Egyptian-British actor Amir El-Masry has revealed the emotional moment he met Prince Naseem &ldquo;Naz&rdquo; Hamed at the premiere of his upcoming biopic, "Giant," during the Red Sea International Film Festival. Speaking exclusively to NileFM&rsquo;s Big Breakfast with Nadine, El-Masry reflected on the project and the preparation behind one of his most challenging roles to date. The film is scheduled for release on 15 January 2026.
El-Masry described meeting the boxing legend as both &ldquo;supportive and surreal.&rdquo; &ldquo;He sat next to me, was very supportive, and even let me wear the WBC belt,&rdquo; he recalled. &ldquo;It felt amazing to have his approval for portraying his life.&rdquo; He added that witnessing the reactions of Prince Naseem and his family at the screening was &ldquo;humbling and motivating.&rdquo;
Known for critically acclaimed performances in "Limbo" and "The Crown," El-Masry says he chooses projects that challenge him and have purpose. &ldquo;I look for stories that can make even a small change,&rdquo; he told NileFM. &ldquo;Playing one of my heroes in "Giant" was about bringing his story to a wider audience and giving representation to communities often overlooked in mainstream media.&rdquo;
He also spoke about the demanding physical and technical preparation required to become Prince Naseem. &ldquo;We trained up to 12 hours a day, every day for a week and a half, with only active rest days,&rdquo; he explained. &ldquo;We worked on boxing choreography, cardio, circuit training, and even perfected his unique accent and style. There was a moment during training when the character finally clicked, and everything came together.&rdquo;
The film charts Prince Naseem&rsquo;s meteoric rise from the streets of Sheffield to world-championship fame under the guidance of his eccentric Irish trainer, Brendan Ingle. &ldquo;It was important to capture not just his athletic ability, but the personality and flamboyance that made him iconic,&rdquo; El-Masry added.
Working alongside screen legends such as Sylvester Stallone and Pierce Brosnan was another standout element of the experience. &ldquo;Meeting Pierce was surreal. He&rsquo;s incredibly humble; it made me feel like I was truly collaborating, rather than just watching legends at work,&rdquo; he said.
"Giant" opened the Red Sea International Film Festival to a packed audience, signalling strong anticipation ahead of its cinema release. Audiences can watch Amir El-Masry bring Prince Naseem&rsquo;s story to life when the film arrives in cinemas on 15 January 2026.
Photo Credit: Amir El-Masry&rsquo;s official page

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