Dorra Zarrouk On Risk-Taking, Marriage and Why Egypt Will Always Have A Special Place in Her Heart
The Tunisian actress celebrates her one-year wedding anniversary this month, and while she’s got one eye on motherhood, that doesn’t mean she’s ready to slow down. Here, she talks to us about projects, pressures and passion – and her hopes and desires for the not-too distant future…
“Egypt is so important to me, It’s a beautiful country, I have my life here, my home is here – I became a star here,” Tunisian actress Dorra Zarrouk suddenly comes to life as we talk about the theme of her cover shoot, gushing about the country she’s called home for the last 13 years. The joy is evident, despite the fact it’s past 8pm and she’s just stepped away from a long, “tiring day” of filming. “I’ve done almost my whole career as an actress here in Egypt – it’s like the Hollywood of the Middle East. I love it.”
It doesn’t mean Dorra has lost any passion for her home country of Tunisia, where she had a successful career starring in theatre, on TV and in Tunisian films and went on to land a small number of international roles in French, English and Syrian productions, making use of her ability to speak English, French and Arabic. But her heart was set on the film capital of the region.
“Egypt is where I needed to be as an Arabic actress,” says Dorra matter-of-factly. “It was a difficult decision to make, but I was young and I had big dreams, so I followed them. I did well in Tunis, but my acting wasn’t really being seen in other countries.” Fully aware of the risks of leaving her family and starting again in a new country, she made the bold move. “If you never take risks, you will never have an interesting life. To have a successful career, you should take risks – but, yes, it wasn’t an easy decision.”
The choice was heavily swayed by her love of Egyptian cinema. “I loved watching Egyptian TV and movies growing up, loved listening to the songs and I love Egyptian culture and cinema, so I wanted to be like those actresses from the Golden Age.”
But first, she needed to convince her parents, who favoured a more academic career for her, advising her to turn down an acting opportunity from a Tunisian director when she was aged just 13. Not that it had discouraged her. Even during her years studying a bachelors degree and then a masters in Political Science, she found time to perform in local theatre. “I had to do it step by step,” she laughs. “First it was to be an actress in Tunisian theatre and let them watch my performance in that, then the next step was TV and then film,” she starts. “After that, I came here to Egypt, but told them I’d just try and get one role, not that I was planning to stay here. Then I did my first movie and I told them that I had another proposal for another one.” And the rest is history for the actress who has starred in over 50 films and TV series, and is now one of the most famous faces in the industry. Did she finally convince her parents that she was meant for acting? “My father passed away three years ago but before he passed, he told me he was proud – which was very important to me,” she smiles. “My mother is still with me and she’s tells me she is proud.”
And with her parents’ blessing, the risk she took of uprooting to Egypt paid off. She is so well known, that like Adele and Madonna, Dorra is simply known by a single moniker. She laughs when we call her a legend. “I’m not a legend… yet,” beams Dorra, who celebrates her 42nd birthday in January. “I want to do more great roles, I’m still learning, I have more emotions to show people – maybe I need to play some other characters to make me a legend.”
Which is exactly what she’s doing in Godran (Walls), the production she’s currently filming. “It’s a classic horror film, with some romance, that tells the story of a girl that goes on a journey to unfold the dark side of her family,” she explains. “It’s a horror movie and it’s a very new experience for me to do this genre. I love every new experience but this is very specific, it has to be done with a perfect technique. It’s a chance to show another side of me as an actress – other emotions and expressions.”
She’s also trying something fresh with her next release The Prior – a thriller which explores a conspiracy theory linked to an ancient order. “I love doing romantic films but this psychodrama is again something to really test myself as an actress,” she admits of the role where she plays Fayrouz, one of the two crime journalists whose task it is to uncover the truth.
The cast of the film is male-heavy, which is not unusual, but Dorra’s talks of her hopes that the increase in female filmmakers in the region might mean more varied roles for women. “I love working with female moviemakers because they have a real sensitivity to how women behave. I know it’s a bit of a cliché to say, because of course there’s male filmmakers who can, too, but the women just really look through an emotional lens.” She also thinks this could see a rise in parts for older actresses. “It’s always the mother role and not the main character,” she explains.
“It’s getting better in Hollywood, where it’s not unusual to see Meryl Streep play a lead role, but we still need more work here. It’s still believed that a main character played by a woman is not commercial because the box office is more for men, with the main role to be played by a man in action or comedy movies.” She feels that television can be more flexible. “TV has become a place we can express ourselves as women and talk about important, sensitive and taboo topics,” she says. “A few years ago I did a series called Women’s Jail, which had a female director and it was very successful in Egypt at the time, and is still talked about now.”
And her willingness to push boundaries with complex characters has helped make her an icon for young women. “I’m a role model rather than a legend,” she says referencing our earlier conversation. “Many, many girls message asking me how they can be actresses; it’s their dream. They tell me: ‘you are a role model for us, you are an icon,’ – and it’s a big, big responsibility.”
