Khaled El Nabawi

Khaled El Nabawi is adept at talking about his achievements. From Youssef Chahine films to the President’s favourite play, El Nabawi has done it all (and can list it all in chronological order without pausing for breath). Yet the one role on the list that most Arab actors would spend an entire interview mulling over is the one El Nabawi chooses to skim right past. Starring in this year’s critically acclaimed Ridley Scott blockbuster Kingdom of Heaven, El Nabawi is one of the few Egyptian actors to make it to Hollywood. The dream role has thrown El Nabawi into the international spotlight, yet he’d much rather talk about his local achievements. As he likes to reiterate, his local roles made him, and they are the ones that will sustain him.

Yet when he leans in and looks you straight in the eye, demonstrating the concentration and focus he’s learnt from the great directors he has worked with, his Hollywood charisma is tangible. You can’t help but feel that, despite his love for Egypt, El Nabawi might be getting a little too big for this particular pond. He admits to having received several international offers, all of which he is currently considering. Could El Nabawi be the first Egyptian actor since Omar Sherif to gain international recognition? Enigma had the opoortunity to sit down with Khaled to talk about his achievements, ambitions and of course the ‘Hollywood life’…

How and why did you become and actor?
From early on I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I joined the Arts Academy and studied both acting and directing, graduating in 1989. I’ve been through a lot of phases throughout my acting career. I’ve gone from being an unknown actor to one that people talk about. This happened after I starred in the TV series Bawabet El Halawany (The Halawany Gate), which was big hit. After the film Al Mohager (The Emigrant), I went from being a well-known actor to big star. Then I did Al Ganzeer (The Chain), which was a very successful play. Even the president of Egypt used to invite his foreign guests to watch the play. We’ve had people like the Sultan of Kaboos in the audience and Dr. Ossama El Baz. Another turning point for me was working with Youssef Chahine and Karim Diaa El Din on the films Al Massir (Destiny) and Ismaileya Rayeh Gay (Ismaileya Coming and Going) respectively. Its funny, this all happened exactly how I dreamed it would.

On what basis do you select your roles?
I am very selective by nature. If I don’t differentiate myself then can’t succeed. This is why I always play a different type of role in every new film.

You’re one those actors who are lucky enough to have worked with the great Egyptian director Youssef Chahine. How did that collaboration come about?
It all started when he spotted me acting in the Faust play in my fourth year at the academy. He gave me a small role in Al Qahera Manawara be Ahaleeh. (Cairo Is Lit By Its People). He then offered me the role in Al Mohager (The Emigrant). At that time I had just finished my TV series Bawabet El Halawany (The Halawany Gate) and already had three other films offers. But I read the first forty scenes of Al Mohager and immediately decided to take the role. Before we started filming, Chahine told me that if I was planning to work with him for the money or the fame then I should just leave.

How has working with Chahine influenced you as an actor?
Chahine helped me develop my concentration. He taught me to focus on what’s in front of me and not be aware of anything else. This allows me to live in the moment or else the moment will be lost.

How does a local Egyptian actor land a part in the big Hollywood blockbuster Kingdom of Heaven?
I have Nashwa El Roweiny to thank for that. She was responsible for the whole thing. She runs an agency for Arab actors. She sent a tape of me auditioning for the part to the director Ridley Scott and luckily he chose me. I then had to travel to Spain for another casting session during which I met Scott for half an hour and that’s when I got the part.

Why do you think you were chosen over other Arab actors?
Well, you’ll have to ask Ridley Scott!

Tell us more about your role in Kingdom of Heaven and how you prepared for it…
I was playing one of Salah El Din’s aids and essentially I was portraying the “voice of Islam.” I felt a lot of pride being there as a Muslim. I also reread the historical part of the crusades to refresh my memory. My main struggle was the language. I speak English, but the rhythm of the language was challenging. I had to work hard to make it believable.

Tell us about your relationship with Ridley Scott and your Hollywood colleagues…
We had a good working relationship. He’s very friendly, helpful and generous in giving information. All the actors were very helpful, intellectual and cultured. I didn’t feel like a stranger at all. I got along with them instantly. On the first day of filming in Spain I met Liam Neeson and Jeremy Irons and they were very friendly. Neeson knew that the next day was my first day of shooting, so he started telling me about Scott to make me feel comfortable. I was very touched. And everything he said about Scott was completely true! After the premier a lot of the cast members came and congratulated me on my performance. They were all really sweet.

What is your favourite scene in Kingdom of Heaven?
After the Muslims win the war and I tell Salah El Din, “God has favoured us with victory.” It was fantastic. Religious people were very effective in that era and they always will be.

From your point of view, was Islam fairly represented in the film?
Absolutely without a doubt! I felt that Islam had been fairly represented for the very first time in an international movie.

As an Egyptian, what did you do to serve and commemorate Egypt’s memory on set?
I asked the Egyptian publishing house Dar El Shorouk to provide me with translated copies of Naguib Mahfouz’s books. I took a huge box with me and distributed them to everyone.

Tell us about the film’s international premiers, how did it feel to be on that iconic red carpet?
I attended both premieres in London and New York and I was amazed! I was taken from the hotel to the premier in a very big car. I started wondering what the other actors’ cars must have been and later discovered they were all the same. An agent acted as our tour guide and accompanied me from the hotel and all through the event. Every second he phoned another agent at the premier to get updated on what was going on, and who is on the red carpet at that moment. The car doors opened and I landed directly on the red carpet with fans on one side and photographers on the other. To be honest I felt very self-conscious on the red carpet.

How has your life changed since working on Kingdom of Heaven?
I’m the same and my life is the same. When I finish a movie I forget all about it and I concentrate on what’s coming next.

So what is coming up next?
I’m busy shooting my latest film Zay El Hawa (Like Air) directed by Akram Farid and written by Ahmed Abdel Fattah. After that, I’ll keep my eyes open for the next challenging opportunity ahead!