By: Yomna Walid&nbsp;
Her roles are rarely alike. Even in brief appearances, Egyptian actress Sarah Khalil has won over audiences, leaving many asking what comes next.
Khalil began her acting career in 2022 with Hekayat Group El Eaila. A year later, she drew attention in Safah El Giza with a short but memorable role, appearing without make-up and demonstrating strong on-screen presence. In Gawla Akhera (Final Round), she transformed again, this time with make-up and hair extensions. Her Ramadan drama debut came in 2025 with Zolem El Mastaba.
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From portraying a cancer patient in Catalogue to her widely praised performance as Hanan in La Tord Wala Tostabdal, Khalil has focused on portraying ordinary Egyptian women with striking authenticity. For the latter role, she avoided make-up entirely and gained 10 kilograms to realistically depict a pregnant woman.
NileFM spoke to the actress about her career, her approach to roles, and what drives her choices.
Before people knew you as an actress, what is a small detail about your childhood or life that still explains part of who you are? I didn&rsquo;t realize acting was my dream until the moment I stepped onto the stage. I discovered that I wasn&rsquo;t shy. I felt completely free. I didn&rsquo;t fully understand what that feeling was at first, but then I realized that acting carries a powerful sense of freedom.
<a href="https://ibb.co/nsRKZ3x4"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/FbndNsRc/1.png" alt="1" border="0" /></a> Has a scene ever stayed with you after filming wrapped? No. I always make sure that once the scene is done, it is truly finished. I don&rsquo;t take the character home with me, and I don&rsquo;t let it affect my personal life. Appearing without makeup and physically transforming yourself early in your career was seen as a bold choice. How did you approach that decision? It wasn&rsquo;t a bold decision. It was the right one. In &ldquo;Final Round,&rdquo; the character required constant makeup and extensions, but this role was different. She was pregnant and mostly at home, so the look had to be natural. Even in &ldquo;Safah El Giza,&rdquo; I appeared without makeup because authenticity is essential. Things have to be done properly.
<a href="https://ibb.co/Wp46q8TP"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/mFVG1ZxX/2.png" alt="2" border="0" /></a> What drew you most to the role of Hanan? The team behind it. Director Mariam Abu Ouf, the writers Dina Nagem and Samar Abdelnasser, and the incredible cast including Ahmed El Saadany, Dina El Sherbiny, Fadwa Abed, and Hassan Malek. Hanan herself is beautiful in her simplicity. She exists in every Egyptian home. Speech therapy was presented as part of everyday life rather than an exceptional case. Did that change how you view storytelling around social issues? For families who live with these realities, this is their daily life. Presenting such issues naturally, without complications, helps them reach audiences faster. When problems are portrayed as part of ordinary life, people connect with them more easily. I truly hope more productions take this approach.
<a href="https://ibb.co/TxtqJMkk"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/DHQgmftt/3.png" alt="3" border="0" /></a> Did you add anything to Hanan that wasn&rsquo;t originally on the page? It is hard to pinpoint because some details emerge spontaneously during filming. For example, the wedding ring storyline, when it was taken to be sold, highlighted just how interconnected the family was. Everyone supports one another without hesitation. Many viewers felt Hanan&rsquo;s relationship with her siblings was incredibly real. How did you build that authenticity without exaggeration? This dynamic is part of Egyptian culture. There is a deep belief in family responsibility. When you have a brother like Taha, who does everything for his sisters, loving him comes naturally. That kind of relationship already exists in our society. Were you expecting such a strong reaction to the role? What was the most meaningful comment you received? I wasn&rsquo;t expecting it. As beautiful as the response was, it was also a little frightening, because when people see you succeed, they expect even more. It makes me more careful with my choices. One message that meant a lot came from the wonderful actress Reham Abdel Ghafour. She reached out with incredibly kind words. Having an artist of her stature take the time to find and message me was truly special. Most of your scenes were with Ahmed El Saadany, and the sibling bond felt very genuine. How did you avoid slipping into melodrama? The writing was excellent, which made it easier to deliver that sense of truth. Chemistry between actors is also very important, and thankfully, it was there. The relationship felt believable. The series tackled several important issues. Which one impacted you the most? It is difficult to choose just one. The health-related topics, such as kidney failure, speech, and hearing challenges, were especially important. They were presented smoothly and thoughtfully.
<a href="https://ibb.co/gbPCNx55"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/Q7CGL422/4.png" alt="4" border="0" /></a> From &ldquo;Safah El Giza&rdquo; to &ldquo;Catalogue,&rdquo; your roles vary in size but leave a strong impact. What makes you feel a role is right for you? I try not to label myself or chase roles that resemble me. On the contrary, I prefer moving away from anything too similar to who I am, because doing something different is always more challenging.
If you could change one thing about your journey so far, what would it be? I wouldn&rsquo;t change anything. If someone like Hanan saw herself in the series, what would you want her to take from it? I would want her to know that she is seen. Many women like Hanan feel invisible or believe their role in others&rsquo; lives is not significant. To me, Hanan represents the true meaning of home and belonging. Do you want the next phase of your career to build on what you&rsquo;ve done, or completely break away from it? Both. It should be an extension of what came before, but with characters that are not repetitions. Every actor wants diversity. Today I can play Hanan, tomorrow someone entirely different. Variety is essential and creatively very exciting.
<a href="https://ibb.co/k6MfJ4FN"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/FqnMX5tR/5.png" alt="5" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;
Photo Credit: Sarah Khalil's official page&nbsp;
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