From Teenager to Teen Heartthrob – Tayam Amar

BY: MALAK SEKALY
@MalakSekaly

Freshman Tayam Amar’s life went through the kind of transformation few can expect over just one summer.

But for Amar, it may as well have been the existential equivalent of planting feet firmly on a sandy beach leaving a trail for others to follow.

Amar is just 19 and intends to double major in Integrated Marketing Communications and Film, but his fame soared after he debuted in the Ramadan TV series, Abo El Banat (Father of the Girls), where he played a secondary character named Hani.

In just a few days, the show transformed him from just an average Egyptian teenager into an acting heartthrob.

The son of Egyptian singer-turned-movie star Mostafa Amar, the freshman returns to the big screen to work alongside his father in the upcoming movie Fein Alby (Where is my heart?), expected to hit screens late December 2016.

Amar spoke with The Caravan for a follow up on his career shortly after the success of Abo El Banat and the amplified response he received for his role.

How long have you been acting?

I’ve been acting ever since I was a kid. I was in two of my father’s movies when I was young: Alb Garee2 (Bold Heart) when I was five years old and Bahibak Wana Kaman (I Love You, Too) when I was six years old. I’ve also always participated in school plays from a very young age.

What inspired you to start acting in the first place?

I think the inspiration comes from my father because he is the one who motivated me to join the industry. Since he is in the industry himself, I’m always surrounded by it, whether it’s seeing him working or watching him on set. I think he’s the reason I’m so engulfed by acting and why I fell in love with it.

Being an actor, he has a lot of connections with other actors, producers, and directors. Because they are his friends, I am connected to such figures and so I get to meet with, and talk to, them all the time. For example, I get to sit with many important directors including Ehab Rady and Aly Idris, who advise me on my career.

But convincing my dad that I was going to pursue this career was a major obstacle. He actually wanted acting to be a side job or a fall back plan, while I wanted it to be my focus. He wanted me to have an academic background in case acting didn’t work as a full time job.

It took effort and research to persuade him, but I was able to explain how the fact that he’s starting his own production company guarantees a spot for me in the industry.

So, by studying film I’ll be able to add to the production company with my own knowledge. Thankfully, he’s fully supportive of my decision now.

How did being exposed to fame at a young age shape who you are today?

I don’t think I was exposed to fame very early on. Even the two movies I acted in when I was younger didn’t have a major impact on my life. The only instances of fame I’d experience would be when I was out with my dad and people would recognize me from acting in his films.

Why did you decide to take on acting professionally?

First of all, what led to my decision was the fact that as a senior in high school I realized that graduation was just around the corner, which forced me to think about my future. I knew that I would apply to university, get a degree and work for the rest of my life. So I started asking what it was that would keep me happy for the rest of my life. I realized that I need something that excites me and motivates me to actually go to work. I needed something that would spark creativity and allow me to stand out. And that was acting.

How has acting impacted your friendships?

I don’t think acting impacted my friendships in any particular way. My friends still treat me in the exact same way they did before. A few just tease me every now and then about being famous. I don’t see my friends as much as I used to though, but I know that they all understand that I’m busier now and that they want what’s best for me.

Are any significant people in your life strongly against your decision?

Thankfully, my family is very supportive of me. My grandmother however, from my mother’s side, isn’t a big fan of my decision. She thinks that I’m supposed to become a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer, or anything else that has more gravitas.

Unfortunately, she doesn’t think that being an actor is something she can be proud of. She isn’t necessarily against it, but just isn’t very supportive either.

Were you overwhelmed by the response you got after Abo El Banat?

Of course I was. I went from having 1,000 followers on Instagram to having about 33,000. You go from being just a normal teenager at AUC to someone a lot of people can recognize. A lot of people have opinions of you now, which is something I sometimes find strange to deal with.

How are you coping with all the social media attention?

Well, I answer a lot of direct messages of Instagram, and thankfully I don’t receive any weird messages; most are just people saying “hi.” I answer those that send loving and motivational messages. I also answer fan pages, since I find them to be very sweet.

I don’t feel like all this social media attention is negative in any way, because I don’t feel as though my life is any less private. I’m also not pressured by all the followers. It’s actually the opposite; because I have a lot of followers I can post almost whatever I want since the pressure of getting a lot of likes is gone.

Aside from Instagram messages, have you had any awkward interactions with your fans?

One time, I was in Porto Marina, and I was just walking around when I realized that a group of kids were running after me. I didn’t realize they were following me until I got into the elevator and turned around to see  them holding one hand over their mouths, screaming and pointing at me.

What is your opinion of current Egyptian cinema?

I think most movies now are low budget fares focused on high income. They are degenerating an industry that had been primarily concerned with innovation, and creativity into a profit-seeking business.

I think that my generation of innovators in the film industry has the power to save Egyptian cinema and stop the production of meaningless films.