By: Yomna Walid
Dina Diab captured millions of hearts after &ldquo;Al Sada Al Afadel&rdquo; hit theaters and later streamed online. With the film surpassing one million views, audiences began searching for the face behind the now-viral memes. In a remarkably short time, Dina Diab became a name everyone was talking about. The rising actress worked tirelessly to land the role, refusing to give up even after suffering a serious leg injury. Instead, she transformed her pain into part of the performance, using it in a comedic way that added depth to her character. Dina also learned the Fayoumi dialect to bring authenticity to &ldquo;Donia,&rdquo; shaping a character that felt real, grounded, and instantly memorable. Today, her dedication has paid off, earning her widespread love and recognition. Nile FM dives deeper with Dina Diab as she speaks candidly for the first time about the small details she added to build the character&rsquo;s identity, the risks she took to prove herself, and a surprise appearance coming this Ramadan alongside Kozbara.
<iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/l8XsU8RuepI" width="560" height="314" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
 Let&rsquo;s start from the beginning. When did you first feel drawn to acting, and why did you choose this path? Since I was a child, my eyes would light up whenever I watched movies on TV or in the cinema. That world felt very far away from me, but I was always fascinated by it. I decided to start with commercials because I wanted to be on TV like the girls I used to see. I searched, attended casting calls, and tried to understand what a &ldquo;location&rdquo; even meant. I did many commercials, then started auditioning for acting roles. After some time, director Karim El Shenawy chose me and gave me my first real opportunity.
<a href="https://ibb.co/7JjBmshr"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/VWJb4f6M/1.png" alt="1" border="0" /></a> When you were offered your role in &ldquo;Al Sada Al Afadel,&rdquo; how did you feel? At first, I was scared. Then I became very excited because I loved the world of the project and really wanted to work with Mr. Karim. The entire cast included actors I admire. Yes, the role is sensitive, but it&rsquo;s also part of a unique and special project.
How did you build the character and the accent, especially since it&rsquo;s different from you? I love traveling because it helps me collect characters in my head. Egypt is full of cultures. I had traveled to Fayoum during Ramadan, and shortly after that, I was asked to do an audition that required a slightly rural accent. From there, it was all about studying and preparation. I still feel I need to learn more accents and cultures.
<a href="https://ibb.co/Gfb1Rfvp"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/kVWrXVgB/2.png" alt="2" border="0" /></a> What about the character&rsquo;s look and styling? The stylist, Ghadeer, is brilliant. She gave me space to suggest details myself, like using black henna on my hands, for example.
Were you afraid the accent or the character wouldn&rsquo;t turn out as you imagined? I was terrified. I always tell myself that one day I&rsquo;ll get the accent right, and another day I won&rsquo;t. I kept listening closely to how people speak and paying attention to their expressions and rhythms.
<a href="https://ibb.co/RTnFzpTK"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/Wv9hgWvX/3.png" alt="3" border="0" /></a> What encouraged you the most to take on the role? Many things: Mr. Karim&rsquo;s encouragement, the chance to work with great artists and stars I admire, and simply my love for the role itself. Your leg injury became a big part of the story behind this role. Can you tell us about that? I had a severe ligament injury before anyone even contacted me. Despite that, I insisted on doing the audition while wearing a cast and standing on one leg. I was literally hopping; it was very risky, and I wasn&rsquo;t even supposed to leave the house. All thanks go to Mr. Karim for believing in me, to Mody Shaheen for nominating me, and to the Frame team who always supported me.
<a href="https://ibb.co/hF3mLJxT"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/7ts1jdx0/I-was-scared-but-then-it-s-a-turning-point-kalshennawy-thanks-for-the-chance-For-the-hidden-2.jpg" alt="I-was-scared-but-then-it-s-a-turning-point-kalshennawy-thanks-for-the-chance-For-the-hidden-2" border="0" /></a> Did you expect this strong reaction from the audience? Not at all. I was honestly shocked. I receive so many kind messages, and sometimes I don&rsquo;t even know how to react. Was there a scene that really stood out with the audience? The Colombian dress scene was improvised. I asked my director if I could say it, and he agreed. Taha Desouky and Ali Sobhy were incredibly supportive and cooperative.
<a href="https://ibb.co/B5JNqmZ3"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/YFSZp6kQ/I-was-scared-but-then-it-s-a-turning-point-kalshennawy-thanks-for-the-chance-For-the-hidden.jpg" alt="I-was-scared-but-then-it-s-a-turning-point-kalshennawy-thanks-for-the-chance-For-the-hidden" border="0" /></a> How were the behind-the-scenes moments on set? The atmosphere was lovely. There was a lot of laughter, but also a lot of focus. Did your injury affect filming? Almost all the time. My leg was still healing, and I was in pain throughout most of the shoot.
<a href="https://ibb.co/xKjFw59P"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/mrqNdzZ1/5.png" alt="5" border="0" /></a> You&rsquo;re also appearing in a Ramadan series with Kozbara. What can you tell us about it? In Ramadan, there&rsquo;s a small surprise in the role, and I really hope the audience likes it. How do you see your future after this success? We&rsquo;ll see; everything is in God&rsquo;s hands. Any love I receive from people truly motivates me. What advice would you give to actresses just starting out? Don&rsquo;t lose hope too quickly when facing repeated attempts. Sometimes, when everything feels closed, that&rsquo;s exactly when you need to keep going. And always stay flexible with how life changes.
<a href="https://ibb.co/W4Qd64Tc"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/1t3pLtS9/6.png" alt="6" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;

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