Ahmed Zaki

Ahmed Zaki

  • Birthday: 1949-11-18
  • Deathday: 2005-03-27
  • Place of birth: Zagazig, Egypt
  • Also know as: أحمد زكي

Biography

Ahmed Zaki (November 18, 1949 - March 27, 2005) was a leading Egyptian film actor who was characterized by his talent, skill, and ability to impersonate. Dubbed "The Emperor", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest male actors in the Arab world. Zaki has starred in six films that have been listed in the Top 100 Egyptian films. Ahmed Zaki was born to a poor family in Sharqia, Egypt. His father died a few years after his birth, his mother remarried, and he was brought up to live with his grandfather. Zaki fell in love with acting when he was still in school, his headmaster saw his creative ability and pushed him to follow his passion. He would later travel to Cairo and earn his degree from the Cairo Higher Institute for Drama Studies in 1974. While studying, he first debuted in the stage play Hello Shalaby (1969). He also starred in very successful comedy plays such as School of Mischief (1973) and No Longer Kids (1979). Early in his career, he struggled with producers and directors as they believed he did not have the appearance to appeal to audiences. When he got objected by the film distributor to star in Al Karnak (1975) after he was cast as the character Ismail, he entered a severe depression. He did not overcome it until after poet and playwright Salah Jahin supported him, as Jahin was convinced of his talent and would later write films and a TV show Zaki starred in. Many of his films had a strong political message that exposed governmental and police corruption. Two of his greatest successes were playing Egypt's presidents in two popular movies that became landmarks of Arabic cinema. He played Gamal Abdel Nasser in Nasser 56 (1996) and Anwar Sadat in Days of Sadat (2001). He also portrayed other prominent Egyptian figures such as writer Taha Hussien. Zaki was a method actor who immersed himself profoundly in his roles, absorbing every aspect of the character he was portraying whether he was fictional or real in origin. In 1983, he married actress Hala Fouad but the marriage did not last. She gave birth to his only son Haitham Zaki in 1984, who would also grow up to be an actor until his sudden and tragic death in 2019. His former wife died in 1993 after a battle with breast cancer. He was a known heavy smoker. In 2005, Ahmed Zaki died of lung cancer during the shooting of Sherif Arafa's biography Halim (2006), in which he portrayed the legendary singer Abdel Halim Hafez, a role he's always dreamed to play. His son Haitham was roped in to fill the scenes and play the lead on behalf of his father. Years after his passing, he is remembered with great reverence and fondness within the film industry and outside it, his contributions seen as monumental by his contemporaries as well as the generations that followed.

Filmography

No Longer Kids

1979

As Kamal

The Egg and the Stone

1990

As Mustataa Al-Taazi

Shafiqa and Metwally

1978

As Metwally

A Dinner Date

1981

As Shoukry

Black Tiger

1984

As Mohammad Hasan Al Masri

Alexandria… Why?

1979

As Ibrahim

Against the Government

1992

As Mustafa Khalaf

Mr. Karate

1993

As صلاح عبدالراضى

Sleepless Eyes

1981

As Ismail

Days of El Sadat

2001

As Anwar El Sadat

A Bird on the Road

1981

As Fares

Sons of Silence

1974

As Mahmoud

The Escape

1991

As Montaser Abdel Ghaffar

Al Basha

1993

As Hazem El-Shennawy

The Innocent

1986

As Ahmad Saba' Al Lail

The Shepherd and the Women

1991

As حسن عبدالراضي

Market of The Fish

1986

As Ahmed Abo Kamel

The Beginning

1986

As Adel

Land of Fear

2000

As Yehia / Adam

Nasser 56

1996

As Gamal Abdel Nasser

The Bey Doorman

1987

As Abdel Samea

Albarnas

1984

As Yousef Osman

The Champion

1997

As

His Excellency the Minister

2002

As Ra'fat Rostom

Hysteria

1996

As Zein

Houseboat No. 70

1982

As Ahmed Al-Shazly

Halim

2006

As

The Emperor

1990

As Zeinhom

Al-Batniyya

1980

As

Alley of Love

1983

As Abdulaziz

Kaborya

1990

As Hassan Hodhod

The Lady's Driver

1993

As حماده

Lobster

1996

As Abbas Al-Antil

Abo Dahab

1996

As

One Woman Is Not Enough

1990

As Hossam Mounir

An Affair

1996

As Salah

Hassan Ellol

1997

As Hassan Ragheb Al-Minshawi (Hassan Al-Loul)

Welad Eleih

1989

As Zaki Al-Homsani

The Third Class

1988

As سرور

Trouble rioters

1973

As Sayed

I'm not lying, I'm sugar coating

1981

As Ibrahim Saleh

The Addict

1983

As Khaled Abdel Hamid

Al Makhtufa

1991

As Hussein

Waraa Al-Shams

1978

As Essam

Life is a Moment

1978

As Abdulaziz Siraj

Bloody Destinies

1982

As Kheir

Bedour

1974

As Saeed

My Son

1972

As عصفور

Jail Cell

1984

As Magdy

Star Maker

1977

As Mamdouh

Production

Days of El Sadat

2001

As Producer

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