Cairo: Versatile Egyptian actress Jala Fahmi, noted for a motley of acclaimed roles, has passed away aged 59, her family said.
Jala, the daughter of prominent filmmaker Ashraf Fahmi, died Saturday evening of a heart attack, Egyptian media said.
The news of her death sent shockwaves across the acting community, triggering an outpouring of tributes for her.
“She was in fine health lately and did not suffer from any [health] problem,” head of the Egyptian actors’ union Ashraf Zaki told a local TV station.
Jala had been away from the limelight for over a decade, with her last film shown in 2003.
Born in November 1962, Jala initiated an acting career when she was 12. Later, she worked as a radio and TV host before switching her career to acting, performing in dozens of films and TV serials.
Her most popular films include “Love in Taba”, “A Fish and Four Sharks” and “Pizza, Pizza”.
She also performed in the cross-generational drama “Al Helmiya Nights” that gained immense popularity in the Arab world with its multiple parts.
Jala is also the brother of Mustafa Fahmi, a cinema photographer. Her funeral is expected to be held in Cairo later Sunday.
