Cairo: Well-known Egyptian actor Haitham Zaki, the son of acting giant Ahmad Zaki, was found dead inside his house near Cairo early Thursday, the actors’ union, said. He was 35.
Police entered Zaki the Jr’s house in a compound in the suburb of Shaikh Zayed, in response to a report from his fiancée who said she felt worried after he had not answered her calls.
On entering the house, police found Zaki lying dead inside the bathroom, Egyptian media reported.
Prosecutors ordered an autopsy on his body to determine if his death was natural or due to a criminal act, private newspaper Al Watan said.
Preliminary investigations showed that the actor lived alone and did not leave the house the day before his death.
Zaki’s acting career started in 2006 when he was hired to complete the role of his father in “Halim” a biopic dramatisizng the life of legendary Egyptian singer Abdul Halim Hafez.
The following year, he played the lead role in the film “The Clown”, which was a box-office flop, prompting him to quit acting for three years.
He staged a comeback in the hit TV series “The Group” that explores the turbulent history of the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood.
He has since landed several roles in Egyptian films and TV dramas, which earned him critical acclaims.
His last work was in a role in “A Question Mark”, a TV thriller that was shown last Ramadan.
