Despite the difference in appearance and age, Nabil Al Helfawi managed to play the Egyptian leader Saad Zaghlool’s role in the series Hawari Wa Qusoor (Nymphs and Palaces) which is currently being aired.
“When I was nominated to play the role, I became bewildered because I did not feel that my figure resembled that of Saad Zaghlool in addition the variation in age. These differences seemed to me as an obstacle in the way of performing the role in the way I like. But when I met the director Ahmed Khader he convinced me that his way of directing this series was is on the internal features of the character rather than the external ones,” Helfawi told the daily Al Ahram.
He added that the director wanted the viewer to interact with the character of Zaghlool rather than his appearance. This is in addition to the best possible make up which can provided so that the actor will appear in the most suitable way.
“I also sought help from books and documents on that era. I read Zaghlool’s memoirs and Al Aqqad’s book about him. But the unique thing is what was written about Zaghlool by Mustafa Amin who followed the journalistic style in his description of the internal features of the nation’s leader. The fact that Zaghlool was Amin’s mother uncle helped Amin in writing about him,” said the Egyptian actor.
Helfawi believes that he added new aspect to the character of the leader. “People are known to be very enthusiastic about famous figures and they talk about with special gratification particularly during the period depicted by the series. I preferred to present the character as a quiet leader simplifying politics through performance in order to reach the public at large,” said the renowned actor -- Albawaba.com
