Overview
Omar Sharif
Known For
Ademã – A Vida e as Notas de Ibrahim Sued
Discover the trajectory of Ibrahim Sued, a journalist who revolutionized...
Indiana Jones: The Search for the Lost Golden Age
Hawaii, May 1977. After the success of Star Wars, George...
Omar Sharif: Citizen of the World
Several high-budget epic films became Omar Sharif (1932-2015) a film...
1001 Inventions and the World of Ibn Al-Haytham
The fascinating story of a brave young scientist from 11th...
A Night at the Movies: The Gigantic World of Epics
A Night at the Movies: The Gigantic World of Epics...
Biography
Omar Sharif (April 10, 1932 - July 10, 2015) was an Egyptian actor, generally regarded as one of his country's greatest male film stars. The son of a precious wood merchant, he grew up in a united Christian family of Syrian and Lebanese descent with his parents and his sister. Enrolled at Victoria College, a prestigious British school in Alexandria, the teenager studied science and foreign languages and later discovered theater classes. A brilliant student, he continued his studies at Cairo University, where he obtained his diploma in mathematics and physics. He later converted to Islam to marry Egyptian actress Faten Hamama. In 1962, he took on the role of Prince Sherif Ali in Lawrence of Arabia under the direction of David Lean. This film, the first outside Egypt for the actor, marked the beginning of a long friendship with Peter O'Toole and a turning point in Omar Sharif's career. He won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and decided to leave his native country for Hollywood.