So, does she have any advice for aspiring actresses? “You know, it’s a very difficult career, it’s not easy,” she says thoughtfully. “So, I always say to them to be completely sure that that this the career you want, because there are compromises and it’s not easy to be a celebrity – you don’t have a private life, it’s not always fun, it’s a lot of work and sacrifice. Maybe people see the glamorous side in the pictures but there is another side: a lot of work, difficult moments and sometimes you are successful and sometimes you are not.”
She also warns of the added pressure of social media, something that Dorra, who has 14.7 million fans on Instagram alone, is grateful to have avoided as a young actress. “Social media makes things more complicated,” she explains. “Some girls think it’s so important to have followers – no it’s not! Live your life, there’s more to it than the artificial and fake sides of social media that only show what’s happening in that one moment, not what’s happening before or after. In fact, some of the greatest moments in my life never make it onto social media.”
But she acknowledges the positive sides, too. “To be connected with my fans. I really love my fans, so I do treasure that access to them,” before continuing. “But the other side is that people can hurt you, anyone can reach you so easily, and the negative vibes you receive are very heavy, and it’s difficult. You have to be very calm, you have to be able to ignore what you read and be very strong.”
She doesn’t have to say it, but Dorra seems to be alluding to rumours that started last year on Facebook claiming that her husband, Egyptian architect and interior designer, Hany Saad, was still with his ex-wife – making Dorra his ‘second wife’. The claims came a day after the couple married on November 2nd 2020, and were doubly dangerous as polygamy is outlawed in Tunisia. Dorra was forced to put the record straight on Tunisian radio where she confirmed that Hany was indeed separated from his ex-wife. She stated at the time that it would be the first and last time she would discuss the subject. A year on, she happily talks about married life.
“Life’s very different when you’re a wife. I didn’t change my personality or my lifestyle but you think about this person, your partner, before you even think about yourself,” she admits. “It’s always, ‘we’ now in every decision – it’s always Dorra and Hany. You have to manage this, and keep your independence at the same time, but really, you are just not as independent. You share your life with your husband but we are two different characters with two different backgrounds, so we have to find what to compromise on and what not to compromise on – that’s the way to live together and keep being different.”
Making room for another person in an already packed schedule can’t be easy. Dorra is one of the busiest women in showbiz, filming multiple projects at a time, teaming with jewellery brand Chopard as one of its global ambassadors and recognised as a leading style icon, having partnered with Egyptian designer Mohanad Kojak for her first fashion collaboration last November. Dorra is one of the most-recognised women in the Middle East and in constant demand for cover shoots and brand partnerships but she still makes time for charity work with hospitals, children’s refuges, orphanages and cancer patients across both Egypt and Tunisia. “It’s very important to me. Many people don’t know this, but when I was studying Political Science, I went to a number of refugee camps and did support work with the children,” she tells. “And now I’m famous it’s very important to do as much as I can. I have millions of followers and this can help the charities get more support – I guess this is one of the good sides of social media.”
And when she’s not helping or working, how does she relax? “I always manage to have my own moments with just myself to decompress,” she reveals. “I also enjoy very simple moments with my husband, at home on the sofa and just watching a movie and eating pasta – I love pasta! It’s important for me to have this simple, ordinary life too.”
And it’s this ordinary, and very happy, life at home that I’m about to leave her to. As we start closing the interview, she’s sat in a comfortable oversized black T-shirt by emerging Egyptian fashion brand Tribe – typical of her efforts to support local designers. We point out that the top has the single word ‘Seek’ emblazoned across the chest – so what is she still seeking?
“I really, really enjoyed the collaboration with Kojak, so maybe some more fashion work, maybe my own brand,” she reveals before quickly moving on to another hope of hers. “I would love to be a director or producer – that would be a dream come true. I hope to take the risk one day, it’s a big risk, so I hope to have the courage to make it. But for now, I’m focusing more on my personal life.” And what does that entail? “Maybe being a mum?” she almost says it like a question. “I would love to become a mother,” she confirms bravely. “But it’s, you know, it’s pure destiny.”
Dorra might be a dreamer at heart, but she’s one that manifests and makes it happen. Watch this space for Dorra the mother, the fashion designer, and, of course, Dorra the director coming to a cinema near you soon.
Photography by Abdulla Elmaz. Fashion Director: Anna Castan
Editor in Chief: Olivia Phillips. Art Director: Oscar Yañez. Market Editor: Nour Bou Ezz. Hair: Jordan Robertson. Make-Up: Manuel Gomez. Studio Manager: Johana Dana. Producer: Jesse Vora. Producer’s Assistant: Silvia Sem. Photographer’s Assistant: Kish. Styling Assistants: Shahira Hossameldin, Jasmina Rossi and Joanna Jagodzinka