"I wasn't forced to wear hijab"

Actress Ola Ghanem Cairo – Marwa Yehya   Ola Ghanem went the extra mile for her role as ‘Sana’ in the television drama, Abdel Aziz Street, which was broadcast during Ramadan. The actress told Arabs Today that she knew that her character would be successful. Ever committed to her art, Ghanem observed and spoke to residents living on the real Abdel Aziz Street so that she could understand how they live and speak, and perfect her portrayal of an Egyptian girl from the street. Ghanem was drawn to the role because she thought it would be interesting to play a common girl who is romantic and looking for love. She felt that the role revealed some of the street’s hidden secrets, and it was a world that she was interested in belonging to, albeit briefly. Some critics accused Ghanem’s character of being too similar to the character she played in her previous series, ‘Shame,’ but Ghanem has denied the accusations, claiming that the roles were polar opposites. Her character in ‘Shame’ was a greedy wife who only cared about money, whereas Sana was a strong and romantic girl who was looking for true love. When asked about the revealing clothes that she wears in her work, she said that she did not wear revealing clothes in Abdel Aziz Street. She believes that her wardrobe in Abdel Aziz Street reflected the wardrobe of a hopelessly romantic common girl. She was surprised by the attention that her wardrobe had attracted.  “The Director and a stylist choose the character’s clothes to make sure that they suit the plot and the image that the character is trying to portray.” The series is being sued by a number of people, but Ghanem seemed nonplussed. “I don’t care about the legal issues as I am used to that kind of thing and don’t let it bother me. I only care about what my fans think and they have complimented me on Facebook and acknowledged that I had not intended to play a seductive role.” “There’s nothing wrong with wearing clothes that show off your assets for the person you love. When I mixed with the women in Abdel Aziz Street, I found that many of them did that, so the outfits chosen for my character reflected this and showed that she is as a strong common woman.”  “I am used to developing the characters that I play. I always seek to add to the character in a way that that will be memorable.” Ghanem said that working with Amro Saad on this series was a career highlight as he is a very talented actor and creates a competitive acting atmosphere. As for the rumours started by fellow actresses who say that she stole the role of ‘Sana’ from them, Ghanem said: “Those are just rumours. Marwa is a good friend of mine. I asked the producer what had happened and he said that she didn’t have the Union’s permission to begin filming. I liked the role, so I accepted it.” Ghanem expressed surprise at rumours that her husband and daughters had forced her to wear a hijab after playing such a bold role. She suggested that the same rumours were circulated last year after her success as the character ‘Neema.’ Ghanem is not sure where the rumours came from, as she always involves her husband and children when choosing a role and they have been very supportive of her portrayal of ‘Sana.’ Ghanem has rejected the proposed abolition of the Egyptian body that oversees the film industry, as she believes that it plays an important role in guaranteeing film standards and protecting actors’ rights.