- Born
- Ghassan Massoud (born September 20, 1958 in Damascus) is a Syrian actor and film-maker. He is best-known in the West for playing the role of the Muslim military general Saladin in Ridley Scott's 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven. He has also played the "Sheikh" in famous Turkish film "Kurtlar Vadisi: Irak" (Valley of the Wolves Iraq). Massoud is best known in Syria for his appearance in many Syrian-made films, and writing and directing the theatre play Diplomasiyyoun, and was part of the Syrian Ministry of Culture's National Theater's 2002 season. Married with both a son and daughter, Massoud teaches Drama at both the Damascus Music and Drama School and High Institution of Theatrical Arts. He has appeared in the Syrian films 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.- IMDb mini biography by: amir-ezati@yahoo.com
- Shuns most big-budget productions before he cares more about the quality of the film and acting.
- Graduated from the High Institution of Theatrical Arts in Syria. He has been a Professor of Theatrical Arts in this institution for ten years.
- He and his wife have two children: a son, and a daughter (b. 2005). Both of them are dancers.
- He studied in Finland and Germany before returning to his hometown of Damascus, where he lives now.
- Turned down a role in Syriana (2005) because he felt the film would be anti Islamic. Subsequently said he regretted that he admired the film and regretted not accepting the role.
- Everything in Saladin's own life is also my philosophy. My culture is that of Saladin. My religion is the same religion and I speak the same language, have the same geography and the same history. It is in my nature to understand Saladin more than anyone in the West. He has been a role-model for us since our youth. From the philosophy of the people, Saladin was an example for the Muslim hero who returned to Arabs and Muslims their pride and their dignity.
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