Egyptian actor dies during filming
An Egyptian movie actor died of a sudden heart attack while filming.
55-year-old Tariq Abdel Aziz collapsed on set and unfortunately died before arriving at the hospital.
He was filming a scene with co-star Sherif Mounir for the series “We Became Two” (“Baqina Itnayn”).
Sudden death in Egypt
The late actor was rushed to the hospital by his son and manager, but doctors were unable to save his life.
The death has left Aziz's colleagues in the Egyptian film industry devastated.
The head of Egypt's Actors' Syndicate, Dr. Ashraf Zaki, said Aziz had some stents placed after showing signs of heart trouble. He called Aziz an acting virtuouso and a respected figure in the movie industry.
Born in Sohag, a city on the Nile's west bank, Aziz took a degree in law before launching his acting career.
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He started out with the Al-Warsha, the oldest independent theatre company in Egypt, before making his way into film, radio, and TV.
Aziz's movie roles include the internationally acclaimed political drama Clash, which depicts the unrest following the fall of Egyptian leader Mohamed Morsi in 2013. The movies takes place entirely in a police van.
His other movies include Friends or Business and The Black February.
Icon in Egypt
Egypt's movie industry has long been influential within the Arab world, winning Cairo the nickname Hollywood of the East.
The country hosts the annual Cairo International Film Festival.
Perhaps the most famous Egyptian actor working today is Rami Malek, who appeared as the villain in the latest James Bond film.
Egypt has been in the news lately with the war raging in Israel.
The country, which has had peaceful relations with Israel for decades, played a role in negotiating a shaky cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
The Egyptian-British actor Amir El-Masry caused a stir at the Scotland BAFTA festival by demanding a cease-fire, which has become a rallying cry for the global left.
"Before I start I just want to say that my heart goes out to all the Women men and children who are currently suffering right now in Gaza. Let’s hope for peace in the region and an imminent Ceasefire," he said.
