An international actress appeared as an extra with Ahmed Zaki... a video that caused a stir

International star Cate Blanchett

Cate began her career in television series in 1994 and moved on to feature films in 1997.

The name of international star Cate Blanchett topped search engines on social media in Egypt after the El Gouna Film Festival announced her selection as the guest of honor for the eighth edition, which will be held from October 16 to 24, 2025, in El Gouna, Red Sea Governorate.

Many people reposted an old video of the international actress in which she made her debut as a silent extra in the film "Kaboria," starring the late Ahmed Zaki and Raghda in 1990. At the time, she was only 21 years old and had never dreamed of entering the acting field. However, fate led her to participate in the film through a strange story.

Recently, Blanchett revealed in a television interview the details of her participation as an extra in the Egyptian film "Kaboria." The Australian star said she was going through difficult family circumstances and decided to escape them, traveling from Australia to Europe and then to Egypt. She explained that she had little money at the time, so she stayed in a simple hotel in downtown Cairo. However, she spent all her money, and she wanted to extend her stay in Egypt for another week, and she didn't know what to do.

Kate added that by chance, a director in the film industry spotted her in the hotel where she was staying. He was looking for people with American features to participate as silent extras in a scene in a movie starring a famous Egyptian star, and he offered her the role. He explained at the time that "all she had to do was attend a boxing match in the film and cheer on one of the players amidst a large number of extras, in exchange for a sum of two pounds."

The famous Hollywood actress also noted that she saw the offer as a golden opportunity to earn the money to extend her stay for several more days. She immediately agreed, went to the filming location, and participated in the scene, receiving her meager wage. She then returned to Australia and never watched the film after its release. However, that participation was the reason for a major change in her life. She left the field of economics, which she was studying, and enrolled at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts there, later becoming a major star and winning numerous awards, including an Oscar.

For her part, actress Sahar Ramy, wife of the late artist Hussein El-Imam and one of the stars of the film "Kaboria," revealed that many years later, Cate Blanchett contacted Khairy Beshara, the film's director, and her husband, Hussein El-Imam. At the time, she was a major Hollywood star and asked them to provide her with the scene she participated in, especially since she had never seen the work. They responded to her request, and Khairy Beshara gave her a copy of the film. Work.

Cate Blanchett's Career

Cate Blanchett is a 56-year-old Australian actress. She made her acting debut in David Mamet's play "Oleanna" in 1992. That same year, she played Clytemnestra in a production of "Electra" after the lead actress withdrew, giving a distinguished, award-winning performance despite only a short rehearsal period.

Cate began appearing in television series in 1994 and moved to feature films in 1997. Her breakthrough came in 1998 when she played Queen Elizabeth in "Elizabeth." Since then, Blanchett has been considered one of the most prominent actresses, and in 2007, Time magazine ranked her as one of the most influential people in the world. In 2001, she joined the A-list cast of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, which grossed nearly $3 billion. She also won the 2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. 2005, with her first Academy Award for her role in "The Aviator"