Khaberni - Egyptian director Mohamed Sami is undertaking an unprecedented artistic experience in his career, announcing that he will stand in front of the camera for the first time as an actor in a new series that is set to be aired during the Ramadan 2026 season on a digital platform, affirming that he will devote himself to this work which he considers to be a new and different adventure in his artistic history.
Samy explained in a television interview that the new work is his own idea, though he is neither writing nor directing it, saying, "I am undergoing an experience which I do not know how the audience will receive; the series is my idea, but I am not the writer or the director, rather, I am the protagonist who performs the acting role."
He confirmed that he chose to step away from the director's chair this year to focus on acting, in a step he sees as a challenge to himself and an opportunity to gain new experience.
On another note, Mohamed Sami definitively denied rumors about being forced to retire or leave the country, explaining, "No one can force me to retire or travel. I may face pressures, but the decision remains entirely my own, and all rumors about being banned from entering Egypt are utterly false." He referred to a "return" post he wrote on his personal account as a response to those rumors.
The Egyptian director also mentioned that he decided to move away from what he described as "the old whirlpool of series," confident that he is betting on his new idea in his upcoming series, saying, "If this experience succeeds, it will be a big and different project that I bet on with a new concept."
Samy clarified that his previous retirement announcement was not meant as a final departure from art but as an endeavor to develop himself and learn new things, adding, "When I said I decided to retire, I didn't mean stopping art, but I wanted to learn more, even though I had booked a training course in Japan years ago but postponed traveling repeatedly.”
Mohamed Sami responded to some of his colleagues who accused him of being temperamental and violent, saying, "They are partly right, as I am a difficult person because I am diligent and serious about my work, and laxity bothers me a lot, and I have been raised on hard work and discipline.. and I know my flaws well, and I realize that when I get angry, I might err unintentionally, but I always try to improve myself."
Regarding his family, he clarified that he no longer gets upset by the criticisms directed at his wife, the artist Mai Omar, saying, "I no longer get affected by the criticism directed at Mai, but what really saddened me was the attack that my sister Reem Sami faced in the series (El Prince), as she performed her role excellently."
He added that Mai Omar has proven her talent independently, as she participated in major works with artists like Adel Imam and Amir Karara.
Samy shared a poignant incident that changed his outlook on life when his daughter Taya faced a sudden health crisis, saying, "I received a call from my wife telling me that Taya was vomiting blood; I rushed home in a state of panic, and when we took her to the hospital, it turned out that she had a minor cough, which made me cry a lot and feel that nothing in the world is worth more than the health of my children."
He added that this incident was a turning point in his life, saying, "After what happened, I decided to allocate part of my money to charitable work, because money is worthless if my family isn't well, and I realized that true comfort lies in satisfaction and health, not in fame and wealth."
He acknowledged that he has become more fearful of illness and loss, admitting that he is living a state of excessive anxiety about cancer, affirming that the security of his family has become his absolute priority.
