Hisham Sleem answers rumors on his supposed divorce, his resignation from acting, his love affair and many other questions.
The actor, who is known for adamant discretion and respect of privacy, has finally spoken to the press; namely, the ‘Al Bayan’ newspaper in the UAE.
“Who ever said that I plan on resigning from this art? I haven’t even ever thought of such a thing,” said Sleem.
“I think maybe that these rumors arose because of my reluctance to mix with the cinema crowd and because I spend most of my free time with my family in Gharda’a [an Egyptian Red Sea resort].”
The actor said that he hardly stays in Egypt when there is no film shoot.
Ironically, the actor who has been bombarded by false rumors, said that he made the choice of avoiding the limelight “because I wanted to steer away from false rumors and wanted to keep my private life private.”
The actor also said that he “never even thought of divorcing” his wife and has “never had an affair.”
Sleem went on to deny rumors on his supposed ‘artistic stagnation’ saying that “my latest movie Al Nather Salah Eddine (The Teacher Salah Eddine), is proof that I am still a dedicated and rich actor.”
Meanwhile, he said that “the director of Nather, Sharif Arafa, with whom I am friends with, nominated me for this role. And after I read the script, I fell in love with the role and directly accepted it.”
However, the role is not as ‘prestigious’ as it should be for a mega-star such as Sleem, and to that he answers; “being a star to me is not related to the size of the role, but its quality and significance. I have never been one to look for a starring role; but for a role that enriches me as an artist.”
Furthermore, the actor went deeper into the barrel, discussing his last 15 years of decisions.
“There is no living actor who is completely satisfied with every artistic decision he or she made. But, this does not mean that the actor or actress is thinking of changing professions!”
“I am very proud of my achievements on the Silver Screen; such as Awdat Al Ibn Al Dal (Return of the Spiteful Son), directed by Youssef Chahine and my soon-to-be-released movie,” he added.
As for his work on TV, the actor emphasized that he is proud and appreciative of the opportunities that came his way.
However, even in this, the rumor mill has targeted the young Sleem, saying that his choice of the same director, Ousamma Nour Akasha, for many of his series is ‘peculiar.’
“It is true that some believe that I have stuck to the same director for a certain purpose. But, there is no purpose other than the fact that I like working with him.”
Some of Hashem’s most notable roles came at the hands of Akasha, including Arabesk (Arabesque), Layaly Al Hilmiah (The Hilmiah Nights) and Ahalina (Our Parents).
The actor then went on to talk about his life in Ghardaka, and the restaurant he owns at the Red Sea resort.
“The project of opening a restaurant has been a lifelong dream for me. Acting is never a sure thing and at any time it might go down the drain. I am the kind of artist who waits for the good role. I do not go for the money, I go for the role. And history has taught us that there are many actors in Egypt who found themselves broke at a certain age. They never thought of tomorrow,” he said.
“This restaurant that I own, I own with others, and it is really just my safety net for money, for when I don’t get the roles I want to take.”
However, although he refuses to take on ‘bad’ roles, the actor has appeared in various commercials.
To that he answers, “in all honesty, I do these commercials for the money, especially since advertising is a respectable job. And to be frank, I would rather do a commercial and get money for that than do a cheap movie and get paid” - Albawaba.com.
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