profile

    Ahmed Zaki

    1949-11-18 (74 years old) in Zagazig, Egypt

    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.

    Movies

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    Days of El Sadat
    79 %|Jun 26, 2001
    History, Drama
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    Land of Fear
    66 %|Mar 15, 2000
    Drama, Crime
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    The Third Man
    0 %|May 10, 1995
    Drama
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    Al Basha
    70 %|Nov 1, 1993
    Action, Drama, Thriller
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    Mr. Karate
    54 %|Mar 24, 1993
    Drama
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    Against the Government
    82 %|Jun 11, 1992
    Drama
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    The Shepherd and the Women
    58 %|Oct 14, 1991
    Drama
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    The Escape
    69 %|Apr 16, 1991
    Action, Drama, Crime, Thriller
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    The Egg and the Stone
    70 %|Apr 26, 1990
    Comedy, Drama, Thriller
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    Dreams of Hind and Camilia
    66 %|Apr 7, 1988
    Drama
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    The Wife of an Important Man
    80 %|Jan 11, 1988
    Drama
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    Four On An Official Mission
    57 %|May 28, 1987
    Comedy, Drama
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    The Beginning
    79 %|Aug 15, 1986
    Adventure, Comedy, Drama
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    Market of The Fish
    51 %|Jan 12, 1986
    Drama
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    Love Above Pyramid's Plateau
    71 %|Jan 2, 1986
    Drama, Romance
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    The Innocent
    74 %|Jan 2, 1986
    Drama
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    Black Tiger
    69 %|Jun 13, 1984
    Action, Romance
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    Jail Cell
    70 %|Jan 2, 1984
    Drama
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    A Dinner Date
    76 %|Nov 16, 1981
    Drama, Romance
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    Sleepless Eyes
    45 %|Oct 5, 1981
    Drama
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    A Bird on the Road
    80 %|Sep 14, 1981
    Drama
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    Alexandria… Why?
    62 %|Aug 23, 1979
    Drama, War
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    No Longer Kids
    77 %|Jul 8, 1979
    Drama, TV Movie, Comedy
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    Shafiqa and Metwally
    67 %|Nov 27, 1978
    Drama, History, Music
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    Star Maker
    0 %|Nov 14, 1977
    Drama
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    Sons of Silence
    0 %|Nov 16, 1974
    Drama, War
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    Bedour
    0 %|Oct 14, 1974
    Drama
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    The School of Mischief
    85 %|Jun 15, 1973
    Comedy
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    My Son
    0 %|Nov 6, 1972
    Crime, Drama
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    Hello Shalaby
    95 %|Aug 13, 1969
    Comedy
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    Cairo in a Thousand Years
    0 %|Jan 1, 1969
    Music
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    Victims Hotel
    0 %|Invalid Date
    Drama, Thriller
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    Halim
    70 %|Jul 12, 2006
    Drama, Music, Romance
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    His Excellency the Minister
    76 %|Dec 5, 2002
    Drama
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    Smile, The Photo Comes Out Better
    68 %|Nov 24, 1998
    Romance, Drama
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    The Champion
    0 %|Apr 7, 1997
    Drama
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    Hassan Ellol
    0 %|Feb 19, 1997
    Action, Crime
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    An Affair
    60 %|Sep 23, 1996
    Drama, Romance
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    Nasser 56
    64 %|Aug 5, 1996
    Drama, History
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    Abo Dahab
    50 %|Apr 26, 1996
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    Lobster
    53 %|Feb 20, 1996
    Drama, Comedy
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    Hysteria
    70 %|Jan 28, 1996
    Drama, Comedy
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    The Lady's Driver
    53 %|Dec 12, 1993
    Comedy, Drama
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    Al Makhtufa
    50 %|Apr 16, 1991
    Drama
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    The Emperor
    55 %|Nov 19, 1990
    Crime, Drama
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    Kaborya
    60 %|Aug 27, 1990
    Drama, Comedy, Music
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    One Woman Is Not Enough
    0 %|Jan 1, 1990
    Drama
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    Welad Eleih
    90 %|Jan 30, 1989
    Crime, Thriller
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    The Third Class
    40 %|Jul 24, 1988
    Comedy, Drama
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    The Bey Doorman
    64 %|Aug 31, 1987
    Family, Comedy, Drama
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    Saad the Orphan
    0 %|Jan 1, 1985
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    The promised night
    70 %|Sep 1, 1984
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    The Dancer & the Drummer
    65 %|Feb 27, 1984
    Drama
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    Albarnas
    100 %|Jan 1, 1984
    Drama
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    The Addict
    55 %|Dec 19, 1983
    poster
    Precausion is Mandatory
    50 %|Oct 10, 1983
    Drama
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    Alley of Love
    57 %|Jul 11, 1983
    Drama
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    Houseboat No. 70
    70 %|Apr 22, 1982
    Mystery, Crime
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    Bloody Destinies
    0 %|Jan 27, 1982
    Drama, War
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    I'm not lying, I'm sugar coating
    75 %|Jan 1, 1981
    Drama, Romance
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    Al-Batniyya
    60 %|Aug 25, 1980
    Drama, Crime, Action
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    Waraa Al-Shams
    70 %|Sep 3, 1978
    Drama
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    Life is a Moment
    0 %|Sep 3, 1978
    Drama, War
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    Trouble rioters
    0 %|Jan 1, 1973
    Comedy

    Series

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    He and She Stories
    70 %|May 20, 1985
    Drama, Family, Comedy
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    الصراع
    0 %|Oct 15, 1980
    Drama
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    The Days
    0 %|Jan 1, 1979
    poster
    Men Agl Walady
    0 %|Invalid Date
    Drama