The Egyptian comedian legend Samir Ghanem who passed away yesterday at the age of 84 made his last TV appearance in an ad of a telecommunication company that was aired in the last Ramadan season. Side by side with the dearly departed comedian, Ahmed Shahin the Egyptian actor starred in the same ad.
Shahin: When the director offered me role with Samir Ghanem I didn't think twice before saying yes
“The ad had multiple copies, I was lucky enough to be there with Samir Ghanem in the last copy which was his last time to stand in front of camera” said Shahin in grief of the deceased actor. Lately I decided not to participate in many ads after I started acting in drama works. However, when the last ad’s director called me to offer the role and said that Samir Ghanem would star in it “I didn’t think twice before saying yes to the role”.
Shahin: Samir Ghanem said I looked so like him with the moustache
When Samir Ghanem entered the location and the director asked us to train to say the dialogue, he tilted his head and addressed me saying “Why do you look so like me with this moustache?” Shahin added to “Trendify”. He then asked whether the moustache was real or not in his funny manner. “I was delighted that he addressed me and told him that if he didn’t like it I can shave it”.
Shahin: Samir Ghanem asked me to make him coffee because of my name
The late comedian then laughed aloud and said “no don’t shave your moustache so you may take a role as my son in any work but you have to lose weight” Shahin recalled. “Samir Ghanem then asked for my name and when I said that I am called Shahin he made fun of it in a sarcastic way saying go make me a cup of coffee since my last name is the same as that of a well-known coffee brand”.
One of the things Shahin will never forget about the late actor is that despite being a superstar he was open to give all actors their space to improvise and go unscripted. “He even complimented our acting and was friendly with all the crew,” said Shahin.
Shahin: in the breaks between scenes we all wore masks
The ad that was shot a few days before Ramadan in a studio in Al-Haram region, was full of safety precautions taken to avoid infection. Shahin added that Emy was worried about her father’s health and was taking good care of him. “In the break in-between the scenes we all wore masks”.
“After I learnt that both Samir Ghanem and Dalal Abd El-Aziz caught COVID-19, I tried to reach them but surely there was not a room for each of them or their daughters to answer phones” Shahin mentioned. The death of the actor who managed to draw millions of smiles on Egyptian faces saddened Shahin a lot. “I also think of Dalal Abd El-Aziz and how it is already hard for her the physical pain she is suffering from and when she learns of the bad news about her lifelong companion who never got the chance to say goodbye.