Egyptian-American actor and presenter Bassem Youssef said that he was excluded from a role in the movie “Superman Legacy” by director James Gunn, due to his support for Palestine and his criticism of the Israeli occupation in an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan during the “Uncensored” program in October. The past, but sources close to the production confirmed to Deadline magazine that Youssef was not officially offered the role.
Youssef explained that he was told after meeting Morgan that the part in which the character he was nominated to appear was no longer in the film, which will be filmed at Warner Bros.’s DC studios, after changes were made in the script.
Cute and silly
Youssef sparked great controversy after he mocked the alleged humanity of the occupation army in his meeting with Morgan, when he said: “They said that Israel is the only military force in the world that warns civilians before bombing them.” “How nice and silly of them, because by this logic, if Russian forces started warning Ukrainians before bombing their homes, we would be cool with Putin, wouldn’t we?”
Youssef made headlines in artistic newspapers in the United States after his statements to Salon magazine during an interview with him, where he said: “In the United States of America, you can talk about Joe Biden and Donald Trump, but you cannot criticize a foreign government, which is sad.” Extremely, and this is what happened to me. I was chosen in the Superman movie, and then they told me: We changed the script after meeting Piers Morgan.”
Bassem Youssef continued, telling Salon magazine, “I can understand the logic of the officials at Warner Bros. who excluded me. As an Arab Muslim, if I were in their place, I would not accept to join the team of a film produced by someone who supports Israel, or attacks my people.” Youssef added. “What I need to clarify here is that when I attack Israel, I am attacking its policy, and I am not attacking the Jewish people.”
Morgan had conducted a television intervention with Youssef, who criticized the Israeli occupation, and also refuted the Western view of the Palestinian issue. Within a few days, the intervention achieved nearly 20 million views, and also sparked great controversy in the Western media.
A production source told the American website “IGN” that writer and director James Gunn had already held talks with Youssef to portray the character of “Roman Hragavti” in the movie “Superman Legacy”, but the character was completely dropped from the script, by September, before meeting Morgan.
After the IGN report was published, James Gunn shared it on the X and Thread platforms, with the comment, “This is accurate.”
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 16, 2024
The price
Youssef confirmed the loss that he says he suffered after criticizing the Israeli occupation publicly, saying: “Talking publicly about the actions of the Netanyahu administration in Gaza does not come without a price.” He explained that the official reason given to him was to change the scenario, but it coincided in timing with the expulsion of others in Hollywood because of their advocacy for Palestinian humanity.
The Egyptian actor admitted: “I felt a bit bitter about losing the role, and I was very sad.” However, Bassem said enthusiastically about the situation in Gaza: “The worst genocide” was happening before our eyes. He added: “No one is doing anything, and no one wants to.” “Do nothing to confront it.”
Henry Cavill as Superman (Warner Bros.)
Bassem Youssef participated in acting in 11 artistic works in the United States, the most famous of which is the series “Rami,” which takes place in New Jersey, where Rami, the son of Egyptian immigrants, begins a spiritual journey, divided between his Muslim community and his friends.
Bassem Youssef published two books, one of which is for children called “Nadia’s Tales.” He has been presenting comedy shows in Europe, the United States and Canada for years in small theaters, but he is currently preparing for theaters that can accommodate 3,000 people as a new step.
The Superman film series is considered the most famous cinematic series in the history of world cinema. The character Superman first appeared on cinema screens in 1941, then appeared in two film series in 1948 and 1950. He produced the first feature film featuring Superman as an independent hero, under the name “Superman and the Cowards,” starring George Reeves in 1951.
The number of films in the series is 11, and writer and director James Gunn is preparing the 12th film under the name “Superman: Legacy,” which will be shown in 2025. It revolves around Superman’s attempts to reconcile his heritage and human upbringing, his reality on Earth, and his attempts to embody truth and justice and create a tomorrow. Brighter in a world that views values as belonging to the past.
The character of Superman was portrayed by a number of actors, including Zack Snyder, Henry Cavill, Christopher Reeve, Tyler Hoechlin, Nicolas Cage, Tom Welling, and Brandon Routh.
