Veteran Egyptian actress Ragaa Hussein dies at 85

Dubai: Iconic Egyptian actress Ragaa Hussein died on Tuesday at Cairo-based hospital after a prolonged battle with illness, local media said. She was 85.

Ashraf Zaki, head of the Egyptian actors’ syndicate, shared the news on his Twitter account today. “Renowned actress Ragaa Hussein passed away,” he said in a tweet.

Born in Al Qalubia Governorate in 1937, the acclaimed actress initially joined the Najib El Rihani Theatrical Troupe in 1958, and then worked in cinema and television since the 1950s.

“The Promise” has catapulted her to fame in 1978. Throughout her 68-year career, Hussein starred in many films, most notably “People’s Hearts” in 1955, “Out of Time” in 1989 and “Nawara” in 2015.

Ragaa was best known for her films “Mouths and Rabbits” and “An Egyptian Story”.

She starred in a number of TV series including “Mared El Gabal”, “Mofatesh Mabahes”, “El Les W El Kelab”, “ Ahlam El Fata El Ta’er”, “ Raya W Sekeina”, “ Le Dawa’y Amnia”, “Ayza Atgwez”, “Ze’ab El Gabal” among others.

In 2020, Egypt’s Minister of Culture Inas Abdel Dayem honoured Hussein and other Egyptian theatre icons on the occasion of the Egyptian Theatre Day.

Egypt’s first lady Entissar Al Sissi honoured Ragaa on March 9 2022, among other Egyptian women icons on the occasion of International Women’s Day.