AMMAN — Popular Jordanian actor
Wissam Tobeileh did not
originally set out for a career in acting; he just wanted to write a comedy
show with his friend, but they found it challenging to find young actors for
the show.
اضافة اعلان
“Because of our good energy together, we decided to take
part in acting," and it seems that it has worked out for the best,
Tobeileh told Jordan News in a recent interview.
A writer, content developer, sound designer, and
violinist, Tobeileh said that his career “was always music-based.” He started
his music career at the age of seven, and later in college, he majored in both
music and business administration.
In 2005, Tobeileh started a film production and service company
called "Fluid Productions,” with the
goal of “creating great content.” The company
went on to craft commercials for some of the top brands in the region.
“After acting in my show, I really loved the experience
because it was new. My advice to everyone was always to not let anyone convince
you that you're not good at something until you try it,” Tobeileh said.
“Because when I tried acting, I truly loved it (so much) that
it became my career move. … Love and ambition drive you to give your best, and
at the end, the results will speak for themselves.”
Despite his dedication to his work, Tobeileh encountered
challenges in the start of his career. "Family and friends were always like
‘What are you doing?’ because being an actor was not really that popular,” he
recalled. His parents questioned and objected to his new career path.
"When we
posted our work on YouTube and it became known, people started to acknowledge the
fact that acting is a promising career, because until now, people think of
actors as persons who do not have an actual career.”
However, he pointed out that this sentiment is changing. “There
are faculties at universities and degrees in acting, sound design, production,
and filming. This change led people to believe that acting is a brilliant path
and gained their acceptance,” he said.
As the case has been with many other artists and creators around the world, the pandemic has had a serious impact on Tobeileh’s career. “My main source of
income was from performing live at comedy shows and playing violin at events,”
he explained. “However, due to
COVID-19, those events were completely halted, and
that part of my life stopped with them. It was something that I financially
depended on, and still it has not changed. Hopefully, it is going to start up
again in the summer, but still, there are no concerts or live shows."
But he hasn’t stopped working. “Currently, I'm working on
a show of my creation,” he said, which will air on Roya TV next year.
The actor, who also teaches drama at the Modern
Montessori School, said that he takes his platform as a role model seriously.
During COVID-19, “I felt like I had an opportunity and that I owe it to these
kids to tell them what is happening, and to be able to spread awareness,” he
said.
“I used to post stories on Instagram and talk about wearing
a mask and being very careful and safe during COVID-19,” he said. He added that
he has also used his platform to spread awareness on other topics important to
him, such as Palestine. “It is a great
opportunity for us to express our feelings and spread awareness. I feel that
this platform can really help us speak up.”
Despite the lack of funding in the beginning, “I did my
best, produced out of my own money, just because my belief in acting went
beyond limits,” he said. “So, if you believe in something, purse it, challenge whatever
obstacles you face, because at the end, people are going to feel and notice the
difference.”
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