May Calamawy, an Egyptian-Palestinian, was offered a life filled with all the stereotypes that come with being a woman, but she refused and chose to do things her own way. And it hasn’t been a simple journey.
“Growing up (as a girl) in the Middle East, there is so much deep conditioning,” says the author. Calamawy confesses, “Like my parents wanted me to look a certain way, work in a certain field, get married, and have children by a certain age.”
She is currently busy spinning her web of stardom in the West, but she did study industrial design at her father’s request at one point. She began by booking short film roles, taking baby steps toward her family’s approval.
“I’ve defied every conditioning.” ‘No, I’m going to do it my way,’ I said. And it’s difficult because you doubt yourself, second-guess yourself, and wonder aloud, “Am I doing it right?” “Everyone I know is doing it the other way,” says the 35-year-old, who is glad she trusted her instincts and followed her dream to Hollywood.
“It was a huge blessing for me.” That’s something I’m glad I did. However, I’d like to point out that there is no such thing as right or wrong. It’s more of a case of doing whatever you want and figuring out what you want. Stick to it, whatever it is. Don’t live for the sake of others. And that’s just the main thing I’d like to see more women do (in showbiz and in general),” continues the actor, who was most recently seen in the web series Moon Knight.
Calamawy finally got her chance to trace her roots onscreen when she chose the role of an Arab woman in Ramy, after small roles in TV shows like Madame Secretary, The Long Road Home, The Brave, and FBI. She took another step in the right direction when she starred as the first Arab leading lady in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Moon Knight, a superhero film that incorporates Egyptian culture and mythology.
“It was really important for me to show Egypt in an authentic way,” she says of the same. And it was brought by Mohamed Diab (writer). It is critical to collaborate with people who are native to the region, who have lived there for a long time and are intimately familiar with the area.
Acting is more than a hobby for her; it’s also a form of therapy. “It’s always a challenge, and it’s intimidating at first. I had to learn how to believe in myself, trust my instincts, and speak up, just as I did with Moon Knight.”
What exactly do you mean? “Because I’d be in a room full of men, and my co-stars are all very strong men with a lot of experience (in the industry).” I had to work hard to keep up. It was inconvenient. Because my natural instinct is to ask, “Can you assist me?” ‘Or could you just show me how to do it?’ I did have moments where I inquired, but I also decided to figure it out on my own. That has aided me as well.
