Interview with Haaz Sleiman

Magyar verzió

The first time I saw Haaz Sleiman was when I watched The Visitor. I even had a blogpost on the movie HERE. My first reaction was "Wow, this character looks like my heroine’s Middle Eastern brother, just the way I imagined him." I was fascinated by his character’s life-affirmation, and although I wanted to write in my novel about the passing of time and losses, the character in my novel started to be inspired by him. I also became curious whether this youthful dynamism and the joy of life are there in Haaz’s every role. Well, not really. He shows a different in every role, he’s a real artist. Since I started following him on social media I’ve also come to admire his mentality which is encouraging both in human terms and in creative freedom. Looking back on his roles it seems to me that he loves playing characters who have problems because they try to find their place in the world. (immigrants, gay people, Jesus.) Maybe this is the reason why he inspired Tarik Malouf too, whose personality in the end became most similar to Omar from The Promise mini series. I recommend this interestingly structured, moving story, and you should also watch The Visitor because it has never been so relevant and important as it is today.

Haaz Sleiman and Claire Foy in The Promise

Haaz and Richard Jenkins in The Visitor

Until then, read this brief interview with Haaz Sleiman, who did the honour of replying some questions for my little author blog. :) 

What are your favorite roles to play? The ones that draw you doing a particular script? 
Human human human... Imperfections. Characters that are humanly flawed. It's always gratifying to give a voice to the voiceless.

What role affected you personally, perhaps even changed you? 
Jesus in Killing Jesus. Ali in Jack Ryan. Tarek in The Visitor. 

Do you prefer acting for film or for the theater?
For film. 

If you could choose, what two actors would you really want to work with?
Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep. 

Who is your favorite director and why?
Tom Ford. I love his taste and his mind. 

What was your favorite part of filming in The Visitor?
Showing my character's joy for life. It's contagious. 

What made you take this role? 
The chance to show the world how loving Arabs can be. 

Which musical instrument would you be? 
Violin. 

Is there any chance that you release an album someday? 
I would love to! 

What is your favorite book? 
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin. 

What do you think is the biggest problem in world today? 
That we don't allow each other to be fully human. In every sense of the word. 

What show/shows are you currently working on? 
Jack Ryan (potomac), and Crossing The Border.


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