Veteran Egyptian actor Hesham Selim passed away on Thursday at the age of 64 following a brief battle with cancer.
Ashraf Zaki, the president of the Egyptian actors’ guild and a longtime friend of Selim, announced the news on Instagram on Thursday morning. Many Egyptian A-listers commented on Zaki’s tribute post.
Zaki claims that an actor’s funeral procession will take place later on Thursday in the upscale neighbourhood of Sheikh Zayed in Greater Cairo, where Selim had formerly resided.
Selim verified the cancer diagnosis on a television phone-in that was broadcast in May. He stated that he was residing in Ain Al Sokhna, a Red Sea beach town outside of Cairo.
Selim remained a recluse for months while seeking therapy after receiving the diagnosis, which was welcomed with sadness by the nation’s performing community. This left many in the media wondering how he was doing.
In a conversation with Zaki two months ago, Zaki expressed optimism despite not being able to get in touch with Selim.
“Thank god, I am fine and everything will be OK,” Selim told Al Tase’a, a national talk show. “And maybe these days cancer is preferable to getting Covid or any of these other diseases that kill a person in three days. Anything that God brings is fine and I am doing well until now.”
The actor, who was born in 1958, had his acting debut in the popular movie Emberatoriet meem (or “M” Empire in English) in 1972 alongside the well-known actress Faten Hamamah. He is still praised for the unforgettable performance he gave in the movie.
In his five-decade career, Selim has collaborated with several well-known Egyptian actors and actresses on numerous hit movies and television shows.
His most recent project, the spy thriller series Hagma Mortada (Counterattack), which debuted during Ramadan last year, received a lot of positive reviews and quickly rose to the top of the season’s viewership.
He was the son of the late actor and football star Saleh Selim.
Nour, Zein, and Esmat are the three children left behind by Selim.
