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Watani
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Watani
Samiha Ayoub (1932 – 2025) Iconic actress dies
The Lady of Arab Theatre, the legendary veteran Egyptian actress Samiha Ayoub (1932 – 2025) has departed our world, leaving behind a void difficult to fill. 'Her works will remain beacons lighting the path for future generations, and her memory will remain eternal in the hearts of her admirers.' With these words Egypt's Minister of Culture, Ahmed Fouad Hanno, mourned Ms Ayoub who died in her home in the Cairo upscale district of Zamalek on 3 June 2025 at the age of 93. She was a prolific actress who has to her credit the longest artistic career of a female actor in the history of Arab theatre and cinema. Her career spanned over 450 works, including 44 films, 220 TV series, and some 115 radio dramas. Her works varied from the classic to the modern, and from the tragic to the comic, each role played with legendary mastery. Throughout her life, she richly enhanced the cultural and artistic scene in Egypt and the Arab World. 'The late actress,' Mr Hanno read, 'was a dedicated, creative national artist who devoted her life to art and gifted her audience an exceptional journey of creativity and uniqueness.' Mr Hanno offered his sincere condolences to her family, friends, and fans, praying that God grants her His mercy. Samiha Ayoub was born in the middle-class Shubra district of Cairo in 1932 She studied at a Catholic girls' school in Cairo. Her first acting role came when she was only 15; she played Mary Magdalene in the 1938 Egyptian production ++The Life and Passion of the Lord Christ++. Ms Ayoub became a member of the Zaky Tulaimat Theatre Group whose founder Tulaimat became pivotal in her acting career. Tulaimat was an Egyptian actor and director, and famously a pioneer of Egyptian theatre. He founded the School of Theatre and the Institute of Dramatic Arts in Cairo. In 1947, Ms Ayoub played a role in Mohamed Abdel-Gawad's film ++al-Mutasharrida (The Homeless++ which marked an early breakthrough in her career. Encouraged by Tulaimat, Ms Ayoub joined the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in 1949, where he continued to mentor her alongside other renowned Egyptian artists. From 1972 to 1975, Ms Ayoub managed The Modern Theatre, and from 1975 to 1985, she was the director of Egypt's iconic al-Qawmy Theatre (The National Theatre). In 2015, she received the Nile Award in the Arts, and in the same year, the large hall in the National Theater was named after her, in honour of her outstanding acting career and her contributions to the theatrical arts in Egypt. She continued to be active until her final years. Her name drew crowds of spectators to theatres, her acting moved hearts and her strong, warm voice carried faithful expression. In 2021, Ms Ayoub was honoured at the Sharm al-Sheikh Theatre Festival for Youth, and remained honorary president throughout the following years. 'Deep inside me is this very humble person who feels she has not done much. When standing on stage, I find my strength; it is in front of the audience that I am alive; the presence of the audience allows me to create the true character that I portray,' she said during one of the symposiums in 2021. Samiha Ayoub was married four timesShe leaves behind two sons: Alaa Mahmoud Mursi and Mahmoud Mohsen Sarhan, and one grandson Youssef Alaa Mursi. Watani International 3 June 2025 Comments comments Tags: Ekhlass AtallahSamiha Ayoub (1932 - 2025)
Al-Ahram Weekly
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Lady of Arab Theatre Samiha Ayoub dies at 93 - Stage & Street - Arts & Culture
Egypt's iconic actress Samiha Ayoub, dubbed Lady of Arab Theatre, died in her apartment in Cairo's Zamalek district on Tuesday morning at the age of 93. Ayoub was born in Cairo's Shoubra district on 8 March 1932 and enjoyed the longest artistic career in Arab cinema's history for a female actress. She studied at the Nuns' School in Cairo. When she was still very young, she made her debut in the role of Mary Magdalene in the 1938 film The Life and Passion of the Lord Christ. The film starred Ahmed Allam, Aziza Helmy, Kamal Hussein, and Tawfik Al-Daqn. Then, she joined the Zaki Tulaimat Troupe, and her first performance was in a play, In the Service of the Queen. Tulaimat, an Egyptian actor and director, is one of the Egyptian theatre's pioneers. He founded the School of Theatre and the Institute of Dramatic Arts in Cairo and played a fundamental role in the young actress's formative years. One of Ayoub's early breakthroughs came in Al-Motasharida (The Homeless, 1947), a film directed by Mohamed Abdel-Gawad and starring Hikmat Fahmy, Mohsen Sarhan, Siraj Mounir, and Mary Munib. Encouraged by Tulaimat, Ayoub joined the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in 1949, where he continued to mentor her alongside other renowned Egyptian artists. Throughout her career, Ayoub collaborated with the most renowned directors and participated in over 170 theatrical productions. This was topped by dozens of roles in radio, television series, and films. Ayoub was among the first Egyptian female artists to venture into the directing field in the 1970s. She has directed four theatre plays and co-produced a few plays and films. In the Egyptian theatre, film, radio, and television, she created dozens of iconic characters, acting in works such as Al-Bakheel (The Miser), Kobry Al-Namoos (Mosquito Bridge), and Sikkat Al-Salama (The Right Way). Several films starring Ayoub, such as The Monster (1954), appear on lists enumerating the 100 best Egyptian films of all time. Her most recent roles include those in the television series El-Tawoos (2021), Agaza Maftouha (2021), Sukkar Zeyada (2020), and Awraq El Toot (2015); the films Teta Rahiba (2012), Al-Leila Al-Kebira (2015), Sanaa's Tale, a 2016 documentary; and a number of theatre plays, including Almaz and Si Abdo (2021). She continued to be active until her final years. In 2021, Ayoub was honoured at the Sharm El-Sheikh Theatre Festival for Youth and remained honorary president throughout the following years. Ayoub repeatedly expressed her love for acting during this festival. 'Deep inside of me is this very humble person who feels she has not done much. When standing on stage, I find my strength; it is in front of the audience that I am alive; the presence of the audience allows me to create the true character that I portray,' she said during one of the symposiums in 2021. The 17th edition of Egypt's National Theatre Festival (2024) carried the actress's name and honoured her. Ayoub was also director of the Modern Theatre (1972-1975) and headed the National Theatre twice, between 1975 and 1989. She received numerous national and international awards, including the Republic Medal of the First Class for Art from President Gamal Abdel-Nasser (1966), the Knight Medal from French President Giscard d'Estaing (1977), and a Certificate of Appreciation from President Anwar El-Sadat (1979). In 2015, she received the Nile Award in the Arts, the highest prize of the State Awards granted to people who have made a significant contribution to the arts. The same year, the large hall in the National Theatre was named after her. A year later, the Writers and Critics Association released The Charming Woman: A Vocation of Creativity, a new book celebrating Ayoub's life. Journalist Sayed Mahmoud wrote the book. According to the media, Ayoub was married four times, and all her husbands came from the artistic community. Her longest-lasting marriage was 30 years to playwright Saad El-Din Wahba, until he died in 1997. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
