Zeina (actress)
Zeina | |
|---|---|
| زينة | |
 | |
| Born | Wessam Reda Ismail Morsi 4 February 1977 Cairo, Egypt |
| Occupation | Actress |
Zeina (Arabic: زينة, IPA: [ˈzeːnæ]; born Wessam Reda Ismail Morsi, 4 February 1977) is an Egyptian actress and model. She began acting in 1995 and has since performed in many movies and television series, including Afaryt el-Sayala (Ghosts of Sayala) (2004) and El Haya fe Montaha el Laza (Joys of Life) (2005).
Career
She started her career as a model in music videos by her real name Wesam. Zeina was chosen by renowned director Daoud Abdel Sayed to play the role of “Hanna in Ard El kof” (Land of Fear), her acting role. She also worked as a broadcaster in one of the channels of Arab Radio and Television. She starred in many movies and television series since her acting debut, such as “Afaryt el-Sayala” (Ghosts of Sayala) in 2004, and “El Haya fe Montana el Laza” (Joys of Life) in 2005.[1]
The actress chose to go by Zeina as she began her acting career. She was dubbed “Sophia Loren of Arabs” by director Youssef Chahine after he saw her in “El Haya fe Montaha el Laza”, while late legendary actor Ahmed Zaki called her “Penélope Cruz” for the similarities between her and the Spanish actress.[1]
Zeina is known for her roles in films such as “El Haya fe Montaha el Laza”, “Sayed El Atefy”, “El Sahabh”, “El gezyra”, “90 Minutes”, “Puskas”, “Trapezoid”, “Captain Hima”, “One – Zero”, and “Two Girls From Egypt”. She is also known for her roles in TV productions "Al Layla Wa Elly Feeha", “Afaryt el-Sayala”,”Hadret el Motaham Aby”, ” Li Aala Seer”, and the hit tv series “Gaafar El Omda”.[1][2][3]
Zeina won many prizes, the most important of which was the best actress of 2005 and 2006 in the audience choice awards, she also won an award for outstanding performance for her role in The series (My Father the Defendant) with the star Nour El Sherif, and the 2013 Egyptian Film Association Award for (Two Girls from Egypt).[1][4]
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Zeina once again teamed up with actor Bassem Samra for a new TV series El Atawla part two. It marks the third collaboration between the two stars. They previously collaborated on the 2007 smash hit film "El Gezira"(The Island) and the star-studded TV series "El Atawla."[1]
Personal life
Legal case
In January 2008 a court ruling sentenced Zeina to two months imprisonment and a fine of E£1,000 because a traffic officer and soldier claimed that Zeina had verbally assaulted them while they were issuing a traffic violation. She obtained an acquittal from the Court of Appeals in April 2008 claiming the government needed to prove its case against fraud and falsification of records by the officers concerned.[5]
Marriage
Zeina had twin sons in October 2013. She claimed that their father is the actor Ahmed Ezz after a customary marriage. Ezz denied such allegations and asked for a DNA test to verify her claims.[6] In 2015, Cairo family court ruled in favour of Zeina to register the boys with Ezz being the biological father after he refused to do the test.[7] Later on, Nasr City misdemeanor court sentenced Ezz in absentia to three years in prison and levied a fine of E£15,000 on charges of libel and slander against actress Zeina.[8]
Filmography
Cinema
| No. | Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999 | Ard El kof (Land of Fear) | Hana |
| 2 | 2005 | El Hayah Montaha El-lazza | |
| 3 | 2005 | Sayed El Atefy | Gehan |
| 4 | 2007 | El Shabah | Ahlam |
| 5 | 2007 | Al Gezera (The Island) | Fayka |
| 6 | 2008 | Boshkash | Hania |
| 7 | 2008 | Shebh Monharef | |
| 8 | 2008 | Captin Hima | Mariam |
| 9 | 2009 | Wahed..Sefr | Nadia |
| 10 | 2010 | Bentein men misr | Hanan |
| 11 | 2010 | El Kobar | Heba |
| 12 | 2010 | Bolbol Hayran | Yasmine |
| 13 | 2012 | Al Maslaha | Stadia |
| 14 | 2015 | El-Lailah El-Kabirah | Madihah |
| 15 | 2018 | Karma | |
| 16 | 2019 | The Money | Hala |
| 17 | 2024 | El Eskandarani | Qamar |
| 18 | 2025 | El Dashash | |
| 19 | 2025 | The girls of pasha |
Television
- Afaryt el-Sayala (Ghosts of Sayala) - 2004
- Lil-tharwah Hisabat Okhra - 2005
- Hadret El Mottaham Abi - 2006
- Ali Ya Wika - 2006
- Layali - 2009
- Ard el naam - 2015
- El waswas - 2015
- Azmet nasab - 2015
- Le A'la Se'r - 2017
- Mamno Al Eqterab Aw Al Tasweer 4 - 2018
- Jame Salem - 2020
- Kolo Bil Hob (It’s All With Love) - 2020
- What happpend that night - 2022
- Gaafar El Omda - 2023
- Deebo - 2024
- Al Atawla - 2024-2025
- Ward w Shokolata - 2025
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Yara Sameh (15 June 2024). "Zeina Teams Up with Bassem Samra for New TV Series". See News. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "Jaafar El Omda". ElCinema. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ The Diva Next Door by Hassan Hassan. Archived 2 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine enigma-mag.com, 30 September 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
- ↑ "Zeina". Luxor African Film Festival. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
- ↑ "الملف الشخصي". Yahoo (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 27 December 2010.
- ↑ "Egyptian actress's fight for DNA test highlights women's struggles". english.alarabiya.net. 21 February 2014.
- ↑ Al Sherbini, Ramadan (27 June 2015). "Actress wins legal battle against Ahmad Ezz".
- ↑ "Egyptian actor Ahmed Ezz sentenced to 3 years in prison for defaming actress Zeina – Entertainment – Arts & Culture – Ahram Online". english.ahram.org.eg.