If someone is stealing the scene lately it’s Hassan Malek, the young star who went from playing a sensitive teen with eating disorders to one racking up body counts while on a fraud mission. eniGma’s Nouran Deyab sat down with the rising star to find out more about his quirky personality and what he’s up to lately while sharing a couple of laughs along the way.
Hassan Malek has made a name for himself in the industry with his diverse roles, from his first role as the wise young Mazen in Le’bet El Nesyan (A Game of Forgetfulness) to his most recent role in the Shahid VIP series Bimbo as Shady the not so innocent gamer. Although he is still young and at the beginning of his acting career, Malek knows exactly what to look for when selecting his roles, “The most important factors for me when deciding on a role are the cast, the story and the director,” says Malek, recalling how he felt when he was first offered the script for Bimbo, “Everything from the beginning was encouraging to me. Amr Salama was directing, and the cast included my brother, Wegz and Huda El Mufti. I already wanted to accept the offer before even reading the script. Then when I read it, I just had to go for it,” he adds.
Known to have an interest in psychology, the human mind and mental health, Malek likes to recount his experience being part of a panel at the Medfest Festival, a four-day festival colliding both the entertainment and mental health industries that he took part in earlier this year. “For me, it’s important to understand the people around me, and psychology plays a huge factor in that. Before the panel discussion, I was scared and worried because I’m no expert. Then I came to realize that I didn’t have to be right; I was there just as a guy expressing my personal perspective. I wasn’t there to advise anyone. So I’m actually really happy that I got the chance to take part in the Medfest Festival,” he explains. He adds that it’s crucial for anyone in the entertainment industry to take care of their mental health, especially since they are always subject to criticism. However, he notes that criticism actually encourages him to always put his best foot forward.
Malek’s quirky and dorky side, for which he is known, appeared when he began talking about his interest in non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and goes on expounding what sounds like a mini NFT 101 course. “If I wasn’t acting I would have my own business in NFTs,” Malek eagerly proclaims. But that isn’t the only thing Malek finds interest in. He explains how google is his world for searching up the most random things, including recipes! “I try cooking here and there,” he admits. “I once cooked steak for myself and a friend of mine. His was perfectly cooked, and mine was almost raw. I couldn’t tell with my first bite because it was quite dark when we were eating!”
Aside from careers, he might stumble on while on google, Malek reveals that he has a movie coming up pretty soon. “I’m working on a movie now but I can’t discuss anything about it just yet,” he explains. Asked about what he looks forward to in the future, Malek is quick to say, “I really want to work with Mohamed Mamdouh, Karim Abdel Aziz, Maged El Kedwany and director Marwan Hamed.”
Stylist: Ahmed Nabil
Production house: Aliens Films
Location: Grand Nile Tower
Photography by Mohamed Azema