Whether in the character of a lover and slanderer, or a “leader” in a Damascene neighborhood, or a comic taxi driver, or a historical leader… he always has the ability to dazzle and attract the viewer; To follow and watch it.. It is the Syrian star Samer Al-Masry, whom the audience introduced to dozens of personalities, including: “Abu Shehab” and “Abu Janti”, and today he is “Loay Salloum” in “Stiletto”, whose show ended a few days ago, and soon the star will appear. Al-Suri plays the character of Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab in the series “Muawiya”, which he is currently filming in Tunisia.. regarding “Stiletto”, his personality in it, and his preparations for the upcoming Ramadan season; We had this conversation with him:
• In “Stiletto” you presented the character “Loay Salloum”, which won the audience’s admiration. What is different regarding this character? How do you see the work in general?
– “Loay Salloum” is one of the main characters, and it enjoyed great public interaction; Because it is realistic and has become widely present in our Arab societies, and I cannot mention the difference in this character, but I can mention what distinguishes this character in particular, and the characters of the series in general, that they are present in our societies and realistic, and the character “Loay Salloum” was shown as it is in reality in a form Direct without embellishment, circumvention or circumvention in any way the reality of all “Louay Salloum” in our societies. What struck me most regarding “Loay” when reading the text are the ups and downs that the personality and the internal conflict experience. in his system. As for the experience of the series, it was tiring for everyone, especially since a large part of the team was not used to such experiences, and I personally was afraid of this long experience; The commitment to filming a long work was one of the most important challenges I faced. However, from the first days, this fear dissipated, in light of the beautiful family atmosphere in which the whole team was living, and the kind reactions we received from the fans, brushing off the dust of fatigue, which we suffered over the course of ten months.
• How did you deal with this character, and to what extent were you affected by the original character in the Turkish version?
– I did not watch the original character in the Turkish series, and I treated the text as if it were for a new series, and the character “Loui” was embodied for the first time. Although most of my colleagues watched the Turkish version, I did not watch it, and I was determined to present a new role with a personal vision and perspective, so whoever follows the Turkish version will find a big difference in this character, and I received such comments later from the audience via social media.
• The work was subjected to a lot of criticism, and in return it achieved a wide audience.. What is the secret of this contradiction?
– Any successful work naturally has divided opinions towards it, and this is a normal and healthy condition, as soon as you take your time to write regarding the series, whether positively or negatively; This is evidence that the series was able to touch something in you, and push you to express it.
• Personally.. you were criticized for the intimate scenes you performed, so what is your response?
– These are not show clips, but they have dramatic justifications, and are employed accurately in the scenes.
New drama
• If you stood face to face with “Loay Salloum”, what would you say to him?
– “Loay Salloum” exists in our societies, as he is the man who cheats on his wife, and he makes it easy without feeling guilty, and without knowing the dangers of this matter, and what it may generate in terms of family disintegration, psychological problems for children, and others; That is why I say to “Loay” and those like him: “If you feel bored, you can break it in other ways. You can be the initiator and create a sweet and renewed atmosphere with your wife. When you betray your wife, you can live moments of happiness and break boredom, but at the same time a day will come for you and you will pay the price for breaking the heart of a woman who lived with you on the sweet and the bitter.” In the end, the true concept of happiness is the understanding and interdependent family.
• Do you agree that this work is a new form of Arab drama?
– Not in the literal sense, it is the new form of Arab drama. “Stiletto” is a beautiful and cohesive series that sheds light on an important issue in society that has never been addressed with such clarity, and reviews the pros and cons of marital relations and the relationships of members of society, in proportion to our Arab societies. But certainly in our Arab world there are stories, problems and crises, some of which are highlighted, but we need more courage from the producers; To allow more stories written in Arabic pens, to keep pace with the era and the rapid development witnessed by the world.
• Nada Abu Farhat and Nour Ali.. Which of them is closest to you?
– (Laughing) “Nayla” is my wife and the mother of my children, and “Mira” is my sweetheart. While Nada and Nour are friends and colleagues, and I have all the love, respect and appreciation for them.
Audience tribute
• You were honored for “Exodus” in several international and Arab festivals.. Today, what do you say regarding this experience?
The movie “Exodus” is one of the most important experiences for me. Through it, we were able to shed light on a small part of the suffering of a people torn apart by wars and crises, specifically on a simple family, which represents a wide segment of Syrian society. In my opinion, the most important award the film won was the Audience Award at the Venice Film Festival. For us as actors, this award is evidence of our ability to touch the feelings of the audience, and therefore we can say that we were able to convey the message and achieve the desired goal of this film.
• What are your preparations for the upcoming Ramadan season?
– There are several works; I recently finished filming “Al-Bukhari”, a feature film that tells the biography of one of the most prominent hadith scholars in Islamic history, Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ismail Al-Bukhari, and I embody the character of Al-Bukhari from the age of forty until his death.
• How satisfied are you with what you have done so far?
I feel satisfied with what I have presented locally, in the Arab world and internationally. But I always strive to provide the best, especially works that remain in people’s memory, close to them, and touch their concerns, problems, joys, and daily life in all its details.
