CAIRO WEST MAGAZINE INTERVIEW
Where is your favorite chill-out spot ?
Anywhere with a high altitude , whether it is on a roof of a building , a mountain , or anywhere where I can get closer to the sky
Favorite food :
Lebanese and Italian . I am also a very strict vegetarian and have the exact same diet as a goat : lots of green things .
Books Read Recently :
Azazeel and Al Nabati by Youssef Zidan , Mohammed by Tawfiq Al Hakeem , and Sufi Poetry by Al Hallaj
Favorite Actors :
Locally , Yehia Fakharani and internationally , Robert Downey Jr ., Daniel Day Lewis , and Meryl Streep
Favorite Films :
Crash , The Usual Suspects , The Untouchables , 4 Weddings and a Funeral , Love Actually , and Marly & Me
In general , you can tell immediately when looking at a series or a film whether there was positive or negative energy behind the scenes . It shows very prominently and can make or break a work .
What is your dream role ? Honestly I really don ’ t have one . I love people-watching and feel that each person is so unique that they are a drama case study in themselves . I would however like to get into more ethnic roles in the future . People think it is easy but actually it is the exact opposite . With modern characters you have so much to work with but when you do someone more ethnic or historical you have to think about everything differently . Clothes , accents , relationships , and mindsets are completely different , and this has to be taken into account in order to get the character right .
What are your passions outside of filming ? I love animals and am a very strong advocate of animal rights . As a Muslim I believe that Islam is the only religion that specifically speaks about animal rights , and the fact that Arab societies in general are so negative towards them is extremely sad . I work directly with the Egyptian Society for Mercy to Animals all the time .
Favorite Character :
Dory from Finding Nemo
One project that I worked on previously was Bad El Mawqa , which focused on the infamous “ Battle of the Camel ” that was completely misunderstood in society . The people who live in Nazlet Es Seman have had their livelihoods completely destroyed and after the revolution ESMA has provided food and support for the animals and families in the area . I provided information and documentation on the condition of the animals and their owners and was assisted by fellow actor Bassem Samra in relaying this to the director , Yousry Nasrallah . At first he wanted to show this as an example of how the regime attacked innocent protestors , but after seeing the area and what has happened as a result of the Revolution the whole team realized that these are just people trying to earn a living , and they went to Tahrir without violent intentions and simply wanted to express their anger about what has happened to them .
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