Lights, camera, action! Today’s Doodle celebrates what would have been Mahmoud Abdel Aziz’s 76th birthday, an accomplished Egyptian actor who excelled in a wide range of roles, including romance, drama, action, and humour. Mahmoud Abdel Aziz has appeared in more than 100 films during the course of his career.
On this day in 1946, Mahmoud was born in Alexandria, Egypt. In the 1960s, he stayed in his hometown to study agriculture at Alexandria University’s Faculty of Agricultural Sciences. He began his creative dramatics training in this university’s theatre. His acting career took off ten years later when he starred in the soap series Al-Dawama (The Whirlpool).
In 1974, he made his film debut in Al-Hafeed, an Egyptian classic (The Grandson). Between the 1970s and the early 1980s, his riveting performances, particularly in romantic dramas, garnered him 25 film parts.
After establishing his image as a Hollywood heartthrob, Mahmoud began collaborating with renowned filmmakers who specialised in a wide range of genres, from fantasy to realism. Working with seasoned filmmakers exposed Mahmoud to a variety of approaches to presenting complex characters, particularly those dealing with pressing societal issues such as women’s rights, the Egyptian population crisis, widowhood, and unemployment.
Mahmoud had a long list of awards to show for his achievements after a lifetime of fascinating performances, including Best Actor in Kit Kat (1991), El Coptain (The Captain, 1997), Souq Al Motaa (Pleasure Market, 2000), and Al-saher (2001). (The Magician, 2001). During the 2012 Dubai International Film Festival, he was also honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
His beloved films continue to keep viewers on the edge of their seats to this day. Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, happy birthday! You’ll go down in history as one of Egypt’s finest performers.