Who knew? Cate Blanchett’s Arab roots

10 years ago | Posted in: Entertainment, MENA, World | 1255 Views

The world is now abuzz with news of Australian actress Cate Blanchett’s Oscars win on Sunday, but little did many know that the star who clinched the Best Actress award has acting roots in the Middle East.

An 18-year-old Blanchett was promised a falafel and a small sum to play an American cheerleader in the 1990 Egyptian film, “Kaboria,” Arabic for “Crabs.”

The film starred iconic Egyptian actor Ahmad Zaky. It was Blanchett’s very first performance on the silver screen, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last time she played an American.

During her brief performance in the film, Cate can be seen ecstatically dancing to a song that would spontaneously become one of the most popular movie songs in modern Egyptian pop culture.

In an interview with Al Arabiya News Channel, Issam al-Shamaa, the movie’s screenwriter said Blanchett was “not as attractive back then.”

“She just played a background role and was performing what’s asked of her. No one could have predicted anything back then,”  he added…. see more

source: Alarabiya.net

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