MODA
Meet the rising unique talent: Sumaya Rida
From academia to acting, Sumaya Rida talks about her own journey.
Cinema returned to Saudi Arabia just five years ago, when a 35-year ban was finally lifted. Since then, movie theaters have been springing up across the Kingdom, invigorating the domestic film industry and inspiring a growing cast of homegrown actors.
One rising star of modern Saudi cinema is also Sumaya Rida, known for her breakout television roles in “Another Planet” and “Boxing Girls” and big-screen appearances in “Junoon” and “Roll’em” — among the first films to premiere in the Kingdom after legalization.With her passion for movies, storytelling and humanity, Saudi Arabian actress Sumaya Rida continues to take strong steps into the future.
Tell us about you and your life; who is Sumaya?I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia, I am very much Saudi in terms of traditions and lifestyle, however, my dreams are international.
Where did you start your career, and what was your idea behind becoming an actress?
My Acting career started in Jeddah when I landed my first role before the cinema started in Saudi Arabia. We went to film the show in Cairo, Egypt. Since childhood, I always loved performing and making short films. And after working in business and marketing for a while, I decided to shift and do what I always wanted, acting. It wasn’t an easy decision to make but I am really happy with the outcomes and I am planning to expand internationally.
We heard that you can perform in Turkish, how did you learn the language and why?
I relocated at the age of 16 to continue my studies, which was during a very early stage of my life. And as I have been living abroad for more than 10 years, I couldn’t help but notice that other cultures don’t know about our culture and heritage. Eventually, I came to believe that it’s my responsibility as a Saudi Artist to deliver a more realistic image of my country and Saudi women to the world out there, in creative terms. My lifestyle and education helped me to learn English as a second language, I also studied a lot of French in my university years and I am planning to develop my French even more. However, what was interesting to me is how easily I can pick up on Turkish vocabulary by watching a lot of Turkish TV shows. And since Turkish shows are quite a success and close to people's hearts in the Middle East, and also on an international scale, I decided to take a step further by taking Turkish speaking lessons.I believe there are many stories to be told, and I see a lot of potential and opportunities here. Saudi Arabia is yet to be discovered. English and Turkish languages are just the beginning for me. I intend to go further and tell our story to the world in every language I can.
What is your dream or main goal?
As any artist out there, I want to deliver my messages to the world, I want to clear misconceptions regarding Muslim women and particularly Saudi women. As far as I recall and on a global scale, a part of this humanity is hidden. And I respect that so much, to the degree that I want to cherish it by portraying different angles of it, and helping people see our side of this world.
What is the most difficult part of your job?
Establishing and ending a routine with a character. It is actually a lovely journey for me and I eventually become attached to my characters. The industry is moving fast and we, as actors, need to adapt quickly. The beginning of a project is the most exciting phase for me, I start with my characters like babies and grow them, I invest a lot of beautiful moments and feelings. I always find myself carried away with the story, as I live every bit of it. Then, once we finish and wrap I start to grieve. I used to cling to scattered bits and pieces of all my characters inside me. In my beginnings, I refused to let go of them. We as humans sometimes find it hard to let go, but acting taught me to let go and detach every time. It taught me that life is a consistent cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
What is your note for women of the Middle East and Turkey?
Start living your dreams.
