今日吃瓜

THE openly-gay grandson of Hollywood legend聽Omar Sharif has appeared on national TV in Egypt in an interview that did not shy away from the culturally-taboo subject of his聽sexuality.

Appearing on Deutsche Welle Arabic news program聽Shabab Talk, Omar Sharif Jr said聽his homosexuality聽was never an issue with his late grandfather.

[showads聽ad=MREC]鈥淏efore anything, in the eyes of my grandparents, I was their grandson,鈥� Sharif Jr told journalist聽Jaafar Abdul Karim.

鈥淚t was a never a topic of conversation in our relationship and it never changed. We never spoke about it and to them, I was just Omar.鈥� [Scroll down to watch video snippet of聽interview]

It was also聽Sharif Jr鈥檚聽first appearance on Arabic TV, which was also used to promote the actor’s upcoming film聽The Secret Scripture.

With over four million people reportedly tuning in, the interview聽has been聽hailed as the first time聽many in the Arabic-speaking world have heard stories of being gay in an Arab culture coming directly from a gay person.

In Egypt alone, while homosexuality is not explicitly illegal authorities have a history of cracking down聽down on gay citizens via the聽supposed abuse聽of public decency laws, scorning religion or 鈥渄ebauchery鈥�.

A recent surge in the state-sanctioned persecution of LGBT Egyptian citizens has also attracted聽worldwide criticism, such as the arrest of 26 men after 聽in December.聽The men were all eventually cleared of charges in January.

Sharif Jr, who is also聽an ambassador for聽US-based聽Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), said in his interview that he hoped the Arab world realised聽he is still a human being.

鈥淚鈥檓 a son, I鈥檓 a brother, I鈥檓 a coworker, I鈥檓 a friend. I am not a fact, or a figure or a statistic. I鈥檓 not a moral an ethical debate,鈥� he told Karim.

The 32-year-old聽was also asked to respond to those聽who accused him聽of “smearing” his grandparents鈥� image and reputation.

鈥淚 think the best thing I can do in life is to live openly, authentically and happily, and I am doing that,” he said.

“I know I am making them happy because that鈥檚 all they would want me; they would want me to be happy.

“That鈥檚 what grandparents should want for their grandchildren.鈥�

He also provided advice for Arab youth who were struggling to come to terms with their identity in cultures where homosexuality is a serious taboo.

鈥淚f I had one advice to give, is to be open enough to be who you are,” Sharif Jr said.

“Do not pay much attention to the conversation happening around you. Pay attention to the conversation happening in your heart and in your head because that鈥檚 the only thing you can control.”

The Montreal-born actor afterwards that he was “thrilled” with how his interview turned out.

“The topics of religion, sexuality, and politics we’re covered respectfully,” he said.

“I’d give kudos to the journalist who asked the questions, because it’s a stark contrast from journalist like Mona Al Iraki who orchestrated the bathhouse raid and the sensationalised headlines.”

Blown away by the fact that over 4 million people watched me live on w/ – Thank You!

鈥� Omar Sharif Jr. (@OmarSharifJr)

Both of Sharif Jr鈥檚 paternal grandparents are much-loved actors in the Arab world. His grandfather, who is聽best-known in Hollywood for his roles in Dr Zhivago and his Oscar nomination聽in 1962 classic聽Lawrence of Arabia, died聽in July after suffering a heart attack. He had been living with聽Alzheimer’s disease聽in the months leading up to his death.

Sharif Jr was educated both in Canada and in Egypt and聽had a fledgling acting career in the Middle East before he moved to聽the US聽in 2011. He grabbed headlines , in which he also disclosed he is half-Jewish.

Other well-known openly-gay identities聽in the Arab world include Hamed Sinno, the lead singer of Lebanese rock band Mashrou Laila, and Morrocan filmaker and writer聽Abdellah Ta茂a.

Watch the highlight of Omar Sharif Jr’s TV interview (dubbed in Arabic) here:

Watch the full interview:

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