Yousra, one of the symbols of Egyptian cinema and her works are engraved in the memory of TV drama, has starred in a comedy series for the third year in a row. She said that the audience needs comedy in their life, describing the Egyptian people as “fun-lovers”.
You starred in the “Rose & Layla” series, and remained absent from cinema, why?
I am not absent from cinema, and I cannot move away from it. Actually, I finished filming the “Leilat EL-Eid” film, but I do not know when it will be released. I also filmed some scenes from another movie called “Shaqo”, and it will be completed within the coming days.
What are the latest developments of the “Rose & Layla” series?
I finished filming the series. It is a short one, and it will be shown on an electronic platform by November. It consists of 10 episodes only.
Does this work belong to the comedy genre, like the last two series, “Happy Dreams” and “1000 Thank God for Safety”?
Coincidentally, this work is also in a comic framework but mixed with some action, excitement, and adventure events. This is where the events of the series revolve around the role of two independent investigators, who are hired by the concerned authorities after they discover a criminal operation that is being prepared by a gang to defraud a bank. Therefore, these two inspectors were chosen to uncover and solve this mystery. I am co-starring with Nelly Karim and a number of artists, headed by Ahmed Wafik, Hisham Ashour, Marwan Younes, Tiam Mostafa Qamar, and a number of other artists. The series was written by the English author Chris Cole, who presented many important artworks, and the series is directed by the famous British director Adrian Shergold, who specializes in television works in particular.
Why did you choose to star in a comedy series?
The audience wants to laugh and be relaxed. There are pressures we are exposed to in life during this period, and people want happiness and laughter. In addition, there have been very few comedies for a long time, while action and heavy topics dominate the screen. And the Egyptians are known for their wit, so the Egyptians love to laugh, and we must not forget comedy because it is in our blood, and we have a famous saying that confirms that laughter prolongs life. Frankly, I got bored with serious issues, and I needed to wait a while. Even when I decide to return, I return with something different. After all this work, I must insist on success, because I always love change and I do not stay at the same pace in my choices, nor do I present one character or one dramatic template. I always like to add and put myself in a new mold, and I always do not decide what to do or choose except in the last moments after watching what is happening around me, so I felt that I needed to change my skin and enter a different state in which there would be laughter, and I felt that people need light work and I also love to laugh.
What kind of comedy did you rely on in the series?
I relied on the comedy of the situation, whether through my acting performance or the performance of the actors with me in the scene and after performing the scene or through rehearsals, I watched the reactions of the staff. In fact, they laughed after filming each scene, and I was very happy with all the staff, especially those behind the camera, for their accuracy and speed of performance.
In recent years, we have noticed that you always work with young talents in terms of writing, directing, and also actors. Why?
I love renewing my skin in art and discovering my talents. We have great young talents and real artists, and this is our role to support talents, and this is their right over me, just as I wished that a big star would extend his hand to me while I was young and believe in me. I also like to see all young people succeed. I feel very happy if I put an imprint on their success, and that young people start their artistic careers with me because when they become big stars, they will remember my help.
You have an artistic relationship with Adel Imam… How do you see it now?
My relationship with Adel Imam is a human relationship in the first place, and Adel is not an ordinary artist, but rather a great star and deserves the title of the father of stars. Adel Imam appreciates me a lot, and I know his worth and value, and I cannot forget his many positions with me. There is no doubt that he is a great artist who deserves all appreciation and respect from everyone who works with him on the artistic and human levels.
Is it true that the younger generation of actors affected your generation’s presence in the cinema?
This is not true. For me, my relationship with most young female artists is good, and most of them share works of art with me, such as Mona Zaki, Mai Ezz El Din, Ghada Adel, and others. Therefore, I say that the issue of conflict between generations has no basis.
Who competes with Yousra?
I don’t like competition and I don’t know if someone is competing with me or not. But I compete with myself because every time I present a work that competes with the previous one. I do not care who the first is or the second, because this order cannot be set by me, but the audience alone determines the order between the works.
