Lesser-known Facts about Zubaida Tharwat

Today, June 14 marks the 83rd birth anniversary of Zubaida Tharwat, who was one of the finest actresses that the Egyptian film industry could ever have.

Tharwat was counted among the most beautiful actresses of Egyptian cinema. With her acting and beauty, she ruled millions of hearts for twenty years. However, the last few years of her life were full of pain.

She was born in Alexandria in 1940 to a father who was an officer in the Egyptian Army and a mother of Circassian origin.

She made her movie debut as a teenage artist with Shadia, when she was 16, and got her first lead role at the age of 18 with the movie The young angel (1957).

She started her breakthrough in cinema, after winning a beauty contest in a teen magazine in 1956. Meanwhile, a number of Egyptian renowned magazines labeled her as the best new face when she was yet to turn 16.

Tharwat shot to fame with her success in ‘A Day of My Life’ and many remarkable films and stunning performances followed suit. Her performance in ‘Doha’ won her much praise from her fans and critics alike.

Moreover, Tharwat's participation in “A Man in Our House” along with veterans Hassan Youssif, Omar El-Sheriff, and Ahmed Ramzy, established the idea of a younger cinema that prevailed afterward.

She is also known for collaborations and associations with legendary Egyptian actors like the late remarkable actor Omar El Sherif, Abdel-Halim, and Yehia Shahin.

In a 2005 interview, Tharwat, who starred in 40 films throughout her career, unveiled her love story with Pelé, affirming that she had a massive admiration for the footballer.

The actress opened up that they met in Kuwait but she was familiar with the Brazilian King despite taking pictures with him. She revealed that football was not a priority for her at that time.

She recounted that Pelé proposed to her and asked her to move with him to Brazil. However, she could not know what he was saying due to his lack of proficiency in English or Arabic, stressing that she was looking at him without understanding him.

The gorgeous actress married five times and had four daughters with her second husband, renowned Syrian producer Sobhy Farahat.

In the early 1980s, the iconic actress decided to quit showbiz altogether.

In 2016, she died aged 76 after a cancer battle.