Many years ago, eniGma had a recurring section named Face of the Future that featured the hottest actor or singer on the rise. While we’ve continued to feature many rising stars over the years, we’ve decided to bring back our Face of the Future feature on a regular basis; and we’re proud to restart with 25 year-old actress Reem Samy. Samy is fairly new to the entertainment industry, but has already taken part in three major Ramadan series, and does not plan to stop forging ahead any time soon. eniGma’s Ezz Al-Turkey sat down with Samy to discuss her fresh career and to get to know more about her journey in the industry.
Growing up, Reem Samy never really thought about acting and certainly never imagined she would pursue it as a career. After graduating from the British University in Cairo with a degree in Business Marketing, she worked in education, following her mother’s footsteps. In the meantime, her brother Mohamed Samy, was rising as a director and was steeped in the world of cinema and filmmaking. Through her brother, Samy began to gain a passion for the entertainment industry, specifically for acting, and she began taking acting courses, including one with Marwa Gabreel, the famous acting coach. Before she knew it, she was going to her first audition and landing her debut role as part of the cast of Lel Hob Forsa Akheera (Last Chance for Love), directed by Manal El Seify and starring Dalia Elbeheri. “That was my very first audition, and it was really nice and actually fun. I wanted to make a name for myself away from my brother, to see if I could make it on my own,” she recalls.
After seeing how well the audience received his little sister’s role in her debut series, Mohamed Samy decided to include her in his 2019 Ramadan project, Weld El Ghalaba (Son of the Unfortunates), starring Ahmed Elsaka. Samy was thrilled with the experience, especially with working side by side with the legendary Elsaka. “Elsaka is such a star, and yet he was always the first on set and was never late to shoots. He was so humble and down to earth; he knew every single person on set by name,” she recounts, adding, “I also got to work with Mai Omar, who is not just my sister-in-law, but my best friend. She’s my number one supporter and we have a very strong bond.”
This Ramadan, the Samy siblings are collaborating again in the Ramadan series, El Prince, starring superstar Mohamed Ramadan. Samy plays the role of Noura, Ramadan’s ambitious young sister who goes through different trials and tribulations that affect her life and personality over the course of the 30 episode series. “I love projects that discuss social problems. The story in El Prince is very relevant. It’s about siblings going to war against each other, which we often see in society. It’s written and directed very well, and the cast is just incredible,” boasts Samy. The A list cast of the series includes Nour, Ahmed Zaher, Rogena and Naglaa Badr. “I’m very lucky to have worked with these stars and I’ve learned a lot from each of them. It was a very tough show to work on and everyone worked very hard. What’s really fresh about this series is that there are no side characters, all characters are relevant and play a vital role in the story,” Samy recounts.
While Samy’s main interest is in drama with deep social commentary, she also wants to venture into other genres. “I really want to do an action role. Female-led action movies really attract me. Mona Zaki in Mafia, many years ago, was amazing and it really inspired me since I was a kid. I felt that I wanted to do what she was doing! The problem is that women don’t usually get proper roles in action films, but when they do, they pull it off so well,” says Samy excitedly.
While her passion now is acting, a trip to Samy’s Instagram page immediately tells you that she’s also a keen fashionista. “I love fashion so much; it’s my second passion. Actually one of my dreams is to have my own fashion brand that would be different and something that has never been done before. Since I was a little girl, I’ve had a passion for dressing up and styling clothes; and my friends tell me I’m very good at fashion. They all come to me for help with shopping,” says Samy, adding, “I think way down the road, when I’ve established myself as an actress, I may start my fashion brand. I will focus on acting now, but hopefully one day I can make that dream come true.”
With three major shows already under her belt and a fan-base that is on the rise, Samy has a bright future ahead. She is already in talks about a couple of new roles, which regrettably have been put on hold for the time being, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Samy is not complacent, however, about the road ahead. “When I decided that acting was what I wanted to do, I got very lucky and had these great opportunities come my way. But I have a very long way to go, and a lot more challenges that I’ll have to experience and live through,” she says in conclusion.
Photography by: Farah Hosny
Styled by: Eman Elkhameesi
Makeup by: Aya Abdelhamid
Hair by: Nael Beauty Salon
Outfit from Aila by Nour Fathallah
