Ahmed Zaki (actor)

Ahmed Zaki Metwally Abdelrahman Badawi ( ar, أحمد زكي متولي عبد الرحمن بدوي; 18 November 1949 – 27 March 2005), usually known as Ahmed Zaki ( ar, أحمد زكي), was an Egyptian film actor. He was characterized by his talent, skill, and ability in impersonating. He was also famous for his on-screen intensity. Though he first appeared in a small role within a comedy play, he is widely regarded as one of the most talented male actors, especially in dramatic and tragedy roles. Zaki has six films in the Top 100 Egyptian films list.

Early days

Ahmed Zaki was born in the city of Zagazig, about north of Cairo, Egypt. He graduated from Zagazig's Crafts School in 1967, and then traveled to Cairo to study cinema before he graduated from the Cairo Higher Institute for Drama Studies in 1974.

Highlights

Many of his films were written by screenwriter Wahid Hamed and had a strong political message that exposed governmental and police corruption. He also starred in the famous 1980s television comedy musical series ''Howa we heya'' with actress Soad Hosny. Zaki also starred in a series of successful action 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 presidents Gamal Abdel Nasser in ''Nasser 56'', a movie that centered on the fateful summer of 1956 when then-President Nasser nationalizing the Suez Canal, and Anwar Sadat in the movie '' The Days of Sadat'' (2001) with director Mohamed Khan which he also produced. The movie depicted 40 years of the late president's life. He also had plans to play president Hosni Mubarak in a third movie. In 1980s, Zaki had the chance to act alongside Salah Zulfikar who was nicknamed ''Al-Abqary'' ("The Genius" – a reference to his popularity among Egyptians for combining success in both acting and film production), the two starred together in two movies. He was also known for portraying prominent characters in Egyptian history like Taha Hussein.

Zaki was seen as an icon and spokesperson for the average Egyptian youth; he was also considered the heir to Farid Shawki who was nicknamed ''Malek El Terso'' ("The King of the Third Class" – a reference to his popularity among the poor, who bought third-class seats in movie theatres) in an Egyptian magazine. The two starred together in two movies several years earlier.

He was a known heavy smoker. Zaki had been in intensive care at Dar Al Fouad Hospital in Sixth of October City, just outside Cairo, and died of lung cancer complications, after president Hosni Mubarak offered to send him to France for medical treatment at the government's expense and granted him the Merit of Arts award for his work in over 50 movies.

A book about Zaki has been released under the title of ''Ahmad 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, including Tareq Al Shinawi, Mohammad Al Shafe’ee and Waleed Saif.

Tribute

On November 18, 2020, Google celebrated his 71st birthday with a Google Doodle, which included boxing gloves to refer to Al Nimr Al Aswad (The Black Tiger), a crab for Kaboria (The Crab), a camera for Edhak El-Sora Tetlaa’ Helwa (Smile, the Picture Will Come Out Fine), and the animals from Arba’a Fi Muhimma Rasmiya (Four on an Official Mission).

Filmography in order of release dates

*1974: ''Abnaa Al-Samt'' (''The Children of Silence'') – Mahmoud
*1978: ''El Omr Lahza'' (''Life is a Moment'')
*1979: '' Alexandria... Why?'' – Ibrahim
*1979: ''Shafika and Metwali''
*1980: ''Al Batneyya'' – Safrot
*1981: ''Maowid ala ashaa'' – Shukri
*1981: '' Ana La Aktheb Wlakenani Atajaml'' – Ibrahim
*1981: ''Taer ala el tariq'' – Fares
*1981: ''Oyun la tanam''
*1982: ''El-akdar el-damia'' – Kher
*1982: '
*1983: ''Darb El Hawa'' – Abdel Aziz
*1983: ''El Ehteyat Wageb'' – Hassan
*1983: ''Al modmen''
*1984: "El-nemr El'eswed" (The Black Tiger) - Muhammed Hassan
*1984: ''El-Raqesah wa el-Tabbal'' – Abdo
*1984: ''El Lela AL Mawooda'' – Fathi
*1984: ''The Prince'' – Prince Yousef Othman Basha
*1984: ''Al-Takhshiba'' – Majdy El Douski
*1985: ''Saad El Yateem'' – Zakaria
*1985: ''Howa wa heya'' (''Him & Her'') (TV Mini-Series) – Afifi Abu Al Naja / Mahrous Al Dishnawi Shawqi / Moonis Khalil / Majdi / Metwalli / Nader / Khaled / Medhat / Jalal
*1986: '' Shader al-samak'' – Ahmad Abu Kamel
*1986: ''Love on the Pyramids Plateau''
*1986: ''Al Bedaya'' (''The Beginning'')
*1986: '' The Innocent'' – Ahmad Saba' Al Layl
*1987: ''Arba’a Fi Muhimma Rasmiya'' – Anwar
*1987: ''Al Makhtufa'' – Hussien
*1987: ''The Wife of an Important Man'' – Hesham
*1987: ''El Beih El Bawwab'' – Abdulsamee
*1988: ''Monsieur le directeur''
*1988: '' Al-Darga Al-Thalitha'' (''The third Class'') – Sorour
*1988: ''Dreams of Hind and Camilia'' – Eid
*1988: ''Escape'' – Montaser Abdel Ghafour
*1989: ''Those Guys'' – Zaki Al Humsani
*1990: ''One Woman Is Not Enough'' – Hussam
*1990: '' Kaboria'' – Hassan Hudhud
*1990: ''El-Baydha Wal Hagar'' – Mustataa
*1990: ''Al Embrator'' – Zeinhom Abdel-Haq
*1990: ''Al Beh Al bawab'' (''The Rich guard'')
*1991: ''El heroob'' – Montaser
*1991: ''Al-Ra'i wal Nisaa'' (''The Shepherd and the Women'')
*1992: ''Dhid el hokouma'' – Mustafa Khalaf
*1992: ''Al Basha'' – Hazem El Shennawy
*1993: ''Sawwaq el hanem'' – Hamada
*1993: ''Mr Karate''
*1994: ''Al ragol al talet''
*1996: ''Esstakoza'' – Abbass
*1996: ''Abo Dahab'' – Abo Dahab
*1996: ''Nasser 56'' – Gamal Abdul Nasser
*1996: ''Nazwa''
*1996: ''Hysteria''
*1997: ''Hassan Ellol'' (''Hassan'') – Hassan
*1998: ''El Batal'' (''The Hero'')
*1998: ''Edhak El-Sora Tetlaa’ Helwa'' (''Smile to make the photo looks good'', Sherif Arafa) – Sayed Gharib
*2000: ''Ard el khof'' (''The Land of Fear'') – Yehia
*2001: ''Ayyam El Sadat'' (''The Days of Sadat'', Mohamed Khan) – President Anwar El Sadat
*2003: ''Ma'ali al Wazir'' – Ra'fat Rostom
*2005–2006: ''Halim'' (directed by Sherif Arafa) – Abdel Halim Hafez (final film role)

See also

* Top 100 Egyptian films
*List of Egyptian films of the 1980s
*List of Egyptian films of the 1990s
* Salah Zulfikar filmography
* Soad Hosny filmography

References

External links

*

Ahram Weekly, 31 March – 6 April 2005

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zaki, Ahmed
1949 births
2005 deaths
Egyptian male television actors
Deaths from lung cancer in Egypt
Egyptian male film actors
Egyptian Muslims
People from Zagazig