“ASSER YASSIN UNCOVERED”
IDENTITY MAGAZINE APRIL 2015 PHOTO-SHOOT
Recognised for his highly dramatic and sophisticated roles, Asser Yassin has quickly risen as an adored actor. Originally a mechanical engineer who had a strong passion for acting, he managed to become one of the most charismatic and talented actors at a remarkably young age. Not only does he combine the smart brains and killer looks, he’s also a loving family man and father to adorable one-year-old Taher.
Why have you been out of sight lately? (before aswar el amar)
During shooting ‘Aswar El Qamar’ I was actually doing other things. I’ve shot “Bibo We Besheer”, “El Baltagy”, And “Farsh we Ghata” which was my first co-production as well. I’ve also shot other campaigns mainly for the elections: ‘Go Vote’, ‘No for military trials’, and recently ‘Masr el orayeba’ video clip. Before the revolution I had a plan, I knew what I wanted to do, however, during the time where Egypt was in turmoil, the whole country was affected including the arts and cinema and that affected the general taste. I wanted for example to try out comedy roles but now you have to be bolder, you have to be tackling things in a complete different matter. Starting last year, since we have a proper president and management and a glimpse of stability, people started to take risks and invest again and at the same time during this year I’ve read a lot and tried to experience different aspects of the job; I tried producing and directing short webisodes or web series and writing them and I loved it.
Does that mean that you are planning to produce and write?
Definitely, I’m also planning to venture in new aspects. I really want to try Camera operating too. I got a new camer- the Sony Alpha 7s,- and im working on a couple of things.
So, What are you working on right now? Who are the cast?
I’m actually working on several things right now. There are two Ramadan series that I’m working on: El 3ahd ( The Pledge) written by Mohamed Amin Radi, It’s going to be a great dramatic/political series. Luckily, I have a couple of the best actresses in Egypt; including Ghada Adel, Arwa Gouda, Kinda Aloush, Safwa, Salwa Khattab, Sherin Reda, Saba Mobarak, and very good male actors as well like: Walid Fawaz , Sabry Fawaz, Ahmed Magdy (an upcoming very good talent he acted in Microphone), and Ahmed El Awady. It will be my first historical act- dressed in costumes and everything- it’s talking about something between the 17th and the 18th century, but it’s definitely related to the present. To me it’s about the powerful authority and it’s about the loop that we go on and on all over the eras. So, I’m starting to act with a new technique, and the premise itself of the story puts me in a shell that I haven’t seen myself in before so everything is going to be different, even the script is written in a very delicate and beautifully different way.
The second series is ‘Alf Leila we Leila’ (1001 nights) playing a magician role. I’m doing the second 15 episodes. The first part is Amir karara and the second part is going to be me and Nisreen El Tafesh. It has a fantasy historical realm that is irresistible.
Besides, I’m also working on a movie called ‘Men Dahr Ragel’ (like father like son). Mahmoud Hemeida is playing my father’s role, and There’s also Yasmin Al-Rayes, Sabry Fawaz and Walid Fawaz and written also by Mohamed Amin Radi. It’s a great bunch of people.
It’s an action/drama movie. I’m playing the role of a boxer, I’ve been boxing training for a year now to prepare for it. I think this movie is definitely going to be a classic.
Sounds tempting. Why do we always feel that all of your roles are deep and complicated – Apart of “Bibo we besheer”-Do you specifically pick these kind of roles, Or was it a coincidence?
As an artist and as a person I love challenging myself every time; so the more challenging the role, the more I become enthusiastic about it. I think for me acting is about pushing yourself forward and that’s why it has become my passion, my job, and it’s a bliss that my hobby became my profession. Besides, cinema is history, and it builds up the history of the future and I want to be a part of it, so, I have to be very careful and concerned about the present that’s why I’m doing it with my utmost passion, so, forty years from now when I look back I see myself where I wanted to be.
Does that mean that you aren’t considering lighter roles? Like comedy for example?
I love comedy and I might actually venture again in comedy, there is a script we’re working on with my friend Mohamed Zayed who’s a very good director.
Moving on to your personal life, and given that you’re married and you have baby taher now, how do you manage BALANCING between work and family?
It’s tough, but I have to make time for it; it’s the base. I’m living in a family house, my parents live in the first floor and my brother is in the second and I’m in the third. The fact that I do a lot of shooting sometimes I tend to lose myself as an artist and as a Pisces – we have the tendency to lose ourselves and we mix reality with imagination, like any other job. Sometimes I need to take a minute and think “ is it the light, the camera and acting and this whole fiction your living, or the reality?”, and my family is the real thing.
What kind of advice you’d like to give single men about marriage?
It’s only right when it feels right. In my experience,when it comes to work, choosing a friend, even choosing a car, you’re not sure it is the right choice. But when it came to this, I was positive and I felt that god really blessed it.
Are you planning to bring Taher other sibilings?
I wish. I’d love to have five or six kids.
Is your wife a working mum?
She studied political science and economics and had her masters done, worked in several NGO’s and big corporates, then she shifted career completely – that’s a common thing between us. She is a fitness instructor and has her own fitness studio and she’s a spinning, pilates and zumba instructor.
