Ahmed Zaki | |
|---|---|
| أحمد زكي | |
.jpg) Zaki in 1979 | |
| Born | Ahmed Zaki Metwally Abdelrahman Badawi (1949-11-18)18 November 1949 Zagazig, Sharqia, Egypt |
| Died | 27 March 2005(2005-03-27) (aged 55) 6th of October, Giza, Egypt |
| Other names | The Emperor |
| Alma mater | Cairo Higher Institute for Drama Studies |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, film producer |
| Years active | 1967–2005 |
| Spouse | Hala Fouad (1983–1986) |
| Children | Haitham Ahmed Zaki |
Ahmed Zaki Metwally Abdelrahman Badawi (Egyptian Arabic:أحمد زكى متولى عبد الرحمن بدوى; 18 November 1949 – 27 March 2005), known asAhmed Zaki (Egyptian Arabic:أحمد زكى), was anEgyptian film actor. He was characterized by histalent, skill, and ability inimpersonating. He was also famous for his on-screen intensity. Zaki is widely regarded as one of the most influential film actors in the history ofEgyptian film industry.[1][2]
Though he first appeared in a small role in a comedy play, he is widely regarded as one of the most talented male actors, especially in dramatic and tragic roles. Zaki worked in six films that have been listed in the Top 100 Egyptian films.[3][4] His first film role was inAbnaa Al-Samt (1974). Then he went on to co-star in major films such asAlexandria... Why? (1979) byYoussef Chahine andShafika and Metwali (1979) byAli Badrakhan, alongsideSoad Hosny who he starred with inA Dinner Date (1981). He also starred inI'm Not Lying But I'm Beautifying (1981) alongsideSalah Zulfikar. Zaki has starred in many commercially successful films, includingAl-Awwama rakm 70 (1982),The Black Tiger (1984),The Innocent (1986),El Beih El Bawwab (1987),Arba’a Fi Muhimma Rasmiya (1987),The Wife of an Important Man (1988),Kaboria (1990),El-Baydha Wal Hagar (1990),Al Embrator (1990),Escape (1991),Mr Karate (1993),Sawwaq el hanem (1993),Nasser 56 (1996),Esstakoza (1996),The Land of Fear (2000),The Days of Sadat (2001), andMa'ali al Wazir (2003).
Ahmed Zaki was born in the city ofZagazig, about 50 miles (80 km) north ofCairo, Egypt. He graduated from Zagazig's Crafts School in 1967 and then traveled to Cairo to study cinema before he graduated from theHigher Institute of Cinema in 1974.
Many of his films were written by screenwriterWahid Hamed and had a strong political message that exposedgovernmental andpolice corruption. He also starred in the famous 1985 television comedy musical seriesHowa wa Heya with actressSoad Hosny. Zaki also starred in a series of successfulaction movies during the mid-and late-1990s.
Two of his greatest successes were playing Egypt's presidents in two popular movies that became landmarks of Arabic cinema. He played presidentsGamal Abdel Nasser inNasser 56 (1996), a movie that centered on the fateful summer of 1956 when then-President Nasser nationalizing theSuez Canal, andAnwar Sadat in the movieThe Days of Sadat (2001) with directorMohamed Khan which he also produced. The movie depicted 40 years of the late president's life. He also had plans to play PresidentHosni Mubarak in a third movie. In the 1980s, Zaki had the chance to act alongsideSalah Zulfikar, the two starred together in two movies. He was also known for portraying prominent figures in Egyptian history likeTaha Hussein.
Zaki was seen as an icon and spokesperson for the average Egyptian youth; he was also considered the heir toFarid Shawki, the two starred together in two movies several years earlier. He was a known heavy smoker. Zaki had been in intensive care atDar Al Fouad Hospital inSixth of October City, just outsideCairo, and died of lung cancer complications, after presidentHosni Mubarak offered to send him to France for medical treatment at the government's expense and granted him theOrder of Merit for his work in over 50 movies.
A book about Zaki has been released under the title ofAhmad Zaki wa Symphoniet Ibda (Ahmad Zaki: A Symphonic Innovation Masterpiece). The book features details of his acting career and includes a compilation of articles by different critics, includingTarek El Shennawi,Mohammad Al Shafe’ee, andWaleed Saif.[5][6]
On November 18, 2020, Google celebrated his 71st birthday with aGoogle Doodle, which included boxing gloves to refer toAl Nimr Al Aswad (The Black Tiger), a crab forKaboria (The Crab), a camera forEdhak El-Sora Tetlaa’ Helwa (Smile, the Picture Will Come Out Fine), and the animals fromArba’a Fi Muhimma Rasmiya (Four on an Official Mission).[7][8][9]
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