Salma Abu Deif’s Words To Live By: 3 of Her Most Inspiring Quotes
Bazaar Arabia honours the actor’s birthday by looking back at her exceptional journey
Known for her groundbreaking roles on screen and her personality off-screen, Harper’s Bazaar Qatar‘s Winter 2023 cover star Salma Abu Deif has won over hearts from the region many times over.
The actor claims her entry into the industry was never international, yet maybe it was meant to be as Salma quickly grew into a household name. She started out as a model, collaborating with brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Maybelline. It was only after she starred in a music video, where she caught the eye of a director scouting new talent, did Salma enter the film world. And the rest was history.
As she celebrates her 31st birthday today, Bazaar Arabia shares three of her most inspiring quotes from our recent cover story here.
Salma Abu Deif’s Words To Live By: 3 of Her Most Inspiring Quotes
“It is a constant learning process…”
Salma is proud of the rich history of the industry in the region. The star is not also immune to the charm of iconic cinematic legends, having had her fangirl moment in a coincidental meeting with actor Omar Sharif. Other inspirations include Faten Hamama, Salah Zulfikar, and Abdel Halim Hafez.
“I really admire Mona Zaki – she is fantastic. I have worked with Hend Sabri who is a very smart woman, the very gifted Menna Shalabi, Kareem Abdel Aziz, Abdi – and he turned out to be not just a really impressive artist but a wonderful human being as well.”
“To be honest, I’ve been supported by so many colleagues that I cannot pick out just one mentor, but Khaled El Nabawy gave me tips on technique. He upped my confidence at a time when I was quite intimidated by him, frankly speaking. He gave me so much trust that it pushed me.”
“Gheda Abdel Risk also shared some of her methods – not many people do that. I loved working with her. We did two shows including Taht Al Hezam. Dhafer L’Abidine taught me how to be very helpful to others; he’s always giving his all in the scene, on the set. While filming Al Maddah I learned from Hamada Helal; he’s one of the most humble human beings, kind to everyone. It is a constant learning process for me.”
“It’s not a good thing when an actor has a type and is always doing the same thing over and over again. “
The actor has an array of notable projects to her name, having appeared in a range of shows and films from Rag’een ya Hawa to Halawet El Donia (Life is Beautiful). Constantly surprising fans with new roles and characters, Salma has voiced her desire to explore comedy.
“I’m working on a dark comedy now, which is my favourite to watch. Maybe I can do a little bit of action. I’ve never tried action. I want to try everything and not have a type. It’s not a good thing when an actor has a type and is always doing the same thing over and over again. It will be also boring for me and for you as well!”
“We should care for one another, and love one another, and be like a big family, even if we have different nationalities, or different languages, or different accents.”
Having graduated with a Mass Communications degree it’s no surprise the actor enjoys social media and handles her own accounts. She often uses her digital presence as her online portfolio and to share her love for fashion, posting images of her gorgeous outfits.
“I love social media. It’s an open sea for everyone. There’s no limit. There are no borders. People have the freedom to say what they want.”
“I think everything is changing right now. People trust our generation more and more; we have a voice, we have something we want to say. We need to focus on our narrative, to be represented in the right way, which actually serves our potential and talent. Everyone has started noticing that our region should have one narrative. We should care for one another, and love one another, and be like a big family, even if we have different nationalities, or different languages, or different accents. But At the end of the day, our narrative should be one. I think we’re moving towards that.”
To read the full cover story, from Harper’s Bazaar Qatar‘s Winter 2023 issue click here.
Photography: Amer Mohamad. Styling: Nour Bou Ezz. Editor In Chief: Olivia Phillips. Talent: Salma Abu Deif. Hair: Deena Alawaid. Make Up: Irina Kuzmina. Senior Producer: Steff Hawker. Lighting Assistant: Yasir Ali. Talent Management: HU Management. Styling Assistant : Ekaterina Plotnikova
From Harper’s Bazaar Qatar’s Winter 2023 issue.