Over many years, several artists from one artistic family have entered the field, whether they are siblings, spouses, or children. There are even some artistic families whose acting talent has extended to the third generation, namely the grandchildren. Most of these artistic families included three artists; in some, there were up to eight.
This phenomenon dominating Egypt's entertainment industry is argued to either be a testament to inheriting talents or the power of being born into fame. With that said, we are breaking down some of the most prominent Egyptian artistic families:
The Fayrouz Family
The prodigy child star Fayrouz, her sister Mervat, and their younger sister Nelly, all started their careers in the entertainment industry. Their cousin, Lebleba, also began acting and performing from a young age and continues to do so today.
The Shawky Family
The Farid Shawky family is perhaps the largest and most famous artistic dynasty in Egypt, with its influence spanning multiple generations. It all began with the iconic actor Farid Shawky and his wife, Hoda Sultan. Hoda's brother, Mohamed Fawzi, and his wife, Madiha Yousry.
The legacy continued with producer Nahid Farid Shawky, her husband, director Medhat El-Sebaei, and their daughter, Nahed El-Sebaei. The Shawky family's artistic influence extended to Farid Shawky's grandson, Ahmed Gamal Saeed, and Nahid's brother, Mohamed Sebaie, who is now married to Ayah Samaha.
The Zu El Fakkar Family
The Zu El Fakkar family is another notable name in Egyptian cinema, featuring three brothers and their wives. Mahmoud married Maryam Fakhr El Din, whose brother was Youssef Fakhr El Din. Then there is director Ezz El Din Zu El Fakkar, who was married to Faten Hamama. The final brother, Salah, was married to Shadia.
The Nour El Sherif Family
The late Nour El-Sherif and his wife, Poussy, and her sister, Noura, formed a formidable artistic family. Their daughters, Mai and Sarah, have also had their moment in the spotlight, with Sarah working as an assistant director in several projects.
The Zaky Family
Magda Zaki and her husband Kamal Abu Rayya. Her younger brother, Ashraf Zaki, is married to Rogina, and their daughter, Mariam, has just started rising as an actress.
The El Saadany Family
Salah El-Saadani and his son Ahmed Al-Saadani, along with artists Tawfiq Abdel Hamid and Mahmoud El-Bazawi, who married the daughters of writer Mahmoud El-Saadani, the elder brother of Salah, and actor and director Akram El-Bazawi, all contribute to the family's legacy.
The Khaled Saleh Family
The late Khaled Saleh's son Ahmed is married to Hanadi Mehana, daughter of musician Hani Mehana. The latter was married to Samira Said before their separation.
The El Sakka Family
It includes the late director Salah El Sakka, his son Ahmed El Sakka, and grandson Yassin El Sakka, who has recently begun directing short films. Ahmed El Sakka's maternal side of the family is also artistic, as his grandfather is singer Abdo Al Sarouji.
