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Ahmed Zaki‌

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1949-11-18

Popularity

star1.2

Ahmed Zaki

Zagazig, Egypt

Ahmed Zaki

Zagazig, Egypt

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1949-11-18

Popularity

star1.2

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.

Movie Credits

Jail Cell

Jail Cell‌
star7.0
calendar 1984

No Longer Kids

No Longer Kids‌
star7.7
calendar 1979

Bedour

Bedour‌
star0.0
calendar 1974

The School of Mischief

The School of Mischief‌
star8.5
calendar 1973

Star Maker

Star Maker‌
star0.0
calendar 1977

My Son

My Son‌
star0.0
calendar 1972

Hello Shalaby

Hello Shalaby‌
star9.5
calendar 1969

Cairo in a Thousand Years

Cairo in a Thousand Years‌
star0.0
calendar 1969

Victims Hotel

Victims Hotel‌
star0.0
calendar

Shafiqa and Metwally

Shafiqa and Metwally‌
star6.7
calendar 1978

The Wife of an Important Man

The Wife of an Important Man‌
star8.0
calendar 1988

Land of Fear

Land of Fear‌
star6.6
calendar 2000

Days of El Sadat

Days of El Sadat‌
star7.9
calendar 2001

Black Tiger

Black Tiger‌
star6.9
calendar 1984

Al Basha

Al Basha‌
star7.0
calendar 1993

Against the Government

Against the Government‌
star8.2
calendar 1992

Sons of Silence

Sons of Silence‌
star0.0
calendar 1974

The Shepherd and the Women

The Shepherd and the Women‌
star5.8
calendar 1991

Market of The Fish

Market of The Fish‌
star5.1
calendar 1986

The Third Man

The Third Man‌
star0.0
calendar 1995

Mr. Karate

Mr. Karate‌
star5.4
calendar 1993

Four On An Official Mission

Four On An Official Mission‌
star5.7
calendar 1987

The Escape

The Escape‌
star6.9
calendar 1991

A Dinner Date

A Dinner Date‌
star7.6
calendar 1981

A Bird on the Road

A Bird on the Road‌
star8.0
calendar 1981

The Egg and the Stone

The Egg and the Stone‌
star7.0
calendar 1990

Sleepless Eyes

Sleepless Eyes‌
star4.5
calendar 1981

Alexandria… Why?

Alexandria… Why?‌
star6.2
calendar 1979

Dreams of Hind and Camilia

Dreams of Hind and Camilia‌
star6.6
calendar 1988

Love Above Pyramid's Plateau

Love Above Pyramid's Plateau‌
star7.1
calendar 1986

The Beginning

The Beginning‌
star7.9
calendar 1986

The Innocent

The Innocent‌
star7.4
calendar 1986

Nasser 56

Nasser 56‌
star6.4
calendar 1996

The Bey Doorman

The Bey Doorman‌
star6.4
calendar 1987

Albarnas

Albarnas‌
star10.0
calendar 1984

The Dancer & the Drummer

The Dancer & the Drummer‌
star6.5
calendar 1984

The Champion

The Champion‌
star0.0
calendar 1997

Houseboat No. 70

Houseboat No. 70‌
star7.0
calendar 1982

Halim

Halim‌
star7.0
calendar 2006

His Excellency the Minister

His Excellency the Minister‌
star7.6
calendar 2002

The Emperor

The Emperor‌
star5.5
calendar 1990

Al-Batniyya

Al-Batniyya‌
star6.0
calendar 1980

Alley of Love

Alley of Love‌
star5.7
calendar 1983

Smile, The Photo Comes Out Better

Smile, The Photo Comes Out Better‌
star6.8
calendar 1998

Hysteria

Hysteria‌
star7.0
calendar 1996

Kaborya

Kaborya‌
star6.0
calendar 1990

The Lady's Driver

The Lady's Driver‌
star5.3
calendar 1993

Lobster

Lobster‌
star5.3
calendar 1996

Abo Dahab

Abo Dahab‌
star5.0
calendar 1996

One Woman Is Not Enough

One Woman Is Not Enough‌
star0.0
calendar 1990

An Affair

An Affair‌
star6.0
calendar 1996

Hassan Ellol

Hassan Ellol‌
star0.0
calendar 1997

Welad Eleih

Welad Eleih‌
star9.0
calendar 1989

The Third Class

The Third Class‌
star4.0
calendar 1988

Trouble rioters

Trouble rioters‌
star0.0
calendar 1973

I'm not lying, I'm sugar coating

I'm not lying, I'm sugar coating‌
star7.5
calendar 1981

The promised night

The promised night‌
star7.0
calendar 1984

The Addict

The Addict‌
star5.5
calendar 1983

Precausion is Mandatory

Precausion is Mandatory‌
star5.0
calendar 1983

Al Makhtufa

Al Makhtufa‌
star5.0
calendar 1991

Waraa Al-Shams

Waraa Al-Shams‌
star0.0
calendar 1978

Saad the Orphan

Saad the Orphan‌
star0.0
calendar 1985

Life is a Moment

Life is a Moment‌
star0.0
calendar 1978

Bloody Destinies

Bloody Destinies‌
star0.0
calendar 1982

Tv Credits

The man who lost his memory twice

The man who lost his memory twice‌
star0.0
calendar 1981

The Days

The Days‌
star0.0
calendar 1979

إصلاحية جبل الليمون

إصلاحية جبل الليمون‌
star0.0
calendar 1979

Men Agl Walady

Men Agl Walady‌
star0.0
calendar

He and She Stories

He and She Stories‌
star7.0
calendar 1985

الصراع

الصراع‌
star0.0
calendar 1980