The men who played suicide bombers

Kais Nashef and Ali Soliman talk about their concerns and expectations of Paradise Now which has been praised by audiences worldwide.

When Kais Nashef did a "lousy audition" for Paradise Now in an old converted cinema in Nazareth, he didn?t realise that that was the beginning of a new chapter in his life and career.

As the mechanic-turned-suicide bomber Said in the film, the long-haired star didn?t quite expect the global acclaim the film went on to receive.

How were able to interpret the character of a suicide bomber?

It's an actor's task to turn a written character into flesh and blood.  That's our job. There was research as well.

I worked in Nablus in a mechanic's garage for a month to make sure my movements were natural. I studied different characters and used parts of them to make Said.

You are a Palestinian with an Israeli passport. You aren't from the West Bank. Were there tensions between you and the local crew ? who is this Palestinian from Tel Aviv who is going to represent a suicide bomber?

I had been to Nablus before [where the movie was shot], the Intifada. My father took me there. We ate konafa [a famous sweet from Nablus], but true, it was a different time. It didn?t feel different then.

Now it feels like its own place. It has its own character. But there weren't tensions. Our hearts are all Palestinian, and you could tell from the way we worked together.

Are you worried about being stereotyped now, with this success? That you'll only be considered for similar roles?

I was worried about it, which is why I'm now doing comedy.

What about Israeli audiences? Were they able to see the difference between you, Kais, and the role of Said, or were you considered a traitor for taking on this role?

No, that did not happen. People didn't think that. I think many understood that it wasn't a role. Actually the film is being screened at a cinema in Tel Aviv. About a 100 people a night are watching the film and those numbers are increasing.
 
So are you famous now?

Well, three or four people stop me every day to tell me about the film, but nobody is asking for my autograph.

What about your family? It's not a usual career, especially for Palestinians.

My family supported me. I wanted to be an actor from when I was young. There weren't any attempts to try make me a lawyer or a doctor. My family is open minded, they love cinema, they understood.