Cyrine Abdelnour to Arabstoday: Artists' selfishness can ruin families

Lebanese singer and actress Cyrine Abdelnour describes herself as "living in a state of happiness and satisfaction" following the completion of her new series "Ruby". The series is a take on a Turkish and Mexican drama by the same name. In an interview with Arabstoday, she said that the drama was shot in Lebanon and Egypt. She admitted she had thought long and hard before accepting the work, as she had been away from the public eye for some time due to her pregnancy. "I was enthusiastic about the experience, and the production team worked hard to put the drama in the spotlight and to attract the same kind of following enjoyed by the Turkish series." “The series is wonderful and one of the finest works I have taken part in. I am looking forward to receiving the audience feedback.” Speaking about her fellow actors in "Ruby" she described working with the Syrian Maxim Khalil and Egyptian Kamir Karara as "an enjoyment in itself due to their professionalism." She also had praise for the other actresses in the series and the friendships she forged, singling out Takia Chamoun whom she described as "marvelous" in the role of her mother in the series. Cyrine considered this series as the most important work in her career. She also commended the set designer Claudia Marchalian and the director Ramy Hanna, whom she hailed as a great actor too. The series tells the tale of a poor girl named Ruby, who beautiful, but also selfish and conceited. Ruby exploits the people around her to fulfill her ambitions. She adores money and dreams of wealth. AT: How do you respond to your critics? CA: I don't worry about criticism, except that criticism which is constructive. However, there is no doubt that there is a type of criticism that is aimed towards hurting artists and this sort of criticism should be ignored. AT: Where do you feel the taste of success, in drama series or films? CA: In films. Cinema is a like a dream which is wonderful to realise. AT: Which do you prefer; singing or acting? CA: I would say acting; perhaps because I get more encouragement for it. AT: The field of art is full of thorns, are you capable of handling that? CA: All professions are full of thorns. If one who wants to receive flowers, one will certainly encounter thorns! AT: How do you describe your experience as an actress? CA: Successful and distinctive. People appreciate my work, and I was not expecting this as I am a relative newcomer. AT: Do you think that by concentrating on acting, it takes away from your singing work? CA: Maybe, but I try to balance both as much as I can. This is why I have made the decision to shoot only one series and produce one album per year. AT: You are a multi-talented artist, what type of art suits you the most? CA: All art. I love acting, singing, presenting TV shows and advertisements. AT: Does your quest for success pose a threat to your marital life? CA: No! My husband has known the nature of my work since we met. AT: Does he interfere in your choices? CA: No. He knows everything about my work life and we discuss everything. AT: In your opinion, why do many marriages of artists fail? CA: Sometimes the artist's selfishness plays a role in ruining their family life, for example when they want to be the focus of the family's attention, and to take more than they give. If the artist could overcome these complexes, they would achieve family stability. AT: What is your wish? CA: My wish is difficult. My wish is that my audience's love for me will grow even more.