person

Ahmed Zaki

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Gender

Male

Birthday

1949-11-18

Place of Birth

Zagazig, Egypt

Ahmed Zaki

Biography

Ahmed Zaki (November 18, 1949 - March 27, 2005) was a leading Egyptian film actor who was characterized by his talent, skill, and ability to impersonate. Dubbed "The Emperor", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest male actors in the Arab world. Zaki has starred in six films that have been listed in the Top 100 Egyptian films. Ahmed Zaki was born to a poor family in Sharqia, Egypt. His father died a few years after his birth, his mother remarried, and he was brought up to live with his grandfather. Zaki fell in love with acting when he was still in school, his headmaster saw his creative ability and pushed him to follow his passion. He would later travel to Cairo and earn his degree from the Cairo Higher Institute for Drama Studies in 1974. While studying, he first debuted in the stage play Hello Shalaby (1969). He also starred in very successful comedy plays such as School of Mischief (1973) and No Longer Kids (1979). Early in his career, he struggled with producers and directors as they believed he did not have the appearance to appeal to audiences. When he got objected by the film distributor to star in Al Karnak (1975) after he was cast as the character Ismail, he entered a severe depression. He did not overcome it until after poet and playwright Salah Jahin supported him, as Jahin was convinced of his talent and would later write films and a TV show Zaki starred in. Many of his films had a strong political message that exposed governmental and police corruption. Two of his greatest successes were playing Egypt's presidents in two popular movies that became landmarks of Arabic cinema. He played Gamal Abdel Nasser in Nasser 56 (1996) and Anwar Sadat in Days of Sadat (2001). He also portrayed other prominent Egyptian figures such as writer Taha Hussien. Zaki was a method actor who immersed himself profoundly in his roles, absorbing every aspect of the character he was portraying whether he was fictional or real in origin. In 1983, he married actress Hala Fouad but the marriage did not last. She gave birth to his only son Haitham Zaki in 1984, who would also grow up to be an actor until his sudden and tragic death in 2019. His former wife died in 1993 after a battle with breast cancer. He was a known heavy smoker. In 2005, Ahmed Zaki died of lung cancer during the shooting of Sherif Arafa's biography Halim (2006), in which he portrayed the legendary singer Abdel Halim Hafez, a role he's always dreamed to play. His son Haitham was roped in to fill the scenes and play the lead on behalf of his father. Years after his passing, he is remembered with great reverence and fondness within the film industry and outside it, his contributions seen as monumental by his contemporaries as well as the generations that followed.

Also Known For

poster

70

Jail Cell

Jan 02, 1984

poster

78

No Longer Kids

Jul 08, 1979

poster

NA

Bedour

Oct 14, 1974

poster

84

The School of Mischief

Jun 15, 1973

poster

NA

Star Maker

Nov 14, 1977

poster

NA

My Son

Nov 06, 1972

poster

95

Hello Shalaby

Aug 13, 1969

poster

NA

Cairo in a Thousand Years

Jan 01, 1969

poster

NA

Victims Hotel

poster

67

Land of Fear

Mar 15, 2000

poster

68

The Escape

Apr 16, 1991

poster

70

The Egg and the Stone

Apr 26, 1990

poster

81

The Beginning

Aug 15, 1986

poster

69

Black Tiger

Jun 13, 1984

poster

NA

Sons of Silence

Nov 16, 1974

poster

66

Dreams of Hind and Camilia

Apr 07, 1988

poster

78

Days of El Sadat

Jun 26, 2001

poster

NA

The Third Man

May 10, 1995

poster

70

Al Basha

Nov 01, 1993

poster

54

Mr. Karate

Mar 24, 1993

poster

82

Against the Government

Jun 11, 1992

poster

57

Four On An Official Mission

May 28, 1987

poster

71

Love Above Pyramid's Plateau

Jan 02, 1986

poster

80

A Bird on the Road

Sep 14, 1981

poster

45

Sleepless Eyes

Oct 05, 1981

poster

58

The Shepherd and the Women

Oct 14, 1991

poster

80

The Wife of an Important Man

Jan 11, 1988

poster

51

Market of The Fish

Jan 12, 1986

poster

74

The Innocent

Jan 02, 1986

poster

76

A Dinner Date

Nov 16, 1981

poster

62

Alexandria… Why?

Aug 23, 1979

poster

67

Shafiqa and Metwally

Nov 27, 1978

poster

64

Nasser 56

Aug 05, 1996

poster

64

The Bey Doorman

Aug 31, 1987

poster

100

Albarnas

Jan 01, 1984

poster

65

The Dancer & the Drummer

Feb 27, 1984

poster

NA

The Champion

Apr 07, 1997

poster

70

Houseboat No. 70

Apr 22, 1982

poster

70

Halim

Jul 12, 2006

poster

55

The Emperor

Nov 19, 1990

poster

76

His Excellency the Minister

Dec 05, 2002

poster

60

Al-Batniyya

Aug 25, 1980

poster

57

Alley of Love

Jul 11, 1983

poster

68

Smile, The Photo Comes Out Better

Nov 24, 1998

poster

70

Hysteria

Jan 28, 1996

poster

50

Kaborya

Aug 27, 1990

poster

50

Abo Dahab

Apr 26, 1996

poster

53

Lobster

Feb 20, 1996

poster

55

The Lady's Driver

Dec 12, 1993

poster

NA

One Woman Is Not Enough

Jan 01, 1990

poster

60

An Affair

Sep 23, 1996

poster

NA

Hassan Ellol

Feb 19, 1997

poster

90

Welad Eleih

Jan 30, 1989

poster

40

The Third Class

Jul 24, 1988

poster

NA

The Troublemakers

Jan 01, 1973

poster

75

I'm Not Lying, I'm Sugar Coating

Jul 13, 1981

poster

70

The promised night

Sep 01, 1984

poster

55

The Addict

Dec 19, 1983

poster

45

Precausion is Mandatory

Oct 10, 1983

poster

50

Al Makhtufa

Apr 16, 1991

poster

70

Waraa Al-Shams

Sep 03, 1978

poster

60

Saad the Orphan

Jan 01, 1985

poster

NA

Life is a Moment

Sep 03, 1978

poster

NA

Bloody Destinies

Jan 27, 1982

poster

NA

The Man Who Lost His Memory Twice

Sep 09, 1981

poster

NA

The Days

Jan 01, 1979

poster

NA

إصلاحية جبل الليمون

Jan 29, 1979

poster

NA

Men Agl Walady

poster

70

He and She Stories

May 20, 1985

poster

NA

الصراع

Oct 15, 1980