"I don't care about lead roles"

Amal Bouchoucha Beirut – Nicola Azaar Algerian artist Amal Bouchoucha spoke about her role in the new upcoming Ramadan TV drama ‘Women’s Sessions,’ which she said is completely different to her previous role in ‘The Body Memory’ which was based on the novel by bestseller Ahlam Mosteghanemi. The new drama is based on joint lead roles, unlike ‘The Body Memory’ where she took the lead role. In her new drama the lead roles are played by four women and the message her character portrays is more important than having the lead role on her own. Amal believes that Syrian drama has lately become extremely important and changed things dramatically; especially that they treat actors fairly which has helped her name spread to all Arab countries. Here she talks to Arabstoday about all this and more.   * So your role in ‘Women’s Sessions’ is your second acting experience, tell us about that. That’s true, I co-star alongside Rafiq Ali Ahmed, Yara Sabri and others. The drama revolves around four young women with their own storyline, but they are all connected at the same time. It’s a modern drama and is different to what I have done in ‘The Body Memory’ where I played a Syrian girl; so this is a new challenge for me which I absolutely love, and I hope it is a success. * In ‘The Body Memory’ you spoke in classical Arabic, but in this drama you will be using the Syrian accent. Which is easier for you especially that you’re Algerian? Every accent is special in its own way. In my first acting experience I practiced classical Arabic a lot until I mastered it and thank God it paid off, and I tried really hard to prove my acting skills. But each problem can be solved in its own way, and I will be spending the majority of my time in Lebanon now, so accents in Levant sound similar so I truly tried to do a proper Syrian accent. In fact both the director and I insisted on me doing the whole drama with a Syrian accent as I am playing a Syrian girl and not an Arab girl residing in Syria, so by doing that we didn’t have to justify the character’s presence in Syria. So eventually I didn’t find it hard to act the role out because I mastered the accent. * You went from a sole lead role, to a joint lead role. Didn’t that bother you?  No, not at all. In ‘The Body Memory’ I played Hayat and the drama revolved about her as a main   character, whereas in this drama the storyline revolves four different women, and the four roles are of equal importance. However I can’t deny that ‘The Body Memory’ is a special case, especially script-wise and the fame it gained before it was filmed, so I don’t think an actor is going to get the same or similar script every 3 months or a year. I’ve had several acting jobs offered to me but I just found myself in this one, as it holds an important message that I really wanted to convey which is more important than a lead role to me.   * We’ve noticed your insistence on working with big Syrian actors; what’s the reason for that and where do Egyptian actors come into this equation? Syrian drama has become very important lately and has spread to the whole of the Arab world, but this doesn’t mean that Egyptian drama does not have a very high status as well, as it is our history and we grew up watching it. But my presence in Syrian dramas now goes back to the way I launched my career, which was through a Syrian drama, where I acted alongside Jamal Suliman, and my name became known in the Syrian drama scene and it became easier to get it touch with me. But you never know, you may soon see me in an Egyptian drama. * What makes Syrian drama more special then Egyptian drama? Syrian drama has turned things around in that genre in general, especially that the majority of its drama depends on joint lead roles, which contributed to its success and rapid spread. What also makes it different is that each actor gets their own full credit, and has their own individual fans, so when they all unite they draw in a huge number of viewers. So a lead role is not focused on one person and I’m not criticizing anyone here, but I’m only explaining the reasons behind the success of Syrian dramas.   * Where will ‘Women’s Sessions’ be aired? It will be aired on MBC, OTV, Orbit, Syrian Addounia TV and Algeria TV, which I’m very happy about, and I feel is a way of valuing me, which I am very proud of.   * What happened to ‘The Body Memory’ sequel? That was all talk. When we were filming the first part there were talks about a sequel depending on its success, which it did succeed, but I don’t have any more information and no one has contacted me about a sequel yet either.   * Now let’s talk about your singing career. What’s new? Well, it’s a Lebanese song called “Darb Jnoun” written by the poet Samir Nakhleh and composed and distributed by Rogis Abi Aqel. I have filmed a video clip for it in Marrakesh with a French director from the French production company Music Is My Life, and under the management of Yalla Music.   * How come you filmed it in Morocco? There’s no reason in particular; but the presence of the whole work team in Morocco led to filming it there. It’s still being edited and will be released this Eid.