasy series Warrior Nun.
The series follows Ava Silva, a young woman who discovers that she has supernatural abilities and becomes involved in a conflict surrounding an ancient religious order.
JC is among the characters Ava encounters during the early part of her journey.
The role introduced Sakraya to a wider international streaming audience.
Tribes of Europa
Emilio portrayed Kiano in Tribes of Europa, a German science-fiction series released by Netflix in 2021.
The series takes place in a future Europe divided into competing groups following a major catastrophe.
Kiano is one of three siblings whose lives become entangled in the conflict.
The role gave Sakraya another prominent opportunity to appear in a genre production aimed at international audiences.
Rheingold
In the 2022 film Rheingold, Sakraya portrayed German rapper Xatar, whose real name was Giwar Hajabi.
Directed by Fatih Akin, the film explores the musician’s life, including his family background, criminal experiences, and eventual involvement in music.
The role required Sakraya to portray a real person whose story differed considerably from the fictional characters he had previously played.
It became an important part of his film career and followed his recognition as a European Shooting Star.
Emilio Sakraya One Piece Season 3
Sakraya is also joining the cast of Netflix’s live-action One Piece series.
An official One Piece casting announcement identified him as Koza, a character associated with the Alabasta storyline.
Koza is a childhood friend of Princess Vivi and becomes involved in the rebellion affecting her kingdom.
The casting announcement was released in August 2026 alongside additional actors playing characters connected to Alabasta.
Unlike the Fourth Wing casting report, this role has been announced through an official One Piece promotional video.
Emilio Sakraya Music Career
Acting is only one part of Sakraya’s entertainment career. He also records music under the name Emilio, working across pop, hip-hop, rap, and R&B.
He began developing his musical interests during childhood and learned to play several instruments, including piano, guitar, and drums.
Emilio’s first album, Roter Sand, was released in September 2020. He subsequently released additional projects, including 1996 in 2022 and Blessings in 2024. His songs include Ausmacht, SOS, and Roter Sand.
Sakraya has also participated in German television music programming, including Sing meinen Song – Das Tauschkonzert.
His musical work gives him a professional identity separate from his film and television roles.
It also connects with his childhood ambition to pursue both acting and music rather than choosing only one creative field.
Does Emilio Sakraya Have a Child?
Yes. Emilio Sakraya is a father. He publicly discussed his parenthood in 2024 after previously keeping that part of his personal life private. His song Cacio e Pepe also refers to spending time with his son.
In an interview reported by the German Press Agency, Sakraya explained that he had initially wanted to experience fatherhood away from public attention. He later decided to discuss it more openly.
Rosalía and Relationship History
Emilio Sakraya attracted international entertainment coverage in 2025 after being photographed with Spanish singer Rosalía. The two were photographed together in Los Angeles and later in Germany and Spain.
Photographs published in May and June 2025 showed them embracing and kissing, leading several entertainment publications to describe them as romantically involved. However, those reports do not establish their relationship status in October 2026.
Sakraya’s Instagram handle is @emilio_sakraya_.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Emilio Sakraya Moutaoukkil |
| Professional name | Emilio Sakraya |
| Date of birth | June 29, 1996 |
| Age | 30 as of October 2026 |
| Birthplace | Berlin, Germany |
| Nationality | German |
| Family heritage | Moroccan and Serbian |
| Mother | Meryem Moutaoukkil |
| Father | Of Serbian background; name not independently established |
| Brother | Ilyes Raoul, a half-brother |
| School | Annie Heuser Waldorf School |
| Height | Approximately 180–182 cm |
| Occupation | Actor and singer |
| Sports | Karate and other martial arts |
| Known for | Warrior Nun, Tribes of Europa, Rheingold, and 4 Blocks |
| Reported upcoming role | Xaden Riorson in Fourth Wing |
| Confirmed upcoming role | Koza in One Piece Season 3 |
| Children | One son, publicly acknowledged |
| Relationship status | Not currently verified |
| @emilio_sakraya_ |
References
- Variety’s October 15 Fourth Wing casting report
- Amazon’s official Fourth Wing series announcement
- Berlin Brandenburg Film Commission — Professional actor profile
- German Olympic Sports Confederation — September 2020 interview
- Der Tagesspiegel — July 2018 interview
- European Film Promotion — 2022 Shooting Stars announcement
- Official One Piece Season 3 casting video
