Why were female artists afraid to stand in front of Ahmed Zaki during the “beating scenes”?
Egyptian female artists expressed their lack of the talent of the late Ahmed Zaki (1946-2005), whose 77th birthday falls on November 18.
Zaki has participated in his works since the late sixties of the last century, including Souad Hosni, Nabila Obaid, Yousra, Laila Alawi, Lebleba, Najwa Ibrahim, Najwa Fouad, Maali Zayed, Sherine Saif Al-Nasr, Samah Anwar, Safia Al-Omari, Wafa Salem, and Raghda. .
But why were actresses afraid to stand in front of Zaki, especially in scenes that included beatings and violence from him?
Zaki and Nabila Obaid in a clip from the movie “The Dancer and the Drummer” (archive)
Egyptian artist Nabila Obaid, who co-starred with Zaki in 3 films, “Al-Khasheba”, “Shader Al-Samak”, and “The Dancer and the Drummer”, expresses her pride in her relationship with the late artist, and Nabila adds in her interview with “Al-Sharq Al-Awsat”: “Zaki was an actor. He is like no other, and a friend that will never be repeated. Sometimes he preferred to have lunch at my house, as he lived next to me on Arab League Street. At the work level, he is a master at empathizing, coexisting, and giving work its due, even at his own expense.”
Nabila Obaid talks about the beating scene that brought her together in the movie “Shader Al-Samak.” She says: “Zaki’s impersonation of the characters was frightening, which forced me to ask the director to know the plot of the scene and exactly where the blow would take place. I was afraid, and I asked Zaki more than once about… How he dealt with the scene, but he refused to answer me, and I sought help from the director after I became upset as a result of the strong blow I received from him during filming, which caused a wound in my mouth.”
A still from the movie “Shader of the Fish” (archive)
The same situation was revealed by Egyptian journalist and artist Najwa Ibrahim, who co-starred with Zaki in the movie “The Addict” in the mid-eighties, saying in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat: “I felt afraid during one of the scenes after Zaki hit a solid wall to the point of being injured,” and it was supposed He then hit her hard, but she went to the director to delete the scene due to her extreme fear: “The director reassured me and spoke to Zaki to deal lightly so that I would not be injured, and Zaki then asked me to avoid the blow professionally so that it would not appear to the viewer.”
Zaki and Balba in one of the works (Middle East)
The Egyptian artist Lebleba expressed her happiness to participate in the films “Against the Government” and “His Excellency the Minister” with Zaki, stressing in her interview with “Asharq Al-Awsat” that “he was a different and distinguished artist, and he was preoccupied with nothing but art.”
Lebleba adds that Zaki impersonates the character in different styles in each shot, and about being beaten by him while acting, she said: “I played the role of (a corrupt lawyer) in front of him in the movie (Against the Government), and the role of his wife and the mother of his children in the movie (His Excellency the Minister), and I was not beaten.” In both works.
But she comments on the fear of some actresses about scenes of beatings in front of Zaki, saying: “Everyone who worked with him knows that he does not hesitate in any scene because of his strong imitation of the character.”
Zaki used to impersonate his characters in a distinctive way, according to filmmakers (archives)
Zaki, nicknamed “The Emperor,” was born in the city of “Zagazig” in the Sharkia Governorate (Delta Egypt). He obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts, Department of Acting and Directing. The Egyptian artist was distinguished by presenting many diverse roles during his career, which he began with a theatrical appearance, while he was His first starring role in his cinematic career, opposite Souad Hosni, in the movie “Shafiqa and Metwally.”
On stage, Zaki presented the shows “The School of Troubles” and “The Children Grew Up,” in addition to the series “Al-Ayyam,” the series “He and She,” and many films, including “The Black Panther,” “A Dinner Date,” and “The Blackjack 70.” “,” “The wife of an important man,” “The innocent,” “A bird on the road,” “Fish shadder,” “The woodwork,” “The addict,” “His Excellency the Minister,” “Against the government,” and “The Escape,” “The Egg and the Stone,” and “The Gatekeeper.”
Ahmed Zaki in his youth (archive)
Zaki was famous for embodying the biographies of a number of famous figures, such as the late Egyptian presidents Gamal Abdel Nasser and Anwar Sadat, the “Dean of Arab Literature” Taha Hussein, and “The Brown Nightingale” Abdel Halim Hafez through the movie “Halim,” which is the last artistic work he presented before His death, and Zaki cooperated with a group of directors, including Muhammad Khan, Atef Al-Tayeb, Ali Abdel Khaleq, Daoud Abdel Sayed, Sherif Arafa, and Enas Al-Deghaidy.
Full reincarnation of characters
Egyptian director Enas El Deghaidy confirms that Ahmed Zaki was remarkably influenced by the character and coexisted with it: “One of the times we gathered together in the scenes of the movie (Sadat), he thought he was actually Sadat, and he dealt with me on this basis, and he became angry when he did not find the honor waiting for him at the door.”
Al-Daghidi added to Asharq Al-Awsat: “Zaki’s personal life was greatly influenced by his art. This is his own school, but it is exhausting on the nerves. He is an artist who is accustomed to living everything, big and small, in art and life. Therefore, Zaki’s excessive talent was devastating to his nerves. He was nervous and exhausted.” For those who worked with him, he refused to make any concessions in any shot, even if it required a specific technique.
Ahmed Zaki presented important cinematic works (archives)
According to art critic Mohamed Shawqi, Zaki was a big and distinguished star who best expressed the marginalized and the middle class in his works. He was an exceptional star in his talent and presence, and in his acceptance by the public.
Re-evaluation
Shawqi added to Asharq Al-Awsat: “Zaki has not received his right to be evaluated yet, as talk about him is limited to specific roles, despite the fact that he presented several characters that were not highlighted, including (Eyes That Never Sleep), the wonderful Raafat Al-Mihi, with… Farid Shawqi and Madiha Kamel, the movie (Kidnapped) with Kamal El-Shenawy and Laila Elwi, the movie (Bird on the Road) with Firdous Abdel Hamid, the movie (Behind the Sun) with Rushdi Abaza and Nadia Lotfy, and (Sons of Silence), and although his roles were not Absolute championships, but they were distinctive roles in Egyptian cinema.”
