The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Eyad Nassar has the spotlight on him these days, with his work on the recent cinematic releases “El Mamar” and “Casablanca”, as well as anticipated sequels like Awlad Rezk 2, and El Feel Azrak 2.

We recently had the chance to interview Nassar, and we were fortunate enough to receive some fascinating and exclusive details regarding all his recent work in Egyptian cinema.

We started by asking Nassar about how he was he able to star in five movies with such close release dates:

“While El Mamar and Casablanca hit theatres in Eid, both movies were not filmed simultaneously. Between each of the cinematic works, there was a considerable gap. It is, generally speaking, not in my nature to pressure myself. I truly like to focus and give any given movie that I am working on the appropriate time and attention.”

We then went on to ask Nassar about his controversial role in El Mamar, where Nassar plays the head of the Israeli Army in the 1967 war. Obviously, the role could have shaken his fanbase, and turned some fans against him:

“This role was very complicated, and it gave me the opportunity to research the history of this war in order to learn and gain knowledge about all the events. I actually watched Isreali movies to understand their perspective and how they view themselves. It wasn’t easy for me to take control of this character. It was a genuine challenge not only to play a villain, but also to play one that is associated with incredible historical and political baggage. Additionally, the shooting of this film impacted me emotionally, as I got a glimpse of what war looks like and means, with all the blood, guns, violence, and dead bodies. Accordingly, I found myself leaning on his fellow cast and crew members for support.”

Speaking of cast members, Nasser then went on to talk about his co-star, Ahmed Ezz; Ezz and Nassar worked together in El Mamar, and will star alongside one another in the film Awlad Rezk 2:

“I really love working with Ezz, and we get along very smoothly.”

Nassar then went on to discuss Casablanca:

“It is the cherry on top of my career, and it adds a lot to my reputation, as I target a different age demographic: teens. I want to build a strong relationship with this segment. The movie is different; it is not a commercial film per se. The movie is well-produced and directed.”

When asked to compare between the two films, Nasser stated that he does not think of them as comparable:

“El Mamar and Casablanca are to me quite unique cinematic experiences, not just movies that he can wholesomely compare and contrast.”

Nassar concluded the interview by highlighting the extent to which the “industry keeps changing and evolving, and accordingly, I want to change and evolve in a manner that allows me to attract fans of all demographics.”