Bassel Khaiat (Arabic: باسل خياط, born 29 August 1977) is a Syrian actor, working in theatre, television, and film.
Bassel Khaiat | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | August 29, 1977 Damascus, Syria |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1998-present |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Spouse | Nahed Zaidan |
| Children | 2 |
Early life edit
Khaiat was born in Damascus, Syria, and has a brother named Mohammed.[1][2] Khaiat started acting at eight years old. He applied for admission at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts, but was rejected.[3] He reapplied the following year, was accepted, and graduated in 1999, the same year as Kosai Khauli and Sulafa Memar.[4][5]
He was an athletic child and grew up in a supportive environment for the arts. His father was a big fan of the movies and his mother came from a musical family.[4]
Khaiat had a difficult upbringing, forcing him to work from a young age. He has described the death of his father as one of the most difficult experiences he has had to endure.[6]
Career edit
Khaiat has acted in France, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait and Syria. He is part of a group of Syrian actors who dominate Arab television series, along with Khauli, Taim Hasan, and Maxim Khalil, forming a regional rat pack.[5]
Khaiat's entry into television was a Syrian television show in 1992, Once Upon a Time. In 2000, his portrayal of Amer in the show Secrets of the City, by Hisham Sharbatji, won over audiences. He received critical acclaim in 2004 for his role in the series Big Dreams, by Hatem Ali, followed by successful television series, such as prominent Syrian shows Spring of Cordoba, On the Brink, Abu Khalil Al-Qabbani, and Women's Love.[7]
In 2004, he was featured in the movie The Gate of Sun, which was shown at the Cannes Film Festival.
He broke into Egyptian television through his series Niran Siddiq, broadcast during Ramadan, in which he portrayed Gaddaf. He attracted Egyptian audiences and directors through his portrayal of psychologically complex roles in other Ramadan series My Way alongside famed singer Sherine, who is he is a fan of,[8] Al-Mezan, 30 Days, and The Journey.[7]
In 2018, he was featured in Tango, broadcast internationally on Netflix.[9] The same year, he won a Distinctive International Arab Festivals Award for his work.[10]
In 2019, he served as a judge for the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children.[11]
In 2021, as part of MBC's 30th anniversary celebration, Khaiat and other superstars from the Arab world such as Yousra, Nasser Al Qasabi, Amina Khalil, Dhaffer L'Abidine, Asser Yassin, and Somaya El Khashab, appeared in a four-segment episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.[12] He was profiled in GQ magazine by Nasri Atallah in 2021.[13]
In 2023, he was announced as the first male ambassador for the Middle East for the Italian fashion house Bulgari.[14]
Personal life edit
Khaiat was engaged for over two years to Tunisian artist Hend Sabry.[15][16][17][18]
In 2020, he, along with many Syrian actors, was embroiled with the Syrian Artists Syndicate, after the president, actor Zuhair Ramadan, made several remarks stating that some actors had called for killing of the Syrian people. Khaiat issued a statement that his dismissal from the Syndicate was because of statements made without evidence, that he would reschedule payments to the Syndicate, and that artists have the right to know what they are paying for and what they will get in return.[19]
He is married to Nahed Zaidan, with whom he has a son, Shams, and a daughter, Isabelle.[20] His favorite actor is Daniel Day-Lewis.[21][22]
References edit
- ^ "Bassel Khaiat | باسل خياط (@basselkhaiatofficial) posted on Instagram: "One and only ...brother❤️❤️❤️العب أبو حميد أحلى أخ بالدنيا #brother #family #باسل_خياط #حب #peace #dubai #syria#good_time #" • Sep 2, 2019 at 11:33am UTC". 2020-12-11. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ زيدان, الهام (2018-08-29). "في ذكرى ميلاده الـ41.. تعرف على أهم المحطات في مشوار باسل خياط". الوطن (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "باسل خياط - ﺗﻤﺜﻴﻞ فيلموجرافيا، صور، فيديو". elCinema.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ a b "Riham Abdel Ghafour & Bassel Khaiat". eniGma Magazine. 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ a b "The Unshakeable Confidence Of Bassel Khaiat". GQ Middle East. April 6, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-10-27.
- ^ "Basil Khayat cries in front of Dhafer El Abidine and reveals his father's message that defeated him… Video". Middle East in 24 Entertainment English. 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ a b "Bassel Khaiat". IMDb. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "INTERVIEW: Syrian actor Basel Khayat on his latest role in Egypt TV series Tariqi - Entertainment - Arts & Culture". Ahram Online. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "Tango | Netflix". www.netflix.com. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "Honorees 2018". DIAFA. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
- ^ "Sharjah International Film Festival for Children 2019: Your ultimate guide". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "MBC celebrates 30th anniversary with all-star episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire - Entertainment - Arts & Culture". Ahram Online. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "The GQ Profiles". Nasri Atallah. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
- ^ "Bulgari Announces Bassel Khaiat As First Male Regional Ambassador". SecneNow. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ ElKader, Nada Abd (2019-12-04). "9 Arab Celebrity Couples We Forgot Were Together". Identity Magazine. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "Entz Weekly Picks: Nadine Njeim Undigested Word & Hend Sabry Running into Her Ex Bassel Khayyat". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "Hend Sabry's Runs Into Her Ex-Fiancé Basil Khayat at The El Gouna Festival". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ Admin. "Watch Hind Sabri's Reaction After Meeting Her Ex-fiancé Basil Khayat! (Video) » Gulf News » Prime Time Zone". Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "Syrian artists in confrontation with their Syndicate". Enab Baladi. 2020-01-01. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "ETبالعربي يجمع باسل خياط و عائلته لأول مرة لايف على فيسبوك". ET بالعربي (in Arabic). 2019-12-30. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ On family and work, Bassel Khayyat opens up to WhatsupCairo, retrieved 2021-10-28
- ^ "On family and work, Bassel Khayyat opens up to WhatsupCairo". Whatsup Cairo. Archived from the original on 2020-11-26.