Nasser 2017
by Sherif Awad
Regardless of the positive and negative criticism that El-Gamaa
2 received, the serial attracted many viewers across the Arab world and
Egypt given its strong script and top performances reminiscent of perfect
casting. One of the actors who excelled in the serial was the Jordanian Yasser
El-Masry who embodied the role of Egyptian president Nasser with great skills.
An interview:
ET: Can you tell us about your background and your first
interest in arts?
YM: I was born in Kuwait where I grew up in its schools. Then,
I and my family returned to our home country Jordan in the year 1990. I was nineteen
years-old. My childhood was like any other child: I grew up under the guidance
of both a loving father and a mother who raised me and my six siblings on tolerance,
patience and diligence. God bless them… My journey with folk arts and folklore started
on stage when I was sixteenth years-old. Accidentally, I was a substitute for a
major actor at the Second Festival for Youth Theater that was organized by the
Jordanian Ministry of Culture. It was my first major theatrical appearance in
1993, a journey that lasted for more than twenty years until the year 2007 ...
And so, between the two paths in folk art and theater I performed up to 40 roles
in serious plays. In 1996, I ventured into TV with my serial debut entitled Ors
El-Sakkr (The Wedding Falcon) directed by Ahmed Deaibes to whom I owe my introduction
to the world of television. So far, we worked together in five more TV serials
that I am proud of.
ET: How did your music studies influenced your practice
as an actor?
YM: There is no doubt that both my study of music my
specialization in folk arts were scientific bases for my future practice that
helped me to gain experience until acting became the predominating art in my
life.
ET: You worked with many important TV directors during
the last twenty years. Which you consider the most important stops in your
career?
YM: Honestly, if I talked about the many artistic experiences
that I had with those directors who are starts in the world of television, many
pages would not suffice to express the extent of benefit in shaping my artistic
tools. No doubt, there were many stops that characterized my beginnings across Jordan and the Arabian Gulf including my
starring as the title character of the 2007 serial Nemr bin Adwan whose
positive reception is still echoing in the minds of audience. Produced by the Arab
Telemedia Group Talal Awamleh in Jordan, the serial was the start of further
collaboration with another historical serial: Malek Ibn El-Reib directed
by Mohamed Lotfy.
ET: How do you qualify your co-starring role in the 2011 Egyptian
film Kaf El-Kamar by Khaled Youssef?
This film came when I was looking for a new artistic
adventure after many years in TV drama. I did not think that my gateway to
Egypt would be with a first high-class like Khaled Youssef. Acting in the film
was like added years of experience to my career given its production values and
the great ensemble cast. In performing my character Dahi and El-Kott, I learned
how to build the history of the character in flesh, blood and feelings.
This film had a special methodology with its premise about
five Upper-Egyptian brothers who went separate ways. As written by Nasser Abdel
Rahman and directed by Khaled Youssef, I think that my casting in the film has
put me on the Egyptian art map which reflected the importance of cultural
exchange between Arab countries. I must also pay tribute to the late and great
star of the film Khaled Saleh who was also keen on my success being a great brother
on and off screen. God bless his soul…
In 2014, I returned to Egypt with the Ramadan serial Dahsha
starring Yehia El-Fakharany as a character loosely based on Shakespeare’s King
Lear. It was a great acting experience playing the character Abou El-Yazeid
against the character of Rabha, played by the great Hanan Motawe.
ET: How did you get your casting call for the role of
Egyptian president Nasser in last Ramadan’s El-Gamaa 2? Did you have
worries about comparisons with previous actors who approached the same role on
film or TV?
YM: It was the great scriptwriter Waheed Hamed who nominated
me for the role of president Gamal Abdel Nasser… Of course, I have watched the
previous actors who played Nasser including the late and great Ahmed Zaky who
made a great impression full of honesty and sincerity. All these actors had a
good impact on Arab audience as they have been very close to bringing back this
great character.
As for me, I got the script of El-Gamaa 2 fifty days
before the start of the shooting. Hence, my research focused on the previous
performances without feeling worried, concerned or tensed. I studied the text
that had great dramatic details based on history. To portray the character, we
researched the physical details and various Nasser’s moments: his calm,
serenity, anger and emotion in each scene, which intertwined with the whole text.
I must acknowledge the efforts made by the director of the serial Sherif
El-Bendary and our acting coaches Osama Barakat and Youssef Noman who helped me
to perfect the accent and the tone of Nasser. After watching many videos,
speeches, events and documentaries and reading many newspaper clippings, I
think that I have succeeded in impersonating the spirit of Nasser to a large
extent.
When shooting started, all the actors including myself have
already learned their lines like we used to do on theater. I must also mention
that makeup artist Mohamed Fahmy and director of photography Victor Credi made
me get closer and closer to Nasser. El-Gamaa 2 had many difficult scenes
written with heavy caliber even those scenes without dialogue. The most
difficult, were El-Manshiyeh scenes when the attempt on Nasser’s life took
place and the final Nasser scenes of the last episode.