ENTERTAINMENT
MY BIG FALAFEL
EGYPTIAN WEDDING
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH
NORA ARMANI
Nora Armani is no stranger to heavy dramatic roles, but My Big Falafel Egyptian Wedding gave her the chance to trade heartbreak for hilarity. She talks about the Egyptian comedy, the social issues beneath the laughs, and why working with Steve Shermett was such a pleasure.
THE INTERVIEW
Jen Gault:
My Big Falafel Egyptian Wedding feels like more than just a comedy…it touches on culture, family, identity, and social issues. How did you first come across the script?
Nora Armani:
It’s interesting because the director, Peter Takla, was someone some of my Egyptian friends in New York had been telling me about. They have supported the film festival over the years, and they kept telling me about this amazing film director I had to meet. We never had the opportunity to work together.
Actually, Peter’s previous film, 40 Days, was screened at our film festival last year. It’s the story of people crossing the border from Mexico into the United States and all the hardships they face. They start in Central America and walk their way all the way to the border. It’s a harrowing story.
He wanted me to be in that film and offered me a role. Unfortunately, there was a scheduling clash because I was filming something else in Spain at the time, so I was unable to do it.
It’s a very important film about immigration and the hardships people experience when crossing the border. Then, when he came up with the idea for My Big Falafel Egyptian Wedding, which is a complete contrast to the other film, I loved the idea.
The other film is very dramatic and heavy, but My Big Falafel Egyptian Wedding is a big, laugh-out-loud comedy.
I loved that idea because when he told me to take a look at the script and let him know if I would like to play the lead role of the mother—the bride’s mother—I thought, “This is amazing.”
All my other work so far has been more dramatic and heavy-duty. I felt, “Wow, this is a fantastic opportunity to do over-the-top comedy.”
It was a lot of fun, I must tell you.
“No, you have to marry an Armenian,” whether it’s the right match or not. It doesn’t matter as long as he’s Armenian or she’s Armenian.
“I really like that scene because it brings together my dramatic capacities with the comedy.”
Working With Steve Shermett
Jen Gault:
Since you brought him into the conversation, your husband and Farida’s father, Zoser—let’s talk a bit about Steve Shermett, who plays the character. How was it working with him?
Nora Armani:
He’s such a wonderful person, and it was really easy to work with him.
It’s rare when you find an actor who is generous. Sometimes you come onto a set and you’re confronted with an actor who isn’t really generous. They have their own way, and if you try something different, they say, “No, no, no. Let’s go like this. Let’s do it like that.”
Steve was wonderful because he was very open, and we worked very well together. He was really very nice to work with.
Coming Soon….
This is just the beginning. While Nora Armani trades heartbreak for hilarity in My Big Falafel Egyptian Wedding, we have barely scratched the surface of what went on behind the scenes.
What happens when you bring a powerhouse dramatic actress, an acclaimed filmmaker, and a stellar comedic cast together?
Our exclusive, multi-part feature with Nora Armani, director Peter Takla, and more from the interviews will drop this October. Get ready for the ultimate insider look right before the movie hits theaters this November!
In the meantime…