Samah Anwar is a prominent Egyptian actress and director born in Cairo on April 22, 1965. She is celebrated for defying traditional Arab cinema norms with high-octane action roles in the 1980s and 90s, and is best known for her breakthrough performances in iconic TV series like Wolves of the Mountain.Personal LifeFamily: Born into an artistic household; her father was the renowned writer Anwar Abdullah and her mother was the late actress Souad Hussein.Education: She graduated from the Faculty of Arts at Cairo University with a degree in French Literature.Tragedy & Resilience: Anwar took an extended hiatus from acting following a severe car accident, during which she dedicated time to raising her son, Adham Atef Fawzi, and eventually returned to television hosting and directing.Career HighlightsAthletic Roots: Before entering cinema, she won the Egyptian national swimming championship at the El Zamalek Sports Club. This athleticism naturally paved the way for her casting in physical action roles.Cinematic Success: Known for trailblazing roles in Egyptian action cinema, including notable films like Haalat Talaboss (Caught Red-Handed), emraa waheda la takfi ( one woman is not Enough) , Al-Sajeenataan (The Two Prisoners), and Bint Mushaghiba Jiddan (A Very Disruptive Girl).Television & Stage: She became a household name across the Arab world for her performances in major TV series likeraafat al haggan, al hessab, Sonbol Baad Al Million, Ze’ab Al-Gabal (Wolves of the Mountain), Zizinia, and theater plays such as Rakesa Qetaa Aam (Public Sector Dancer).After stepping away from the screen for a few years, she re-emerged on satellite television as a host (beginning with the program My Experience in 2002) and transitioned into directing and producing.Directing: nagwa karam ( thirsty atchana video clip) , Piano Tv Film, Now she came back breaking records as usual with her impecable performances in al leila we elly fiha series, Catalogue series for Netflix, and in ramadan 2026 on both Hekayet Nargues and ard we talab series.Explore her full cinematic history and acting credits on IMDb or the ElCinema Database. You can also follow her current projects and reflections on Instagram.
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