Reham Abdel Ghafour has become one of the superstars of Egyptian TV drama recently, especially after she excelled in the “Room 207”, “Midlife Crisis”, and “A Dangerous Turn” series. Her works were the most viewed on digital platforms. This year, Abdel Ghafour starred in the “Rashid” series.
How do you see the success of the “Rashid” series?
The series was well received by the viewers, and I’m happy with their reactions and feedback. I played a completely new and different role in the series.
Are you concerned about the competition in the Ramadan season?
No, I never worry about it, because the Ramadan season often includes most of the stars of Egypt, and the viewers are the winners. Most of the viewers often follow more than one series, and the Ramadan drama has a special taste as we are used to gathering in front of the TV after breaking the fast, surfing from one series to another with the same passion and happiness. We complement each other and compete for the benefit of the viewers because every artist does his utmost to present a successful artwork.
What about the “Al-Asly” series, which was released just before Ramadan?
It was one of my important and distinguished works, and it was my first lead role in a TV drama, through which I presented the character “Fatima Al-Asly”, which is a completely different character from “Fayrouz” that I presented in the series “Midlife Crisis”. Fatima was a strong woman who works and manages the family’s property. I am very happy with the viewers’ response to the series.
There have been many series about the struggle over inheritance, right?
It is possible that the story or the dramatic line of the “Al-Asly” series was presented in some previous works, but this series was completely different and reviewed the human aspects of the protagonists, and this made me very excited to play the leading role.
Why do you think TV series makers focus on this type of work?
Because drama and art are inseparable from reality, the issue of “inheritance” is widespread in all our societies, and there are conflicts between brothers and court cases, and this is the best evidence. Asli series discussed this social problem. This is because money, when it enters between people, destroys everything, including siblings, which results in many problems that reach the level of the courts. In the series, we shed light on the necessity of preserving honesty, the relationship of siblings with each other, and preserving the bond between them, as well as the strength of women and their ability to assume responsibility, as well as control actions and decisions that may lead to injustice without realizing it and justifying it with “good intentions.”
How did you prepare for the character of Fatima Al Asly?
Fatima is from a popular area and bears many aspects of her personality between hardness and softness and diversity in her feelings, and this is due to the nature of her work, as she works in the auto parts trade and owns many shops and employs many workers, so her personality had to be strong, which is what she inherited about his father. During the events, she performs some wrong actions with a noble aim and believes that her opinion is the right one, but she is wrong, raising the slogan “the end justifies the means”.
Does the size of the role you play concerns you?
No, it does not matter to me. I only care about the character’s influence on the events. Sometimes I play a guest role if the character is important and influential in the events.
How do you see your works since 2022?
Last year was the best period in my career, as I participated in several great works along with a large group of creative artists, so each of us was trying to present our best to the public, whether in the “Room 207”, “Midlife Crisis” and “A Dangerous Turn” series. All of these works discuss important issues and send messages to the public. Thank God, I personally received positive feedback about all the works that I presented through social media.
Has it bothered you that most of your series were released in a short period?
No, it has never bothered me, but I was just afraid that the viewers would get sick of me. Some works were postponed from last year. I’m not responsible for the release timing of my works. The producers and the distribution agencies choose the right time to release the series according to their production plans.
You presented a difficult, complex, and terrifying role in the “Room 207” series, so how did you prepare for the character?
“Room 207” was a dramatic and horror series. My role in the series from the first scene was considered a mystery. I held extensive workshops with the director and the scriptwriter, and it was a great challenge for me, but the outcome was wonderful and I was very pleased with the feedback of the viewers.
The “Midlife Crisis” series was heavily criticized, how did you see that?
Unfortunately, the early judgment of the work may expose it to injustice, and this is what happened at the beginning of the show. There were many accusations, including promoting incest, but the events proved those accusations wrong. The series discussed a very important issue and sheds light on the will of Egyptian women.
How do you see digital streaming platforms?
We live in an era of development and technology. The language of the current era is electronic applications, given that smartphones are very important for the new generations. Therefore, digital streaming platforms have become the best means to watch artistic works throughout the year. I see it as a new market, and it will help in the development of TV series production.
