Ghassan Massoud
{{short description|Syrian actor and filmmaker (born 1958)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ghassan Massoud
| image = Ghassan Massoud.jpg
| caption = Massoud in 2003
| native_name = غسّان مسعود
| native_name_lang = ar
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|9|20|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Tartous, Syria
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1987–present
| nationality = Syrian
| height =
| spouse =
| children = 2
}}
Ghassan Massoud ({{langx|ar|غسّان مسعود}} / {{ALA-LC|ar|Ghassān Masʻūd}}; born September 20, 1958) is a Syrian actor and filmmaker. He is best known in the West for his role as Saladin in Ridley Scott's 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven.
Career
Massoud is known in Syria for his appearance in many Syrian-made films, and for writing and directing the theatre play Diplomasiyyoun, and was part of the Syrian Ministry of Culture's National Theater's 2002 season. He has appeared in the Syrian television miniseries The Chant of Rain, and in Haytham Hakky's well-known work Memories of the Forthcoming Age, and on the Syrian stage was an actor in August Strindberg's Miss Julie. Most recently, he starred as the companion of Muhammad, Abu Bakr in MBC's series Omar.
Internationally, he is known for playing the role of Ayyubid sultan Saladin in Ridley Scott's 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven. He also played the "Sheikh" in the 2006 Turkish film Kurtlar Vadisi: Irak (Valley of the Wolves: Iraq), Ammand the Corsair in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. and Ramesses II's Grand Vizier, Paser in Ridley Scott's 2014 Bible epic, Exodus. Massoud turned down a role in the 2005 film Syriana, claiming he feared the movie would be anti-Arab.{{cite web |title=Ghassan Massoud in Pirates of The Caribbean : At World's End |work=WALEG |url=http://www.waleg.com/archives/007367.html |access-date=24 May 2007 |date=24 March 2007 |author=H.A.R. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927030502/http://www.waleg.com/archives/007367.html |archive-date=27 September 2007 |url-status=dead }} When refusing the position, Massoud also highlighted worries about the political climate of his nation and the surrounding area. After watching the finished picture, he stated he later regretted his choice.{{cite news |url=http://news.independent.co.uk/world/fisk/article620191.ece |title=Modern Syria through Saladin's eyes |date=27 May 2006 |access-date=17 January 2019 |newspaper=Independent |publisher=Independent News and Media Limited |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060710011107/http://news.independent.co.uk/world/fisk/article620191.ece |archive-date=10 July 2006 |first=Robert |last=Fisk |author-link=Robert Fisk |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=89209&version=1&template_id=46&parent_id=26 |title=Iraq, Syria through the eyes of Saladin |date=31 May 2006 |access-date=17 January 2019 |first=Robert |last=Fisk |author-link=Robert Fisk |newspaper=Gulf Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618064839/http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=89209&version=1&template_id=46&parent_id=26 |archive-date=18 June 2008 |url-status=live }}
Personal life
Massoud was born in Fajlit, Duraykish District, Tartus Governorate, in Syria.{{Cite web |title=غسان مسعود: قريتي فجليت لم ولن تغيب عن ذهني ومخيلتي |url=https://www.esyria.sy/2008/03/%D8%BA%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%82%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%8A-%D9%81%D8%AC%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%AA-%D9%84%D9%85-%D9%88%D9%84%D9%86-%D8%AA%D8%BA%D9%8A%D8%A8-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%B0%D9%87%D9%86%D9%8A-%D9%88%D9%85%D8%AE%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%8A |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.esyria.sy |language=ar}}
He is married and has a son and a daughter. Massoud teaches drama at both the Damascus Music and Drama School and the Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts.
Filmography
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Film |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Note |
|---|
| 1995
| Shamoon | Arabic title: Al-mutabaqqī (المتبقي) |
| 2005
| Saladin | |
| 2006
| Sheikh Abdurrahman Halis Karkuki | Turkish title: Kurtlar Vadisi: Irak |
| 2006
| Dhilal al sammt | | |
| 2007
| Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End | Captain Ammand | |
| 2007
| Juba | Al-Syeikh Suleiman Al-'Ābid | |
| 2008
| Sahrawi | ِArabic title: Al-wa'd (الوعد) |
| 2009
| Mevlevi Dede | Turkish title: Kelebek |
| 2014
| Paser | |
| 2016
| Baron |Sulaymani | |
| 2017
| |
| 2019
| Tomiris | Cyrus | Kazakh title: Томирис |
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Television | |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Note | |
|---|---|
| 2001
| ِArabic title: Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn al-Ayyūb (صلاح الدين الأيوبي) | |
| 2002
| {{ill|Falcon of Quraysh (TV series)|ar|صقر قريش (مسلسل)|lt=Falcon of Quraysh}} | {{ill|As-Sumayl ibn Hatim|ar|الصميل بن حاتم|ca|As-Sumayl ibn Hàtim al-Kilabí|uk|Ас-Сумайл ібн Хатім аль-Кілабі|ur|صمیل بن حاتم}} | ِArabic title: Saqr Quraish (صقر قريش) | |
| 2003
| {{ill|Al-Hajjaj (TV series)|ar|الحجاج (مسلسل)|lt=Al-Hajjaj}} | ِArabic title: al-Ḥajjāj (الحجاج) | |
| 2005
| {{ill|Al-Zahir Baybars (TV series)|ar|الظاهر بيبرس (مسلسل)|fr | lt=Al-Zahir Baybars}}
| Arabic title: al-Ẓāhir Baybars (الظاهر بيبرس) |
| 2012
| Omar | Abu Bakr | ِArabic title: Umar (عمر) | |
| 2024
| |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Ghassan Massoud}}
- {{IMDb name|1586095}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Massoud, Ghassan}}
Category:Syrian male film actors
Category:Syrian male television actors
Category:Academic staff of the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts (Damascus)