The Reason Adel Imam Refused to Have Mahmoud Abdel Aziz Co-Star in “Hassan and Marcus”

Al-Taj News – Egyptian journalist and writer Emad El-Din Adeeb revealed behind-the-scenes details about the casting of the film “Hassan and Marcus,” confirming that late actor Mahmoud Abdel Aziz was the first choice to co-star with actor Adel Imam in the film, before disagreements between the two stars resurfaced over the “Raafat Al-Haggan” series, ultimately leading to the selection of late actor Omar Sharif.

Adeeb explained during an interview with media personality Lamis El-Hadidy that he had made efforts to reconcile Adel Imam and Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, and had indeed succeeded in bringing them closer together during their presence at the “Cannes Film Festival,” but the dispute resurfaced after the “Raafat Al-Haggan” issue was reopened.

Emad El-Din Adeeb said that Mahmoud Abdel Aziz was the first choice to co-star in “Hassan and Marcus” alongside Adel Imam, noting that there had initially been efforts to bring the two stars closer together.

He added: “Mahmoud Abdel Aziz was going to be Adel’s partner, and then there was a very long story with Mahmoud Abdel Aziz… They fell out after I had finally succeeded in getting them to sit together and reconciling them at Cannes.”

He explained that the dispute resurfaced because of discussions about the character of “Raafat Al-Haggan,” a role associated with Mahmoud Abdel Aziz in the famous series, while there had previously been discussions about Adel Imam portraying the character.

“Raafat Al-Haggan” Caused the Failure

Adeeb pointed out that bringing the “Raafat Al-Haggan” issue back into the spotlight renewed the dispute between Adel Imam and Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, bringing an end to the idea of having them together in the film.

He said that Adel Imam told him at the time: “You see what kind of man this is? I can’t work with him,” while Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, for his part, said: “And I don’t want to work with him.”

After it became impossible to agree on Mahmoud Abdel Aziz’s participation, Adeeb returned to searching with Adel Imam for another star who could achieve the required balance in the leading roles.

“No One Can Match Me Except Omar Sharif”

Emad El-Din Adeeb revealed that Adel Imam suggested a number of names to participate in the film, but he felt they did not provide the required balance opposite him, stressing that the nature of the film required the presence of a major star.

He said: “He suggested a number of names, all of whom were much less than Mr. Mahmoud Abdel Aziz,” noting that he insisted on having a sense of parity between the film’s two leads, particularly since the film was built around two characters representing different religions.

He added that Adel Imam eventually suggested the name of international actor Omar Sharif, saying: “There’s no one who can match me or equal my stature except Omar Sharif.”

One Phone Call

Regarding how Omar Sharif was persuaded to participate in the film, Adeeb confirmed that the matter did not require lengthy negotiations, explaining that he simply called him and invited him to the office.

He said: “I called him… live, on the phone… I told him, ‘Come to the office now,’” noting that Omar Sharif did indeed come and met with Adel Imam, and an agreement was quickly reached for him to participate in the film.

Adeeb added that the first meeting between the two stars was friendly, saying: “He came in, saw him, hugs and kisses. I told him: ‘That’s it, this is your co-star in the film, sir.’”

Highly Committed

Emad El-Din Adeeb praised Omar Sharif’s professionalism during the filming of “Hassan and Marcus,” confirming that he was highly committed and precise in his work and made sure to study the character and dialogue thoroughly.

He said: “It was one of the greatest films, and Omar Sharif was one of the greatest people. He would arrive exactly on time, prepared, having memorized his lines, wearing his costume, knowing the character, knowing the dialogue of the person opposite him.”

He added that Sharif did not merely memorize his own scenes, but also knew the dialogue Adel Imam would deliver opposite him, which he described as reflecting the extent of his professionalism and acting experience.

It is worth noting that “Hassan and Marcus” is one of the most prominent Egyptian films to combine comedy with social themes. It made a notable impact when it was released in 2008, particularly with the pairing of stars Adel Imam and Omar Sharif for the first time in a single cinematic work.

The film was written by Youssef Maati and directed by Rami Imam, and starred alongside the two leading actors Lablaba, Mohamed Imam, Sheri Adel, and a number of other artists.

The film addressed the issue of national unity and relations between Muslims and Christians, focusing on the dangers of extremism and religious intolerance, which made the work the subject of widespread discussion upon its release.