Homme du mois I man of the month Madame nouvelair participate in the play « L ’ isoloir ,» where I performed alongside experienced actors like Abdelhamid Bouchnak , Hela Ayed , and Yasmine Dimassi . We did around thirty sold-out shows ! That experience made me grow and fall even more in love with theater . But eventually , you can stagnate in theater , and that ’ s when I started thinking about how to evolve .
Madame nouvelair : What was the turning point for you ? AJ : I knew I wasn ’ t going to do anything with my master ’ s degree . In fact , I worked with a friend for six months before quitting because I wasn ’ t fulfilled . One day , while listening to Christophe Maé ’ s song « Il est où le bonheur ?», I had an epiphany . The question of what happiness is and how to define it became the main theme of my play . I decided to participate in L ’ Avant- Première des Arts de la Scène , where major theater figures also presented their plays . I will never forget Taoufik Jebali ’ s reaction at the end of my performance : he was in tears and came on stage to hug me . He said , « It was sincere .» That phrase has been the foundation of my career .
Madame nouvelair : And that gave you the strength to keep pursuing your dream ? AJ : Exactly ! It gave me strength and satisfaction . I knew I was on the right path . I was so passionate about what I was doing that getting paid for it seemed absurd to me ( laughs ).
M . N : How did you approach the projects you participated in after that event ? AJ : With a lot of contentment . I felt more mature and motivated than ever . This mindset led me to work on Dachra and then Nouba . We weren ’ t concerned about ratings ; we all worked passionately . There were no lead actors , and even Abdelhamid Bouchnak was relatively unknown . We never expected Nouba to be such a success , especially with other popular shows airing at the same time .
Madame nouvelair : You ’ ve always been part of the « Bouchnak clan .» What do you like about him ? AJ : A shared past and a shared madness ( laughs ). We feel close to each other . We ’ ve dreamed a lot together , and we ’ re seeing those dreams come true . We ’ ve faced many failures , so we always support each other in
22 tough times . Working with him on Dachra , I felt like I had nothing to lose and everything to gain . We were a group of young unknowns eager to prove our abilities .
Madame nouvelair : You ’ ve had a meteoric rise , especially since your role in Nouba . How do you handle this success ?
AJ : It ’ s true that you become aware of your status as a « relatively well-known actor » in public places where people recognize you . But I ’ ve never changed my lifestyle , habits , or circle of friends . I can ’ t let fame get to my head because I know it can all disappear in an instant with any misstep . What I appreciate most is the love from people , which fuels my motivation to stay on the right path .
Madame nouvelair : You performed to sold-out crowds this summer . How do you explain the success of « Harba »? AJ : Honestly , I aimed for a niche audience with « Harba ,» so I was apprehensive about the public ’ s reaction and never expected such success . I think the universal theme of the play , especially with its Tunisian touch , resonates with everyone . People can see themselves in the characters .
Madame nouvelair : What are your future projects ? AJ : I have an idea for a project , but I can ’ t reveal more at the moment .