Omar Sharif Jr.: Difference between revisions
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| birth_name = Omar Joseph El Sharif <ref name="FAMOUSWIKIS">{{cite web|title=Omar Sharif jr. Biography|url=http://famouswikis.com/omar-sharif-jr/|publisher=FAMOUSWIKIS|accessdate=13 April 2018|date=2018}}</ref> |
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1983|11|28}} |
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1983|11|28}} |
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| birth_place = [[Montreal]], [[Canada]] |
| birth_place = [[Montreal]], [[Canada]] |
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| nationality = Egyptian-Canadian |
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| nationality = Egyptian-Canadian |
| nationality = Egyptian-Canadian |
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| education = Master's |
| education = Master's |
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| years_active = 2000–current |
| years_active = 2000–current |
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| height = 1.83m<ref name="FAMOUSWIKIS"/> |
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Revision as of 10:53, 13 April 2018
Omar Sharif Jr. | |
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| Born | Omar Joseph El Sharif [1] 28 November 1983 |
| Nationality | Egyptian-Canadian |
| Education | Master's |
| Alma mater | Queen's University & London School of Economics |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, Model, Gay Activist |
| Years active | 2000–current |
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] |
Omar Sharif Jr. (born in Montreal, 28 November 1983) is an Egyptian-Canadian actor, model, and gay activist who currently lives in the United States.
Early life
Sharif is the son of a Muslim father, Tarek, and a Jewish mother, Debbie. His paternal grandparents were Omar Sharif and Faten Hamama, both well-known Egyptian actors; his maternal grandparents were Holocaust survivors. During his childhood Sharif was shuttled back and forth between Montreal, Paris, and Cairo.[2][3]
Career
Sharif has worked as an actor, appearing in the 2000 Egyptian miniseries Wagh el qamar, the 2005-6 Canadian series Virginie, the 2008 Egyptian film Hassan wa Morcus, and the 2016 Irish film The Secret Scripture.[2] When he became an actor, his grandfather said to him: “I gave you my name, I gave you my looks. I'm not going to give you anything else. You have to do it entirely on your own.”[4]
His most recent film 11th Hour, directed by Jim Sheridan, and co-starring Salma Hayek was selected by the TriBeCa Film Festival in 2017[5]
He has also worked as a model: He was “the face of Coca-Cola for the Arabic world and appeared in a major Calvin Klein print campaign in Egypt.”[6]
He was a presenter at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards in 2011, during which he performed a memorable comedic sketch with Kirk Douglas.
Activism
In 2012, Sharif came out as gay in The Advocate, a gay newsmagazine. Noting that the recent parliamentary elections in Egypt had “dealt secularists a particularly devastating blow,” he stated that the vision of “a freer, more equal Egypt — a vision that many young patriots gave their lives to see realized in Tahrir Square — has been hijacked.”[7][8][9] He is said to be “the first public personality to ever come out as openly gay in the Arab World.” His announcement led to widespread criticism and threats of violence.[3]
From 2013 to 2015, he was the National Spokesperson for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).[2]
In May 2015, he was hired to handle community affairs by New York developer Ian Reisner.[10]
In an August 2015 interview, Sharif said that his recently deceased grandfather, Omar Sharif, had been aware of his homosexuality and had never had a problem with it. He also said he hoped to change Egyptian attitudes toward gay people. “I’m a son, I’m a brother, I’m a coworker, I’m a friend,” he said. “I’m not a fact, or a figure, or a statistic. I’m not a moral or an ethical debate.”[11]
Sharif gave a speech at the 2016 Oslo Freedom Forum discussing his coming out story during Arab Spring and admitting to suicidal thoughts.[9][12]
As of 2012 he was living in Cairo,[7] however shortly thereafter, uneasy about the “new Egypt,” he left the country.[7] He now resides in Los Angeles.[13] He has a B.A. from Queen's University, a Master’s in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics and a degree in Performing Arts from The Lee Strasberg Institute.[13]
Honors and awards
He was honored as one of the “Out 100” in 2012,”[6] The Advocate's "40 Under 40" in 2014 and 2015, and won Attitude Magazine's 'Inspiration Award' in 2016.[14]
Other
Omar is fluent in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Hebrew, and Yiddish.[2]
References
- ^ a b "Omar Sharif jr. Biography". FAMOUSWIKIS. 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d "IMDB Page". IMDB. 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ a b Chambers, Levi; Reynolds, Daniel. "Omar Sharif Jr. Talks Donald Trump, 'Naughty Fun' of Dante's Cove". Advocate. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
- ^ Kilday, Greg (2015). "Omar Sharif Jr. on His Grandfather: Trips to the Oscars and Pies in the Face". the Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ Rothe, Nina. "Uniting Humanity". Huffpost. Retrieved 2017-05-15.
- ^ a b "Out100: Omar Sharif Jr". Out Magazine. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ a b c "Coming Out Story: We're Not in Cairo Anymore". ADVOCATE. 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ Fisher, Gabe. "Omar Sharif Jr: I'm gay and Jewish". Times of Israel. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ a b Steinbach, Jesse. "Omar Sharif Jr. on Coming Out: 'I Had Suicidal Thoughts…Then Something Wonderful Happened'". Out. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
- ^ Johnson, Richard. "Gay hotelier hires Omar Sharif Jr. to save him". Page Six. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ McCormick, Joseph. "Omar Sharif Jr: My grandfather didn't care that I'm gay". Pink News. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ "Coming out in the middle of a Revolution 2016". Oslo Freedom Forum. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
- ^ a b Farrell, Paul. "Omar Sharif Junior: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ "Attitude's Inspiration Award winner: Omar Sharif Jr".
- 1983 births
- Living people
- Alumni of the London School of Economics
- Canadian male film actors
- Canadian male models
- Canadian male television actors
- Egyptian Jews
- Egyptian activists
- Egyptian male film actors
- Egyptian male models
- Egyptian male television actors
- Gay actors
- Jewish Canadian male actors
- Jewish male models
- LGBT Jews
- LGBT entertainers from Canada
- LGBT people from Egypt
- LGBT rights activists from Canada
- Yiddish-speaking people